TREATMENT OF BREAST-CANCER IN THE AUCKLAND REGION 1976-85

Aim. A descriptive study of the treatment of breast cancer in Auckland between the years 1976 to 1985. Methods. A database was constructed u tilising information from all new breast cancer cases recorded in the Auckland region from September 1976 to September 1985. Details of trea tment were obtained at the time of diagnosis and the database was upda ted every 9 months. Patient survival was measured and changes in the p attern of treatment were assessed. Results. After a median follow up o f 9 years 41% of patients were alive without evidence of breast cancer , 9% were alive with recurrence and 50% had died, 38% having died of b reast cancer. Survival of node positive patients at 5 years of follow up who received adjuvant tamoxifen or adjuvant chemotherapy was 57 (SE 4)% and 63 (4)% respectively. The proportion of less than mastectomy surgical procedures increased over the study period, and local recurre nce in these patients was reduced by postoperative radiotherapy. Concl usions. Between 1976 and 1985 there was an increasing rate of conserva tive surgery for breast cancer in Auckland. Overall survival of patien ts was comparable to that reported in international studies, with incr easing use of adjuvant endocrine therapy but a decline in adjuvant che motherapy over the duration of the study.