BREAST

Survival from breast cancer was examined in approximately 76 000 women and 600 men diagnosed in Denmark between 1943 and 1987. About 5% of p atients mainly known from death certificates only were excluded from t he analysis. Overall, survival improved with time, the relative five-y ear survival rates increasing from 47 to 69% in women and from 40 to 5 8% in men. Women had significantly better survival than men. Age at di agnosis was a prognostic factor in women as well as in men, the surviv al rates decreasing with increasing age at diagnosis. This age effect persisted after stratification for extent of disease. Although it was not demonstrated that the proportion of early-stage breast cancers inc reased with time, the improvement in survival may be related to increa sed diagnostic activity. The introduction of adjuvant breast cancer th erapy has also improved survival, particularly among women aged less t han 45.