OUTCOME OF STAGE-II BREAST-CANCER IN GREECE - A 10-YEAR FOLLOW-UP-STUDY

We have evaluated 225 patients with Stage II breast cancer, who were t reated at the Breast Unit of the Department of Surgery, University of Patras Medical School, Greece, with modified radical mastectomy and su bsequently either adjuvant chemoendocrine therapy with cyclophosphamid e, methotrexate, fluorouracil (CMF) plus tamoxifen (Tx) or tamoxifen a lone. The follow-up time ranged from 72 to 195 months (median 120 mont hs). 58 patients were pre-menopausal and 167 post-menopausal, The 10-y ear overall survival (OS) and disease free survival (DFS) rates were b etter for the pre-menopausal women than for the post-menopausal (86.6% and 81.1% vs 53% and 52.2% respectively). Of the pre-menopausal patie nts, those treated with adjuvant chemoendocrine therapy (six cycles of CMF + 20 mg tamoxifen), achieved higher 10-year OS (P = 0.045) and DF S (P = 0.050) rates, as compared to those treated with tamoxifen alone . In the post-menopausal patients, relatively better results were also achieved (OS 66.9% vs 60.1% and DFS : 57.8% vs 48%), but the differen ces were not statistically significant. Estrogen and progesterone rece ptor positive ER (+) and PR (+) post-menopausal patients, treated with adjuvant tamoxifen, presented fewer local recurrences and distant met astases (P = 0.06) than those with negative receptors. Axillary node i nfiltration was of prognostic significance, especially for patients' D FS (P = 0.001). (C) 1998 Lippincott-Raven Publishers.