AGE AS A PROGNOSTIC FACTOR IN BREAST-CANCER

We retrospectively analysed data from 1751 patients with non-metastati c and non- inflammatory breast cancer treated in our institution betwe en 1977 and 1989, in order to evaluate the link between age and progno sis in breast cancer. We chose three age groups (1): less than or equa l to 33 (n = 67), 34-40 (n = 155), >40 years (n = 1529). There were no significant differences in the distribution of clinical tumour size ( T), histological node status (N), histology of the primary- tumour and progesterone receptor levels (PR). Younger patients had a higher prop ortion of SBR III (p < 0.0001), and of Estradiol Receptor negative tum ours (EP). There was a significant difference between the three groups in terms of overall survival (p < 0.035), breast cancer specific surv ival (p < 0.0001) and relapse-free survival (p < 0.0002). Younger pati ents had a significantly poorer prognosis (survival and relapse) than older ones. Multivariate analysis of specific survival demonstrated th at young age at diagnosis was a poor independent prognostic factor.