Surgery improves survival in elderly with breast cancer. A study of 465 patients in a single institution

Abstract Introduction Breast cancer treatment in elderly patients is controversial. This single-centre study was conducted to review the treatment and outcomes for octogenarian women treated for breast cancer. Methods Data from all patients aged 80 years or more with primary breast cancer treated at our institution between 1995 and 2012 were included. Patients with carcinoma in-situ (stage 0) and advanced breast cancer (stage IV) were excluded. Results The study population consisted of 369 patients (median age 84 years). A total of 277 (75%) patients underwent surgical treatment (PST) and 92 (25%) received primary endocrine treatment (PET). Prognostic factors (HER-2, tumour grade, lymphovascular invasion and subsequent adjuvant therapy) were homogeneously distributed in both groups. PST and PET were stratified according to stage: 273 (66%) patients with early stage disease (I, IIA, IIB) and 96 (34%) with locally advanced disease (IIIA, IIIB, IIIC). Patients were followed-up for a median of 63 months. In patients with early stage disease, the mean breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS) was 109 months (95% CI = 101–115) in PST patients, and 50 months (95% CI = 40–60) in PET patients (P  Conclusion In women ≥80 years with early-stage breast cancer, standard surgical treatment was associated with a better BCSS when compared with PET.