Omission of surgery in elderly patients with early stage breast cancer

• Published in: European journal of cancer (1990) 2013-02, Vol.49 (3), p.545-552
• Main Authors: Hamaker, Marije E, Bastiaannet, Esther, Evers, Dorothea, Water, Willemien van de, Smorenburg, Carolien H, Maartense, Ed, Zeilemaker, Anneke M, Liefers, Gerrit-Jan, Geest, Lydia van der, de Rooij, Sophia E, van Munster, Barbara C, Portielje, Johanneke E.A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biological and medical sciences; Breast Neoplasms - chemistry; Breast Neoplasms - mortality; Breast Neoplasms - pathology; Breast Neoplasms - surgery; Early breast cancer; Elderly; Female; Hematology, Oncology and Palliative Medicine; Humans; Medical sciences; Neoplasm Staging; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Primary endocrine treatment; Receptors, Estrogen - analysis; Receptors, Progesterone - analysis; Treatment Outcome; Tumors
• ISSN: 0959-8049; 1879-0852
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2012.08.010

Abstract Aim To assess national trends over time in surgery for elderly patients with resectable breast cancer (BC) and to evaluate clinical outcome and cause of death after the omission of surgery in a regional cohort of elderly patients. Methods National trends in 1995–2005 were calculated using cancer registry data. In addition, a chart review was performed in a cohort of patients aged ⩾75 years, with early stage BC but no primary surgery, diagnosed at five Dutch hospitals in 1990–2005. Patient characteristics, comorbidity and reason for the omission of surgery were collected from the chart. Cause of death was retrieved from death certificate data registered at Statistics Netherlands. Results Omission of surgery increased significantly over time for patients aged 80 years and older ( p < 0.05). Of the 187 patients in the regional cohort (median age 85.9 years (range 75.0–97.7), 174 (92%) received hormonal therapy. Omission of surgery was at the patient’s request in 59 patients (32%). Of the 178 patients that died during follow-up, 60 patients (34%) died of BC. For 81 patients (45%), BC was not clinically relevant at the time of death. Median overall survival was 2.3 years (range 0.2–10.7) and did not differ between BC and other causes of death ( p = 0.9). Conclusion Omission of surgery for elderly patients with resectable BC has increased significantly over the past decade; instead patients often received primary endocrine treatment. Although this may appear an effective alternative to surgery, the potential for a longer term negative impact on disease control and quality of life deserves further investigation.