Tumor size, axillary lymph node status and steroid receptor expression in breast cancer: prognostic relevance 5 years after surgery

Tumor size, axillary lymph node status and expression of steroid receptors are well-established prognostic factors in breast cancer. However, it is not clear if these prognostic factors are time-dependent variables and lose their significance after several years of disease-free survival. To analyse...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Breast cancer research and treatment 2002-09, Vol.75 (2), p.167-173
Main Authors: GEBAUER, Gerhard, FEHM, Tanja, LANG, Norbert, JÄGER, Wolfram
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Aged
Axilla
Biological and medical sciences
Breast cancer
Breast Neoplasms - metabolism
Breast Neoplasms - pathology
Breast Neoplasms - surgery
Cancer research
Cancer therapies
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics
Humans
Lymph Nodes - pathology
Mammary gland diseases
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Prognosis
Receptors, Steroid - analysis
Receptors, Steroid - metabolism
Time Factors
Tumors
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Summary:Tumor size, axillary lymph node status and expression of steroid receptors are well-established prognostic factors in breast cancer. However, it is not clear if these prognostic factors are time-dependent variables and lose their significance after several years of disease-free survival. To analyse how long these factors keep their prognostic relevance survival of 1162 breast cancer patients was analysed retrospectively. The post-operative follow-up period was split into consecutive 2-year intervals and each interval was analysed for rate of recurrence and rate of tumor depending deaths. Furthermore, a multivariate analysis was performed for the total follow-up time and for the follow-up period starting 5 years after surgery. Multivariate analysis revealed tumor size, axillary lymph node status and estrogen receptor status as independent prognostic parameters. Analysing separately the rate of recurrences and tumor-related deaths during consecutive 2-year intervals, only the tumor size was a constant prognostic parameter, whereas prognostic relevance of lymph node status decreased. Estrogen receptor status associated with favourable prognosis during the first years after surgery changed to an unfavourable prognostic factor 4 years after surgery. To summarize, prognostic factors obtained at the time of surgery can lose their significance with increasing disease-free survival.
ISSN:0167-6806
1573-7217
DOI:10.1023/A:1019601928290