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Table 2 Extent of disease and cancer therapy stratified by patient age

From: Patient age is related to decision-making, treatment selection, and perceived quality of life in breast cancer survivors

Total number of patients in each age group (N)

Age <50

Age 50-65

Age >65

P 1

n (%)2

n (%)2

n (%)2

N = 104

N = 179

N = 119

Surgery for disease localized to the breast

   

0.002

 Lumpectomy

41 (39.4)

91 (50.8)

68 (57.1)

 Mastectomy

20 (19.2)

30 (16.8)

6 (5.0)

Surgery for regional disease

   

0.158

 Lumpectomy

16 (15.4)

20 (11.2)

12 (10.1)

 Mastectomy

20 (19.2)

11 (6.1)

6 (5.0)

Prophylactic mastectomy

12 (11.5)

19 (10.6)

4 (3.4)

0.046

Systemic chemotherapy

    

 For disease localized to the breast

24 (23.1)

31 (17.3)

10 (8.4)

0.027

 For regional disease

34 (32.7)

25 (14.0)

14 (11.7)

0.014

Radiation therapy

    

 For disease localized to the breast

37 (35.6)

80 (44.7)

52 (43.7)

0.125

 For regional disease

31 (29.8)

25 (14.0)

17 (14.3)

0.921

Anti-hormone therapy

72 (69.2)

107 (59.8)

52 (43.7)

0.089

  1. 1P values apply to comparison across all three age groups.
  2. 2The percentages in the table were generated by dividing the number of patients who fell under the corresponding criteria by the total number of patients in the age group as listed; due to missing values, some percentages may not add up to unity.
  3. Age and extent of disease influenced surgical therapy. Independent of age, patients with regional breast cancer were more likely to have had a mastectomy. Young patients with localized breast cancer were also more likely to have had a mastectomy than their older counterparts. Patient age also influenced systemic adjuvant therapy. Young patients with breast cancer were more likely to have received cytotoxic chemotherapy and/or anti-hormonal therapy. No difference in receipt of breast radiotherapy was observed based on patient age. The odds ratio of choosing mastectomy for young women (<50) and older women >65 was 4.186 (confidence interval 1.996 to 8.781, P < 0.02). The odds ratio of choosing mastectomy for women 50-65 compared to those >65 was 2.526 (confidence interval 1.238 to 5.152, P < 0.01).