Breast conserving treatment (BCT) for stage I-II breast cancer in elderly women: analysis of 927 cases.

Introduction: Few breast conserving treatment (BCT) data include women older than 70.

Material: 910 women older than 70 were treated by BCT for stage I-II BC, with 670 pT(1) (72.3%), 245 pT(2) (26.4%) and 12 pT(x) (1.3%). Axillary nodal involvement occurred in 30.7% of cases. ER and PgR were positive in 85% and 71% of cases. Radiotherapy (RT) was delivered in all patients, tamoxifen in 55.8% and chemotherapy in 4.8%.

Results: With a 65-month median follow-up, 28 (3%) local recurrences (LR) and 83 (9.1%) metastases occurred. Second cancer occurred in 51 (5.6%) patients. The 8-year overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS) rates were 74% and 90%. The 8-year OS and DSS rates were 77% and 92% versus 65% and 84% in pT(1) versus pT(2) patients (p=0.01). 676 patients were in complete remission (74.3%); 22 were evolutive (2.4%). 206 patients died (22.6%).

Conclusion: Our study confirms the excellent local control in elderly patients treated by BCT with RT and identifies subgroups at high risk of distant relapse that should be treated more aggressively.