Survival with Surgery is Superior to Survival Without Surgery in Breast Cancer Patients Aged 85 Years or Older: A Retrospective Study

Abstract Background: Surgical treatment of breast cancer patients aged 85 years or older is still controversial. Methods: A series of surgically treated breast cancer patients aged 85 years or older was evaluated. The clinicopathological features and outcomes of these patients were compared with the features and outcomes of breast cancer patients in the same age group who were managed without surgery. Results: A total of 45 patients (75%) received surgical treatment, and 15 patients (25%) were managed without surgery. The differences between ages, tumor status, nodal status, stage and immunopathological status of the patients undergoing and not undergoing surgery were not significant. Significantly more patients treated by surgery underwent systemic treatment than patients managed without surgery (P=0.004). The three-year disease-free survival rate of patients treated by surgery was higher than that of the patients managed without surgery (90.6% vs 67.5%, respectively; P<0.001).Conclusions: The surgical treatment of breast cancer patients aged 85 years or older is warranted. This outcome was achieved with the use of hormonal therapy.