Trends in diagnosis and management of breast cancer in the U.S.: from the surveys of the American College of Surgeons

Diagnosis and First-Line Treatment of Breast Cancer in Italian General Hospitals

The quality of the diagnostic and therapeutic process of 1262 newly diagnosed breast cancer patients was evaluated in 63 Italian general hospitals over the period March 1983 - April 1984. Most of the patients (91 %) discovered their own lesion, which was a nodule in 83 % of the cases. Practice of breast self examination was reported by 418 (33 %) patients, only 28 % of whom did that on a regular monthly basis. A diagnostic delay > 3 months was present in 36 % of the patients. Among the preoperative work-up examinations, skeletal X-ray or bone scan was not performed in 20 % of patients, whereas other essential examinations were done in most. The Patey type of radical mastectomy was the most frequent surgical procedure; quadrantectomy was performed in only 26 % of eligible patients, more frequently in younger (34 %) than in older patients (21 %). Adjuvant chemotherapy was recommended for 11 % and 6 % of pre- and postmenopausal N— patients, and for 78 % and 47 % of pre- and postmenopausal N+ patients. Forty-three of the 63 participating hospitals reported they adhered to the guidelines defined by the Italian Breast Cancer Task Force (F.O.N.Ca.M.) but this was not associated with substantial evidence of better quality of care. Similarly, no associations emerged between several hospitals' organizational features and adherence to recommended treatment guidelines. The study is ongoing to assess the quality of postsurgical treatment and to measure its impact on patients' survival.

New Trends in the Surgical Treatment of Primary Breast Cancer in the Florence District: 1979-1985

The authors report on a consecutive series of 1979 TIS-T1A-T2A-T3A breast cancer cases surgically treated from 1979 to 1985. The study investigates the impact of recent reports on conservative surgery and of a national treatment protocol for breast cancer, encouraging the use of modified radical mastectomy (MRM) and quadrantectomy, axillary dissection and breast irradiation (QUART) as alternatives to Halsted's radical mastectomy (RM). RM frequency dropped from 52% to 8% in TIS-T1A and from 82% to 20% in T2A-T3A cases in the study period, in favor of MRM and of QUART, which increased from 10% to 54% in TIS-T1A cases. Although surgical choices differ widely according to individual surgeons, a definite trend towards more conservative surgery is evident, which demonstrates how the national treatment protocol has affected current surgical practice.

Determinants of Physicians’ Preferences for Alternative Treatments in Women with Early Breast Cancer

To learn about factors, that influence a physician's decision making, a mail survey was conducted asking physicians about their preferences for radical mastectomy vs. local excision plus irradiation, and for adjuvant chemotherapy vs. no adjuvant treatment for two hypothetical women with operable, clinical stage I breast cancer - one 35 years old and the other 60 years old. Two hundred and sixty-one physicians from varied specialties in Connecticut and Massachusetts returned the questionnaire. Approximately half of the respondents would accept either mastectomy or limited surgery plus radiation therapy for either patient. Adjuvant chemotherapy was recommended by 97% of respondents for the younger patient and by 66% for the older patient. Several factors appeared to be related to therapeutic preferences. An individual physician's attitude towards patient involvement in decision making was the most important predictor of surgical preference for both the patients, whereas the role of specialty (i.e., surgeons vs. other providers) was more important for the surgical management of the older patient. For the decision involving adjuvant chemotherapy, specialty, hospital size, and presence of radiotherapy equipment on site were important predictors. Factors other than survival (such as disease-free interval and cosmetic results) were viewed as important standards of effectiveness by some physicians.

Community-based assessment of adjuvant hormone therapy in women with breast cancer, 1991-1997

This study used population-based tumor registry data to describe the patterns of adjuvant hormone therapy and to examine the correlates of hormone therapy for women with breast cancer. The study population included 5101 women (age 20 years) who were diagnosed with breast cancer in 1991 through 1997 in the entire state of New Mexico. Overall, 32% of women with stage I, II, or IIIA breast cancer received adjuvant hormone therapy. The likelihood of receiving adjuvant hormone therapy increased with tumor stage at diagnosis. Women less than 50 years of age were significantly less likely to receive adjuvant hormone therapy compared to those age 50 to 54 years, but there was no significant difference in the use of adjuvant hormone therapy for women age 55 years and older. The use of adjuvant hormone therapy was influenced by hormone receptor status and lymph node status. Patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy were also more likely to receive adjuvant hormone therapy than those who did not. The use of adjuvant hormone therapy alone was relatively stable over time and the use of adjuvant chemotherapy alone increased, but the receipt of chemotherapy combined with hormone therapy decreased from 1991 to 1997. There was no significant difference with age in the use of adjuvant hormone therapy among 55-year-old women compared to those age 50 to 54 years, whereas women less than 50 years of age were significantly less likely to receive this therapy. The use of adjuvant hormone therapy varied significantly by tumor stage, lymph node status, hormone receptor status, and the receipt of adjuvant chemotherapy.

Determining the Main Risk Factors and High-risk Groups of Breast Cancer Using a Predictive Model for Breast Cancer Risk Assessment in South Korea

This study was aimed at developing a predictive model for assessing the breast cancer risk of Korean women under the assumption of differences in the risk factors between Westerners and Koreans. The cohort comprised 384 breast cancer patients and 2 control groups: one comprising 166 hospitalized patients and the other comprising 104 nurses and teachers. Two initial models were produced by comparing cases and the 2 control groups, and the final equations were established by selecting highly significant variables of the initial models to test the accuracy of the models in terms of disease probability and predictability. Both the initial models and the final disease-probability models were confirmed to exhibit high degrees of accuracy and predictability. Major risk factors determined by comparing the patients with hospitalized controls were a family history, menstrual regularity, total menstrual duration, age at first full-term pregnancy, and duration of breastfeeding. Major risk factors determined by comparing patients with nurse/teacher controls were age, education level, menstrual regularity, drinking status, and smoking status. The predictive model developed here shows that risk factors for breast cancer differ between Korean and Western subjects in the aspect of breastfeeding behavior. However, identifying the relationship between genetic susceptibility and breast cancer will require further studies with larger samples. In a model with nurse/teacher controls, drinking and higher education were found to be protective variables, whereas smoking was a risk factor. Hence the predictive model in this group could not be generalized to the Korean population; instead, breast cancer incidence needs to be compared among nurses and teachers in a nurse-and-teacher cohort.

The need for targeted research into breast cancer in the elderly

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer is a major source of morbidity and mortality in elderly women. Despite this, many trials on which clinical practice is based have under-represented the elderly. Consequently there is little evidence to guide best practice in this age group.

METHODS

A search of the major literature databases was performed using the search terms 'breast cancer' and 'elderly'. Articles relevant to the treatment of breast cancer in the elderly were selected.

RESULTS

The elderly receive less aggressive treatment for breast cancer compared with younger patients. Primary endocrine therapy is sometimes substituted for operation, and axillary surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy and adjuvant radiotherapy are commonly omitted. Evidence for and against such treatment strategies is inadequate, making it difficult to determine what constitutes best practice.

CONCLUSION

There is a need for research to be targeted at the older age group of patients with breast cancer to enable the development of specific treatment guidelines.

The management of cancer of the breast in the elderly

Breast cancer in older women continues to be a clinical problem and therapeutic challenge. The clinical presentation, biological characteristics and survival rates are comparable between older and younger women with breast cancer. Treatment of breast cancer in older women should aim to ensure satisfactory control of locoregional disease and prolongation of survival, for as long a period as possible. Optimal surgical therapy should be as for younger patients and adjuvant therapies may be required (considering side-effects and benefits). However, randomized trials are required to clarify the role of adjuvant treatments in older patients.

The National Cancer Data Base 10-year survey of breast carcinoma treatment at hospitals in the United States

BACKGROUND

The National Cancer Data Base (NCDB), a joint project of the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer and the American Cancer Society, is a cancer management and outcome data base for health care organizations. It provides a comparative summary of patient care that is used by participating hospitals and communities for self-assessment. The most current (1995) data are described herein.

METHODS

Since 1989, seven calls for data have been issued, yielding reports on a total of 240,031 breast carcinoma patients for the years included in this analysis. A total of 1849 hospital cancer registries responded to at least 1 of the calls for data.

RESULTS

A continuous improvement in care was reported. By 1995, 45.8% (nearly one-half) of breast carcinoma patients were diagnosed early as Stage 0 or I, and early stage patients (Stage 0 or I) were most often treated with partial mastectomy (in 58% of cases). Favorable 10-year relative survival rates for Stage 0 (95%) and Stage I (88%) breast carcinoma patients were reported. Patients who were presumed to be Stage I and were not selected for axillary dissection had poorer survival. Survival differences were reported for different treatment groups within individual stage strata. Over the 10-year observation period, fewer patients from lower-income neighborhoods were diagnosed with early stage breast carcinoma. In general, the annual relative survival rate remained constant over the 10-year observation period (with no plateau after 5 years) within each stage and for all stages combined.

CONCLUSIONS

Improvements in diagnosis and treatment during the period 1985-1995 were demonstrated by these data. The NCDB breast carcinoma data are appropriate norms for formal quality assurance purposes, such as those specified by the Standards of the Commission on Cancer published by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer. Cancer committees and other clinicians working within the hospital setting should assess and compare stage distribution, stage specific treatment patterns, and the correlations between the outcomes of patients and both disease stage and treatment.

Is surgical management compromised in elderly patients with breast cancer?

OBJECTIVE

The suggestion that breast cancer management is compromised in elderly patients had prompted our review of the results of policies regarding screening and early detection of breast cancer and the adequacy of primary treatment in older women (> or = 65 years of age) compared to younger women (40 to 64 years of age).

SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA

Although breast cancer in elderly patients is considered biologically less aggressive than similar staged cancer in younger counterparts, outcome still is a matter of stage and adequate treatment of primary cancer. For many reasons, physicians appear reluctant to treat elderly patients according to the same standards used for younger patients. There is even government-mandated alterations in early detection programs. Thus, since 1993, Medicare has mandated screening mammography on a biennial basis for women older than 65 year of age compared to the current accepted standard of yearly mammograms for women older than 50 years of age. Using State Health Department and tumor registry data, the authors reviewed screening practice and management of elderly patients with primary breast cancer to determine the effects of age on screening, detection policies (as reflected in stage at diagnosis), treatment strategies, and outcome.

METHODS

Data were analyzed from 5962 patients with breast cancer recorded in the state-wide Tumor Registry of the Hospital Association of Rhoda Island between 1987 and 1995. The focus of the data collection was nine institutions with established tumor registries using AJCC classified tumor data. Additional data were provided by the State Health Department on screening mammography practice in 2536 women during the years 1987, 1989, and 1995.

RESULTS

The frequency of mammographic screening for all averaged 40% in 1987, 52% in 1987, and 63% in 1995. In the 65-year-old and older patients, the frequency of screening was 34% in 1987, 45% in 1989, and 48% in 1995, whereas in the 40- to 49-year-old age group, the frequency of mammography was 47% in 1987, 61% in 1989, and 74% in 1995 (p < 0.001). There was a lower detection rate of preinvasive cancer in the 65-year-old and older patients, 8.8% versus 13.7% in patients within the 40- to 64-year-old age group (p < 0.001). There was a higher percentage of treatment by limited surgery among elderly patients with highly curable Stage IA and IB cancer with 26.6% having lumpectomy alone versus 9.4% in the younger patients. Five-year survival in that group was significantly worse (63%) than in patients treated by mastectomy (80%) or lumpectomy with axillary dissection and radiation (95%, < 0.001). A similar effect was seen in patients with Stage II cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

Breast cancer management appears compromised in elderly patients (older than 65 years of age). Frequency of mammography screening is significantly less in elderly women older than 65 years of age. Early detection of preinvasive (curative cancers) is significantly less than in younger patients. The recent requirement by Medicare of mammography every other year may further reduce the opportunity to detect potentially curable cancers. Approximately 20% of patients had inferior treatment of favorable stage early primary cancer with worsened survival. Detection and treatment strategy changes are needed to remedy these deficiencies.

Breast cancer in elderly women

With the aging of the American population, more older women are being diagnosed with breast cancer. With the possible exception of women under 40 years of age, there is no clear evidence of a biologic or clinical difference between breast cancer in younger and older aged groups. Breast cancer is diagnosed at a more advanced stage in older women. Elderly women with breast cancer frequently are treated with less than standard therapy and are less often included in clinical trials. With the exception of specific comorbid conditions that preclude anesthesia and surgery, older women tolerate breast surgery as well as younger women. The results of good surgical and adjuvant therapy for elderly women are as good as those for younger women. Older women with breast cancer deserve the most effective screening, diagnosis, and surgical treatment available.

Conservative surgery and radiation therapy in black women with early stage breast cancer. Patterns of failure and analysis of outcome

Between 1977 and 1986, 75 black and 615 white women with American Joint Committee (AJC) Stages I and II breast cancer were treated with excisional biopsy, axillary dissection, and radiation therapy for breast conservation. Cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and 5-fluorouracil, with and without prednisone and tamoxifen, was given to 92% of premenopausal, 83% of perimenopausal, and 63% of postmenopausal node-positive women; 20 of 106 (19%) postmenopausal node-positive women received tamoxifen only. The clinical characteristics of the similarly treated patients were compared. The 5-year actuarial local only first failure rate was 5% for black women and 6% for white women (P = 0.53). Regional only failure as the first site of failure was 9% for blacks versus 1% for whites (P = 0.002), with regional recurrence as any component of first failure being 16% for blacks and 4% for whites (P = 0.001). The supraclavicular fossa was identified as the primary site of regional recurrence in black patients with either pathologically positive or negative axillae. Distant metastases as the only site of first failure were significantly greater in the black population with a 20% 5-year actuarial failure rate versus 11% in white patients (P = 0.01). The 5-year actuarial overall survival for the black patients was 82% versus 91% for the white patients (P = 0.01), with no-evidence-of-disease (NED) survival being 64% and 83% (P = 0.0002) and relapse-free survival (RFS) being 61% and 77% (P = 0.01), respectively. Black patients younger than 40 years of age or with pathologically positive axillary nodes had significantly worse NED, RFS, and overall survival compared with similarly staged white patients. Cosmetic results were analyzed at 3 and 5 years after completion of therapy. Although significantly fewer black patients had an excellent-to-good cosmetic result at 3 years compared with white patients, the results were not significantly different at 5 years. These results show that appropriately selected black patients with early stage breast cancer have excellent local control after conservative surgery and radiation therapy and should continue to be offered breast preservation as an alternative to mastectomy. Patterns of failure, however, demonstrated higher regional and distant recurrence rates and lower NED, RFS, and overall survival rates in most subsets of black patients reviewed.

Breast cancer diagnosis and prognosis in women following augmentation with silicone gel-filled prostheses

62 healthy women were studied mammographically before and after augmentation mammoplasty. Postaugmentation mammograms were done using both the implant compression and implant displacement technique. The amount of visualisable tissue was measured in all films before and after augmentation. We concluded: State-of-the-art film-screen mammography is extremely difficult to obtain in most patients augmented with silicone-gel-filled prostheses. On average, there is a decrease in measurable visualised breast tissue after augmentation mammoplasty with silicone-gel-filled prostheses. The area of mammographically measurable tissue is no different whether smooth or textured implants are used. Textured implants are less likely to form an early capsular contracture and are therefore preferred. However, the cancer-causing potential of polyurethane in humans is currently unknown. Anterior breast tissue is generally seen better with displacement mammography; posterior breast tissue with compression mammography. Better films are generally obtained when the implant is in the subpectoral position rather than subglandular. The more severe the capsular contracture, the poorer the mammogram. In addition 42 previously augmented patients developed breast carcinomas an average of 8.4 years after augmentation with silicone-gel-filled implants; 95% had palpable lesions (only 60% of which could be seen on mammography), 90% had infiltrating carcinomas, 45% had metastases to axillary nodes, and 7 patients have recurred, 5 of whom have died. We concluded: Augmented women who develop breast cancer are similar, in terms of tumour size and nodal positivity, to non-augmented breast cancer patients who present with palpable masses. When compared with non-augmented women whose breast cancers are found with screening mammography, augmented patients with breast cancer present with a higher percentage of invasive lesions and involved axillary lymph nodes, resulting in a poorer prognosis. The 40% false negative rate for mammography in this series is unduly high and alarming. Augmentation mammoplasty with silicone-gel-filled implants should be discouraged in women with a high risk of developing breast cancer.

Changing patterns in the presentation of breast cancer over 25 years

The clinical stage at presentation of 280 women with histologically proven breast cancer is reviewed over a 25 year time span from 1962 to 1987. The data from 240 unscreened patients, including 87 women from the period 1962 to 1963, 103 women from 1981 to 1982, and 50 women from 1986 to 1987 demonstrate a chronologically based improvement in the stage of disease at presentation over the 25 years. Specifically, over that period, there was a fall in the mean tumour diameter, a reduction in the proportion of patients with involved axillary nodes, and a greater percentage of patients with Stages I and II disease. A reduction in the symptomatic period was also noted over this time, and a direct relationship was found between the duration of symptoms and tumour size, nodal status and overall stage of disease. A subsequent comparison with the staging data from 40 women with breast cancer detected at a breast screening clinic (1985-87) shows that significant further advances in the earlier diagnosis of breast cancer can be achieved. Mammographic breast screening centres represent the best-known means of early breast cancer detection, and thus may hold the key to reducing breast cancer mortality.

Impact of screening mammography and change in surgeons' attitudes on the pattern of primary care of breast cancer at a community hospital

To gauge the impact of screening mammography and opinions regarding surgical procedures on the pattern of primary surgical care of breast cancer, tumor registry statistics from 1980-81 were compared to those from 1987 at a large community hospital. Over the course of six years, there was a significant increase in the proportion of patients with smaller tumors. Breast-conserving procedures increased from 8% to 39% of all therapeutic surgery. However, there was no change in the stage of the tumor at presentation because of an atypically low incidence of nodal involvement in 1980-81.

Breast cancer diagnosis and prognosis in women augmented with silicone gel-filled implants

From 1981 through 1988, 35 patients with prior augmentation mammoplasty were treated for breast carcinoma. Thirty-two patients had unilateral infiltrating carcinomas; three had noninvasive (in situ) lesions. Thirty-four of 35 (97%) lesions were palpable. One noninvasive cancer was occult, discovered mammographically in the absence of physical findings. Prebiopsy mammography was performed in 29 patients with palpable masses and failed to reveal an abnormality in 12 patients, a false-negative rate of 41%. Fifteen patients were treated with mastectomy; the remaining 20 with breast preservation. Thirty-two patients underwent axillary node dissection; 15 (47%) patients had lymph node metastases. There have been seven (20%) recurrences: one local and six metastatic. Four (11%) patients have died. The median follow-up time is 48 months. Women, previously augmented with silicone gel-filled implants, who develop breast cancer are similar in terms of nodal positivity and prognosis, to nonaugmented breast cancer patients who present with palpable masses. When compared with nonaugmented women whose cancers were found with screening mammography, augmented patients with breast cancer present with a higher percentage of invasive lesion and involved axillary lymph nodes, resulting in a poorer prognosis.

Survey of treatment of primary breast cancer in Italy. GIVIO (Interdisciplinary Group for Cancer Care Evaluation)

A mail survey among 970 physicians from different specialties was carried out in Italy to learn about factors that influence physicians' decision-making for patients with early breast cancer. Ninety percent of respondents were in favour of a conservative procedure for the surgical treatment of a 35-year-old patient with primary tumour smaller than two centimeters. The same preference was also expressed by 66% of doctors for a 60-year-old patient with similar disease. Most physicians (78%) favoured the use of adjuvant chemotherapy for premenopausal node-positive women. Preferences for the treatment of post-menopausal patients were divided among those in favour of endocrine therapy (51%), chemotherapy (32%), the combination of the two (7%) or no further treatment after surgery (8%). Several factors appeared to relate to therapeutic preferences. Each physician's specialty was the single most important factor associated with the preference for surgical treatment together with the attitude towards patients' involvement in decision-making which, however, was statistically significant only for the older patient. Analysis of predictors of preferences for adjuvant therapy showed that specialty and hospital size were associated with choosing chemotherapy for a premenopausal woman, and specialty and physician's sex with the indication of endocrine treatment in a postmenopausal patient. Our study documents that the application of research results depends on many factors, some of which have a sound scientific basis while others reflect highly personal opinions and the influence of the practice environment.

End results, interhospital differences, and trends in patterns of care for gynecologic cancer

Survival rates represent one measure of population-wide progress in cancer control. Data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER program of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) document that, during the 1970s, survival rates for several cancers improved. For the major gynecologic cancers and breast cancer, improvements are evident for some sites but, areas of decline also are observed. Black women in the US have a poorer survival rate than white women and the trend in recent years suggest that this gap may be widening. Comparisons of survival rates from comprehensive cancer centers and population-based rates indicate differences in outcomes associated with the treatment setting. Data from the American College of Surgeons (ACS) patterns of care surveys suggest substantial interhospital variability in cancer survival which is largely explained by characteristics of the patient populations served. Recent studies of patterns of care document major shifts in treatment practices in the US and provide insight concerning the rate at which treatment changes are adopted at the community level.

Distribution of axillary node metastases by level of invasion. An analysis of 539 cases

Five hundred and thirty-nine patients with carcinoma of the breast treated with total axillary dissection and with positive axillary nodes were evaluated. The total number of lymph nodes removed was 11,082, with an average of 20.5 nodes per patient. The average number of lymph nodes at the first level was 13.8, at the second level 4.5, at the third level 2.2. The average number of nodes was 20.7 in cases treated with Halsted mastectomy, 20.9 with total mastectomy and axillary dissection, 20.3 with quadrantectomy and axillary dissection. Of 3259 metastatic nodes, 64 were site of micrometastases; 797 were partially involved, 441 were totally involved and 1957 were site of metastases with extracapsular invasion. In 314 (58.2%) the first level only was involved, in 117 cases (21.7%) metastases were present at the first and second level, whereas in 88 cases (16.3%) all the three levels were sites of metastases. Only 20 cases showed skipping distribution. In 1.5% of the cases the first level was skipped by metastases, in 0.4% the first nodes of the first level are clear the chances that metastatic nodes are present at the second and third levels are negligible. When the nodes at the first level are positive, the chances that metastases are also present at the higher levels are of the order of 40.0%.

Hooked-wire-directed breast biopsy and overpenetrated mammography

Six hundred fifty-three biopsies were performed for clinically occult, mammographically detected breast abnormalities. One hundred forty-seven cancers (22.5%) were found. Eighty-nine of those cancers (60.5%) were noninvasive. None of the in situ lesions had involved axillary lymph nodes. Of the 58 invasive cancers, only six (10.3%) had metastases to axillary nodes. Fifty-four patients (36.7%) were treated by mastectomy while 93 patients (63.3%) were treated conservatively, 20 by biopsy only, and 73 by lumpectomy, axillary node dissection, and radiation therapy. Only four patients (0.7%) had significant complications.

Trends in patterns of care for prostatic cancer, 1974-1983: results of surveys by the American College of Surgeons

Data from a recent survey of patterns of care for prostatic cancer sponsored by the American College of Surgeons suggest several trends compared to similar data from a decade ago. The observed differences include increased diagnosis of localized cancer, and increased use of acid phosphatase determinations, bone scans, radical retropubic prostatectomy, radiotherapy (particularly interstitial techniques) and orchiectomy. In contrast, use of bone surveys, perineal prostatectomy and hormonal therapy has decreased. Transurethral resection continues to be the most common means to establish the diagnosis of prostatic cancer but the data do suggest that in more patients the tumors are being staged and graded. Five-year survival rates appear to be improving for all stages, and for white and black patients. Survival of black patients continues to lag behind that of white subjects, presumably owing to the more advanced stage of disease at diagnosis observed in these data. These findings may have important implications for understanding trends in survival of patients with this disease.

The impact of breast cancer screening on survival. A 5- to 10-year follow-up study

The Missouri Breast Cancer Detection Demonstration Project (BCDDP) at the Cancer Research Center in Columbia, Missouri, detected 136 malignant lesions among 10,187 asymptomatic participants between 1974 and 1980. Mammography was the sole detection modality in 76 or 56% of cases (Group 1). Mammography combined with physical examination revealed 41 (30%) additional cases (Group 2). Physical examination alone detected 19 (14%) cases (Group 3). Follow-up was complete in all cases. There were 26 (19%) noninvasive and 110 (81%) invasive lesions. Positive axillary nodes were found in 34 (25%) cases, and 102 (75%) patients had negative nodes. The overall 5-year survival was 84.5%. After a minimum follow-up of 5 years and a median follow-up of 8.5 years, 108 patients are alive, 5 of whom have recurrences. Among 28 deceased patients, 9 died of causes unrelated to breast cancer. The 5-year survival of Group 1 was 95% (72/76). Among this group of patients, 84% (64/76) had negative lymph nodes. At 5 to 10 years follow-up, there have been no breast cancer-related deaths among this group, and only one patient has recurrent disease 91 months after mastectomy. Furthermore, 85% (22/26) of all noninvasive lesions were found in this group. Of the remaining 12 patients diagnosed by mammography alone but who had positive nodes, the 5-year survival was 75% (9/12). By contrast, patients diagnosed by mammography plus physical examination (Group 2) experienced a survival of 71% (29/41) at 5 years. Sixty-three percent of patients diagnosed by physical examination had negative lymph nodes. Their 5-year survival was 84%, which contrasts with a 50% 5-year survival for patients with positive nodes. In Group 3, 79% (15/19) had negative nodes. The 5-year survival rate of this group was 74% (14/19), and the 5-year survival rate of the node-negative patients with invasive disease in this group was 29% and 21% lower than that of the node-negative patients with invasive disease of Groups 1 and 2, respectively (P less than 0.01). This study suggests that improved survival in breast cancer screening program is in large measure dependent on the ability to detect lesions before they become palpable. The authors conclude that mammography is a determining factor in early diagnosis, and at 5 to 10 years contributes significantly to improved 5- and 10-year survival rates.

Surgical treatment of carcinoma of the breast. V. Changes in patient population and therapeutic modalities at a metropolitan hospital (1971-1980)

This is a retrospective study of 408 patients who had mastectomy for carcinoma of the breast during 1971-1980. Over these 10 years, we have had a significant increase in Hispanic patients. Although the mean size of breast tumors among the Hispanic patients was smaller than that of our black patients, Hispanic patients are more likely to have higher numbers of positive axillary lymph nodes. Similar to the nationwide trend, over 90% of the patients had modified radical mastectomy in recent years, and adjuvant systemic chemotherapy has replaced postoperative radiotherapy for patients with axillary metastasis. Postmastectomy actuarial 5-year relapse rates of our patients with none or 1-3 positive axillary nodes were quite similar. Among patients with 1-3 positive axillary nodes, year of diagnosis and whether postoperative radiotherapy or chemotherapy was added or not did not affect disease-free probability. However, among patients who had four or more positive axillary nodes, those who were admitted after 1976 and who received systemic chemotherapy (90% had CMF) had a much lower probability of developing recurrence.

Time trends and key factors in the choice of one-step or two-step biopsy and surgery for breast cancer

The relationship between type of biopsy-mastectomy procedure and four sets of independent variables (physician, patient, hospital and tumor characteristics) was examined for 993 locally-staged breast cancer patients diagnosed between 1974 and 1981 in 13 counties of western Washington State. Time trends were also investigated. Cases were selected from records of a population-based cancer registry. The frequency of the two-step procedure, in which biopsy and surgery occur on different days, increased from 28 to 57% during the 8-year study period. Use of the two-step procedure was associated with younger age of the patient, less suspicious symptoms or mammogram results, younger physician cohorts and hospitals with government and health maintenance organization proprietorship. These relationships remained unchanged after controlling for potentially confounding variables. There were also substantial differences between individual hospitals in the frequency of the two-step procedure, suggesting differing schools of thought in different locales.

Surgical treatment of carcinoma of the breast: IV. Prognosis according to extent of involvement of the axillary lymph nodes

This is a retrospective study of 462 patients who had masectomy and axillary dissection for carcinoma of the breast during 1971-1980. Actuarial analysis of relapse rates up to 5 years showed that the extent of involvement of axillary lymph nodes was the most important prognostic factor. Among patients without any axillary metastasis, those with tumor smaller than 2 cm, colloid, or other less common carcinomas had significantly better prognosis than those with other lesions. Patients younger than 45 years old had higher relapse rate. Among patients with four or more positive axillary nodes, those with tumors smaller than 9 cm or those with nine or fewer positive nodes also had lower relapse rate than those with larger tumors or more positive nodes. Adjuvant systemic chemotherapy has improved the prognosis of patients with four or more positive nodes. Our findings are discussed and compared to those reported in the literature.

Surgical treatment of carcinoma of the breast. I. Pathological finding and pattern of relapse

This is a retrospective review of 476 patients who had mastectomy for carcinoma of the breast during 1971-1980. There is a positive correlation of size of the primary tumor and the incidence of axillary nodal metastasis. Infiltrating ductal and lobular carcinoma had a significantly higher incidence of nodal metastasis (and greater change of having four or more positive nodes) than that of medullary and colloid carcinomas. Colloid carcinoma smaller than 4 cm and the less common histological subtypes (comedo, tubular, papillary carcinomas) rarely metastasizes. At a median follow-up time of 53 months, 23% of patients with infiltrating ductal, lobular, or medullary carcinomas and who did not have nodal metastasis had relapse, while 50% of those with nodal involvement had relapse. Among those who relapsed, 18% initially had only locoregional recurrence, 60% had distant metastasis, and 22% had both types.

Discontinuous or "skip" metastases in breast carcinoma. Analysis of 1228 axillary dissections

Patterns of axillary lymph node metastases were analyzed in 1228 recently performed modified, radical, and extended radical mastectomies. In these specimens the position or level of lymph nodes was designated intraoperatively by the surgeon. No lymph node metastases were found in 720 (58) of the specimens while the remainder (508 or 41%) had at least one affected lymph node. The distribution of involvement by level showed progressive spread from level I to III as the number of positive lymph nodes increased. Discontinuous or "skip" metastases not following this pattern occurred in 1.6% of all cases and 3% of those with lymph node metastases (95% confidence interval, 1-5%). Half of those with "skip" metastases had tumor limited to level II. The presence of "skip" metastases was not related to the size, location in the breast, or histologic type of the primary tumor. It is apparent that the potential risk from "skip" metastases is not great and that this should not be a major consideration in therapeutic decisions. The risk is likely to be negligible for women treated by axillary dissections that include level II.

Quality of breast-cancer care in Italian general hospitals

The diagnostic and therapeutic care and degree of follow-up delivered to 2406 breast-cancer patients over two years (1978-79) in 31 Italian hospitals are reviewed. Although there was broad agreement about recommended treatment protocols, staging by standard methods was recorded in only 44% of patients, assessment and reporting of side-effects was considered in only 49% of all treated patients, follow-up data at two years were available for only 54% of living patients, and the dropout rate from chemotherapy protocols was 35%. Improvement of these unsatisfactory aspects of care would allow a better appreciation of the real benefit that could be achieved with recommended protocols and would result in a more effective use of health resources.