Breast cancer in the elderly

Abstract

Between January 1997 and December 2001, 107 patients were admitted and treated for breast cancer at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Nigeria. Of these, 27 (25.2%) were aged 60 years and above, all females, mean age 66.3 years. Only two patients (7.4%) presented with early breast disease (stages I and II), the rest presented with late disease (stages III and IV). Duration of symptoms before presentation was between six weeks and three years (mean 15 months). Histology in all cases revealed invasive ductal carcinoma ranging from the well differentiated to the poorly differentiated varieties. Twenty patients had mastectomy, while seven had radiotherapy. All patients had adjuvant chemotherapy and tamoxifen. Eight patients (29.6%) were lost to follow-up. Of the remaining 19 patients, 10 (52.6%) were officially recorded to have died within the period under review. Health education of the elderly and physician vigilance are keys to early detection and treatment of breast cancer in the elderly.



Key Words: Breast cancer, elderly, Nigeria


[Jnl Medicine & Biomedical Res. Vol.1(1) 2002: 39-42]