RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 The Mid-Long Term Outcome of Breast-Conserving Patients with Different Ages JF Clinical Oncology and Cancer Research JO Cancer Biol Med FD China Anti-Cancer Association SP 250 OP 255 DO 10.1007/s11805-009-0250-4 VO 6 IS 4 A1 Zhang, Huiming A1 Wang, Xiang A1 Zhang, Baoning YR 2009 UL http://www.cancerbiomed.org/content/6/4/250.abstract AB OBJECTIVE Breast-conserving surgery has been a standard treatment for relatively small size of breast cancer. Younger breast cancer patients have more desire to conserve their breasts. This study was to investigate the clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of younger breast cancer patients who received breast-conserving treatment in China.METHODS The data of 232 breast cancer patients who received breast-conserving treatment in Cancer Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Science from January 1st, 1999 to December 31st, 2005, were collected and retrospectively analyzed. According to the age, the patients were divided into 2 groups: younger group (age ≤ 35 at the time of diagnosis) and elder group (age > 35). The clinical features of the patients in the 2 groups were compared, and their clinical characteristics, recurrence, metastasis and survival status were summarized.RESULTS In the 232 cases, younger patients accounted for 15.9% (37/232), the elder 84.1% (195/232). By December 2008, the median time of follow-up was 54 months (ranging from 2 months to 118 months). Two patients (5.41%, 2/37) in the younger group and 5 patients (2.56%, 5/195) in the elder group died. The 5-year overall survival rate (OS) in the younger and elder groups was 96.08% and 97.19%, respectively (χ2 = 0.69, P = 0.4066). Local recurrence (LR) or distant metastasis (DM) presented in 5 patients (5/37, 13.51%) in younger group. LR or DM presented in 10 patients (10/195, 5.13%) in elder group. The 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate in the younger and elder groups was 82.58% and 95.52%, respectively (χ2 = 4.02, P = 0.0451). Lymph node status and the age of 35 years old or younger were the prognosis factors affecting the DFS of patients who received breast-conserving treatment (OR = 3.467, 95%CI: 1.048-11.472, P < 0.05; OR = 0.245, 95%CI: 0.069-0.863, P < 0.05). Lymph node status was the only prognostic factor affecting the DFS of younger group patients (OR = 7.357, 95%CI: 1.030-52.563, P < 0.05).CONCLUSION Though the younger and elder patients have the same mid-long term survival rate, younger patients are more likely to have recurrence or metastasis than the elder patients. Breast-conserving surgery given to the younger patients especially to the younger patients with lymph nodes positive should be contemplated cautiously.