The National Cancer Data Base report on breast carcinoma characteristics and outcome in relation to age.

BACKGROUND

Previous data from the National Cancer Data Base have examined time trends in stage of disease, treatment patterns, and survival for selected cancers. The most current (1993) data for breast carcinoma are described here.

METHODS

Five Calls for Data have yielded a total of 508,724 breast cancer cases diagnosed from 1985 to 1993, from hospital cancer registries throughout the U.S.

RESULTS

Women younger than age 35 had a lower rate of ductal carcinoma in situ, higher grade primary tumors, more advanced American Joint Committee on Cancer stage disease, and poorer 5-year relative survival than older premenopausal women. African American women were more likely to have advanced disease than non-Hispanic whites in all three age groups analyzed. Improved time trends of early detection of breast carcinoma and use of breast conservation treatment are reported. The overall prognosis for breast carcinoma remains relatively good for all age groups when compared with other cancers.

CONCLUSIONS

These data are consistent with the hypothesis that younger women are at increased risk for biologically more aggressive breast carcinoma.