Materials and Method: In total, 124 old women with breast cancer who were operated at our clinic in the last 3 years were divided into groups A, B, C, and D according to their age (65–70, 70–75, 75–80 and >80 years). The patients were retrospectively examined in terms of diagnostic method, tumor size, and surgical method.
Results: The mean age of the patients was 71.25 (65–94) years. There were 63 patients in group A, 31 patients in group B, 17 patients in group C, and 13 patients in group D. Thirtyfour (54%) patients in group A, 9 (29%) patients in group B, 3 (18%) patients in group C, and 1 (8%) patient in group D were diagnosed using mammography and the others were diagnosed based on clinical symptoms. The median tumor size was 2.4, 3.2, 3.3, and 4 cm in groups A, B, C, and D, respectively. Breast-conserving surgery was performed on 50 (79%) patients in group A, 18 (58%) patients in group B, 11 (64%) patients in group C, and 2 (15%) patients in group D, and mastectomy was performed on the remaining patients. Data were compared with the independent t-test (one simple); differences between the groups were found to be significant for tumor size (p >0.02) and surgical method (p= 0.029).
Conclusion: The tumor size increased with increasing age and the rate of breastconserving surgery decreased in our patients. Radiological screening has a decisive place in early diagnosis of breast cancer. Screening should continue in women whose expected length of life is 10 years. In our country, the life expectancy is 86 years for 65-year-old women, and the existing program, which is terminated at 70 years, is considered to be inadequate. According to literature and our data, it should be continued until 75 years so that early diagnosis can be possible in the elderly and breast-conserving surgery can be performed.
Keywords : Aged; Breast Neoplasm; Mass Screening; Mastectomy, Segmental; Mastectomy