BREAST-CANCER IN 3,558 WOMEN - AGE AS A SIGNIFICANT DETERMINANT IN RATE OF DYING AND CAUSES OF DEATH

Abstract

The forces of mortality created by cancer of the breast were examined utilizing data collected during the past 19 yr by the Syracuse, New York, Upstate Medical Center Cancer Registry [USA] on 3558 women. Except for 15 lost to follow-up, all were contacted annually through 1974 or until death. Time and cause were recorded for all deaths. In April 1975, 1883 remain alive and in the registry and 1660 women died. Using life-table analyses and considering deaths due only to breast cancer, mortality rates were calculated for 3 age groups .sbd. 21-50 yr, 51-70 yr and 71-100 yr. Breast cancer expresses its lethality most vigorously in the oldest group. The half-death time (50% mortality rate) for the youngest group was 13 yr, for the middle group 8 yr and for the oldest group 5 yr. The rate of dying was a function of age and stage at diagnosis. At 16-18 yr after diagnosis, deaths due to breast cancer begin to disappear. Eighty-eight percent of the women who died following a diagnosis of cancer of the breast died of their breast cancer. Age and stage at diagnosis are significant determinants on the length of survival and cause of death.