Undertreated Breast Cancer in the Elderly

Table 4

pathologic findings in undertreated and properly treated aged ≥71 years.

Pathologic finding	Full treatment	Undertreated	𝑃 value
Histopathology
Infiltrating ductal	149 (80%)	114 (60%)	<0.001
Infiltrating lobular	18 (10%)	25 (13%)
Ductal carcinoma in situ	15 (8%)	51 (27%)
Unknown	4 (2.2%)	0 (0%)
Tumor differentiation
Well	26 (14%)	35 (18%)	<0.001
Moderately	91 (49%)	113 (59%)
Poorly	57 (31%)	24 (13%)
Unknown	12 (6.5%)	18 (9.5%)
Tumor size (cm)*
Median	1.4	1.0	0.003
0–2	128 (69%)	146 (77%)	0.169
2.1–5	41 (22%)	32 (17%)
>5.1	8 (4.3%)	4 (2.1%)
Unknown	9 (4.8%)	8 (4.2%)
Involved nodes^†
Mean	1.1	0.5	0.021
0	119 (75%)	80 (81%)	0.103
1–3	19 (12%)	14 (14%)
4+	21 (13%)	5 (5%)
Estrogen receptor positive	133/162 (82%)	140/155 (90%)	0.034
Final margin: close/involved	19/166 (11%)	23/175 (13%)
Examined nodes (mean)	8	3	<0.001
Axillary node dissections^†	153/167 (92%)	90/139 (65%)	<0.001
Surgery
Breast conservation	151 (81%)	167 (88%)	0.091
Mastectomy	34 (18%)	23 (12%)
Unknown	1 (0.5%)	0 (0%)
Postoperative chemotherapy	43/184 (23%)	5/190 (3%)	<0.001
Tamoxifen	142/181 (78%)	98/183 (54%)	<0.001
Radiation therapy	155/184 (84%)	29/89 (33%)	<0.001

Data are presented as 𝑛 or 𝑛 (%).
*Size of invasive component.
^†Invasive tumors.