Analysis of 346 Chinese patients with breast cancer

WWK King, YP Wang, JTF Lau, SSC Chung, PJ Johnson, AKC Li
Department of Surgery, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong

Three hundred and forty-six patients who underwent surgical treatment for primary breast cancer at the Prince of Wales Hospital were studied retrospectively. Their mean age was 52.3 years and 38.6% were younger than 45 years. With a median follow up interval of 42.3 months, the five-year survival rates were: stage I, 100%, stage II, 78.8%, and stage III, 67.6%. The overall five-year survival for all stages was 84.2%. Univariate analysis showed that T stage, N stage, and histologically-positive lymph node status were significant factors affecting survival and disease-free survival (P<0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that a histologically-positive lymph node status was associated significantly with lower survival probability (P<<0.01) and lower disease-free survival probability (P<<0.01). The most important prognostic factor for Chinese patients is the histological status of their axillary lymph nodes.

Hong Kong Med J 1996;2:72-9

Key words: Breast neoplasms; Prognosis; Mastectomy; Hong Kong