Tumor profile and treatment used in elderly women with breast cancer in a tertiary referral hospital

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to describe the tumor profile and treatment used in elderly women diagnosed with
breast cancer treated and followed up at a tertiary referral hospital. Methodology: This is a cross-sectional study with
all women aged over 60 years, survivors of breast cancer, who were being followed up at the Mastology Section of the
Hospital das Forças Armadas/Brasília/Federal District/Brazil, whose consultations were carried out between January 1,
2015 to December 31, 2021. Results: There were 106 women diagnosed with breast cancer after 60 years of age, 50.94%
of whom were 70 years of age or older and 93.19% were symptomatic at diagnosis. Invasive ductal carcinoma of luminal
subtypes predominated. Notably, 62% were in stages I and IIa, but it was seen that, in 53.84% of the cases, mastectomies
were performed and only 25.52% used immediate breast reconstruction techniques. Chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and
hormone therapy were performed as indicated. Conclusion: The elderly women in this study had mostly invasive ductal
carcinoma, luminal, stages I and IIa. Mastectomy with sentinel lymph node biopsy was the most commonly performed
surgery with a low percentage of immediate breast reconstruction. Age did not influence the indication of adjuvant and
neoadjuvant therapies.