SYMPTOM DURATION, TUMOR STAGING AND SURVIVAL IN PATIENTS WITH CARCINOMA OF THE BREAST

  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 154  (5) , 707-710
Abstract
Between 1950-1980, 435 patients were operated upon for carcinoma of the breast. Symptom duration data were available for 402 patients. Fifty-three of the patients had preoperattive symptoms for < 1 wk; 113, for 1 wk to 1 mo.; 144, for 1-6 mo., and 92, for 6 mo. or more. Tumor staging was available on 353 of the 402 patients. With increasing preoperative symptom duration, there was an increase in the incidence of Stage IV tumors, P = 0.003, and a reduction in Stage I tumors, P = 0.006. Cancer specific survival time was better for the total patient series and for those treated by potentially curative operation when symptoms had been present for 1 wk or less as compared with those who had symptom duration of 6 mo. or more, P = 0.007. Survival prospects were also better in those patients who had symptoms from 1 wk to 1 mo. as compared with those who had 6 mo. or more symptom duration, P = 0.005. Patients in whom diagnosis is made and operation performed early in the symptomatic phase of carcinoma of the breast have less advanced tumors and, apparently, better survival prospects.

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