Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate differences in tumor characteristics, molecular subtypes, and surgical approaches between elderly (≥70 years) and younger (<70 years) breast cancer patients. Patients and Methods: This retrospective, single-center study analyzed 120 breast cancer patients (99 younger, 21 elderly) treated surgically between 2020 and 2025 at Istanbul Aydın University, Turkey. Tumor characteristics and surgical management related data were analyzed to compare two age groups. Statistical analyses included t-tests, chi-square tests, and Fisher's exact tests. Results: Elderly patients presented with significantly larger tumors (3.91±0.56 vs 2.81±0.35 cm, p<0.05), higher T4 disease prevalence (19.05% vs 3.37%, p<0.05), and greater metastatic burden (7.90±6.06 vs 3.54±4.49 metastases, p<0.05). SLNB was performed significantly more frequently in younger patients (90.9%) compared to elderly patients (71.4%, p < 0.05). Elderly patients underwent axillary dissection in 57.1% of cases compared to 33.3% in younger patients. Advanced tumors (T3+T4) were more prevalent in elderly patients with Luminal B HER2-positive (33.3% vs 0%, p<0.0001) and Luminal B HER2-negative (37.5% vs 8.3%, p<0.05) subtypes. Surgical management differed significantly between groups: mastectomy was performed more frequently in elderly patients (57.14% vs 31.31%, p<0.05), whereas breast-conserving surgery was less common (42.9% vs 67.7%, p<0.05). Conclusion: These findings demonstrate important differences in disease presentation and surgical management between age groups in Turkey, where breast cancer screening ends at age 69. The absence of screening detection in elderly patients, combined with their advanced disease presentation, highlights the need for further investigation with larger, multicenter cohorts to evaluate optimal screening strategies for women beyond age 69.
DOI: 10.2147/bctt.s555684
Institutions: Istanbul Aydın University, University of California, Irvine
Language: English
Subfield: Cancer Research
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,320
OpenAlex ID: W4417228679