Characteristics and prognostic factors of postoperative chemotherapy for female breast cancer patients under 30 years of age: a report of 129 patients

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical characteristics, survival and prognosis of breast cancer patients under 30 years of age. METHODS: 129 breast cancer patients under 30 years treated from Jan 1980 to May 2000 were retrospectively reviewed. Clinical features, survival and prognostic factors were analyzed by SPSS 10.0 statistic software. RESULTS: Breast cancer patients under 30 years accounted for 2.6% of all breast cancers in our hospital. The overall 5- and 10-year survival rates were 61.5% and 46.7%, respectively. For patients with tumor < or = 3 cm or > 3 cm, the 10-year survival rates were 65.5% and 27.4% (P < 0.01). For those with number of positive axillary lymph nodes 0, 1-3, or > or = 4, the 10-year survival rates were 79.5%, 40.9% or 31.4% (P < 0.01). For patients who had been treated with or without tamoxifen, the 10-year survival rates were 63.7% and 45% (P < 0.01). For those complicated with pregnancy and lactation which was found in 24.8% of such patients, the 10-year survival rate was 44.3%. In the multivariate analysis, independent prognostic factors that might improve the overall survival were tumor size, axillary metastatic status and tamoxifen treatment. CONCLUSION: Breast cancer patients aged 30 years and younger may have good prognosis if multimodality treatment is given. Tumor size, axillary metastatic status and tamoxifen treatment are independent prognostic factors. Prognosis of patients, either complicated with pregnancy and lactation or not, is quite similar if the clinical stage is the same and if being treated by the combined therapy.