A comparative study of the clinical characteristics of breast cancer patients less than 35 years old and older patients

PURPOSE: In Korea, the incidence of breast cancer peaks in the fifth decade, which is younger than that observed in the Western world. We conducted this study to compare the clinical characteristics and prognostic factors of breast cancer in women < 35 and ≥35 years old.METHODS: The medical records of 969 patients treated for breast cancer at the Gil Medical Center from 2008 through 2012 were reviewed. Tumor characteristics, surgical methods, and adjuvant therapies were compared in two groups.RESULTS: Number of childbirths, family history, the proportion of postmenopausal women were lower among those aged < 35 years. However, tumor size, number of metastatic lymph nodes, and surgical procedures were similar in two groups. The rate of triple negative status in younger patients was higher than in older patients. Adjuvant chemotherapy was effective in patients positive for hormone receptors and no lymph nodal invasion, and it was effective in patients negative for hormone receptors and lymph nodal invasion in patients aged >35 years old. Postoperative radiotherapy was statistically effective in patients aged < 35 and ≥35 years old that underwent breast-conserving surgery. Pregnancy were significantly associated with survival in younger patients. While lymph node stage, presence of progesterone receptor, and triple negative status were significantly associated with survival on older patients.CONCLUSION: The prognostic factors of breast cancer in patients younger than 35 years old were pregnancy. Triple negative status rate was higher in younger patients than in older patients. Adjuvant therapy had similar effects in patients aged < 35 or ≥35 years old.

Clinicopathological markers associated with recurrence in ductal carcinoma in situ of breast by age group

PURPOSE: In the present study, factors related to the recurrence of breast ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) in Korean patients were identified, and the prognostic factors for each age group were explored.METHODS: The subjects were 226 patients who were diagnosed with DCIS by histopathologic examination, and the effect of representative prognostic factors that are known already, including estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status, Ki-67 levels, and adjuvant therapy on the recurrence of DCIS was analyzed by using the Cox proportional hazard model.RESULTS: Among the 226 subjects, 11 patients underwent the recurrence of breast cancer. The average follow-up period was 52.7±23.5 months. The average age of the subjects was 50.6±9.3 years. Among the DCIS patients, the recurrence of breast cancer was significantly higher in the ER negative patients and those who have a Ki-67 level over 20%. However, the PR and HER2 status did not significantly affect breast cancer recurrence. The result also showed that only ER negative was a significant factor before the age of 50 years and that only the Ki-67 level over 20% was a significant factor to the patients 50 years of age or older.CONCLUSION: DCIS patients should be appropriately treated and managed depending on their age and clinicopathological factors to prevent the recurrence of DCIS.

A comparison of short-term outcomes of laparoscopic-assisted total gastrectomy and open total gastrectomy in early gastric cancer

PURPOSE: This study aimed to compare the postoperative outcomes of open total gastrectomy (OTG) and laparoscopic-assisted total gastrectomy (LATG) and prove that postoperative outcomes of LATG can be improved through a surgeon's experience.METHODS: 62 patients who underwent OTG and 82 patients who underwent LATG were enrolled in this study. To objectively assess the postoperative outcomes, we decided to apply the Clavien-Dindo classification. This study was performed based on postoperative complications occurring within 30 days after total gastrectomy.RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups with regard to intraoperative transfusion (P>0.99), overall postoperative complications (P>0.99), and major postoperative complications (P=0.731). Leakage of esophagojejunostomy was the most common complication after LATG. There is no statistically significant difference in the number of overall postoperative complications between the early LATG and late LATG groups (P=0.349). However, there is significant difference in the number of major complications between the two groups (P=0.026).CONCLUSION: LATG is not inferior to OTG and improved by learning in terms of postoperative outcomes in this study.