Breast Cancer Prognoses and Treatments in Older Women

Dr. Konstantino Avradopoulos serves as a staff surgeon at Massachusetts’ Heywood Hospital, where he draws on three decades of practice experience. A fellowship-trained surgical oncologist, Dr. Avradopoulos has researched and written about breast cancer in older women.

Breast cancer is significantly more prevalent among women over the age of 59. It may also be more dangerous, according to a 2012 study published in JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association.

By the end of the study, which involved close to 9,800 women, 8.3 percent of patients aged 75 or older had passed away from the disease, as compared to 6.3 percent of those between 65 and 74 years old and 5.7 percent of those under the age of 65. Patients over 75 years of age were 29 percent more likely to relapse than those younger than 65, while those 65 to 74 years old had a 7 percent higher risk compared to those younger than 65.

The study also revealed that older women tend to receive less aggressive treatment recommendations, although some experts believe that this trend is often due to the different cancer types that older patients develop. Research has revealed that older patients with smaller and more estrogen-sensitive cancers can enjoy positive outcomes without chemotherapy or radiation. Surgery tends to be more common among this cohort.

However, some older women with breast cancer do not undergo aggressive forms of treatment because their bodies are less able to handle their effects. Experts recommend that patients discuss all available options with their physicians and work toward a plan that is best suited to their individual situations.