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Summary Young age at diagnosis is claimed to be a prognostic factor in the natural history of breast cancer. Of 2879 patients aged < 70 years treated for primary operable breast cancer (< 5 cm diameter) at Nottingham City Hospital between 1973 and 1993, 120 were less than 35 years of age at diagnosis. Histopathological and prognostic variables were compared between patients aged < 35, 35-50 and 51-70 years. A significant reduction in metastasis disease-free survival and actuarial survival was seen in breast cancer patients aged < 35 years compared with the two older age groups. Patients aged < 35 years at diagnosis presented more frequently with high-grade cancers and vascular invasion. No differences were seen for tumour size or lymph node stage. The Nottingham Prognostic Index (NPI) was used to stratify cancers in each age group. Because of the tendency to high grade, a greater percentage of patients aged < 35 years fell into the poorprognosis group. Within each prognostic group, no difference in actuarial survival was seen between age groups. The association of young age at diagnosis with a worse prognosis in this series is explained by a higher proportion of poorly differentiated cancers; age itself had no influence on the prognosis of the individual.

Muximal performance at altitude and on rbturn f rum altitude in conditioned runners. J. Appl. Ph ysiol. 23 (2) : 259-266. I 967.-Maximal aerobic capacity as measured by the maximal oxygen intake

While little difference was seen on quality of life assessment, body image is improved with the use of breast conservation and reconstruction. The high satisfaction and cosmesis scores in the breast reconstruction group are an indication of the superior results that can be achieved with breast reconstruction.

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Women previously treated for primary operable breast cancer are at increased risk of developing cancer in the contralateral breast, but the clinical significance of this development is unclear. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of synchronous bilateral breast cancer or the development of a metachronous contralateral breast primary on the prognosis. In a series of 3210 women age < or = 70 years treated between 1975 and 1995 for primary operable breast cancer, 106 were identified to have bilateral breast cancer. Of these women, 26 were noted to have synchronous bilateral breast primaries (0.8%), and 80 developed a contralateral breast cancer after treatment for an initial primary breast cancer. Using life-tables analysis, there was a significant difference in survival between women with unilateral breast cancer, those with synchronous bilateral breast cancers, and those with metachronous contralateral breast with survivals at 16 years of 53.8%, 42.4%, and 60.1%, respectively (p < 0.0001), from the date of the diagnosis of the first primary tumor. There was no difference in survival seen between the three groups when survival was calculated from the date of diagnosis of the second primary in cases of metachronous contralateral breast cancer (p = 0.31). When contralateral breast cancer was incorporated as a time-dependent covariate in a Cox multivariate model together with the three factors used to determine the Nottingham Prognostic Index (invasive tumor size, grade, and lymph node stage), contralateral breast cancer continued to be a significant prognostic determinant (p = 0.02). The survival of women with synchronous bilateral breast cancer or metachronous breast cancers diagnosed within 2 years of the original primary was worse than those with unilateral disease. However, the time duration to metachronous contralateral breast cancer did not have prognostic significance in a multivariate model compared with the prognostic features of the original primary.

These survivals are credible both overall and by clinical risk factor. Opportunities present to use these data for survival monitoring and to investigate survival by socio-demographic characteristic, treatment protocol, case volume and provider characteristics.

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