Five-year Survival Predictors for Breast Cancer in Women: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Abstract

Objective: To analyze predictors of 5-year survival in women with breast cancer in the state of Sergipe.Materials and methods: This is a retrospective cohort study. This study included 100 women aged between 21 and 77 years diagnosed with breast cancer undergoing adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemotherapy in a public tertiary hospital from August 2011 to December 2012. All women were followed up for 5 years or until the date of death. There was no loss in follow-up. Data were collected during the field visit to the specialized health unit and included demographic and socioeconomic variables, tumor staging at diagnosis, patient paths for presentation to health professionals, initial treatment in primary care and treatment. We used a three-stage model: the first (“patient delay”); the second (“delay in diagnosis”) and the third (“delay in treatment”). The statistical analysis was performed using the MedCalc version 18 statistical software. The study was approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee of the Federal University of Sergipe (CAAE: 0196.0.107.000-11). Written informed consent was obtained from all particip nts.Results: Tumor staging [risk ratio (HR) = 3.41, p = 0.046] was an independent factor that affected the overall survival curve for women with breast cancer. The overall 5-year survival rates found for women with tumor staging IA-IIB compared to tumor staging IIIA-IV were 88.5% and 59.5%, respectively. Through binary logistic regression with forced entry method, it was evident that age (OR = 2.58, p = 0.050), delay in the first stage (OR = 2.57, p = 0.046) and tumor staging (OR = 3.99, p = 0.042) were predictors of mortality in women with breast cancer. Conclusions: Our results highlight the need to strengthen health education actions in primary health care and the implementation of an organized and permanent screening program for the early detection of breast cancer.