Long-term survival in patients with incurable breast cancer. An analysis of 93 cases

The aim of this study was to elucidate why some patients with incurable breast cancer may survive far beyond our expectation. The analysis is based on two cohorts of patients with unresectable locoregional recurrences or distant metastases. Survival time, tumor characteristics, disease-free interval, metastasis type, coexistent diseases and a family history for breast cancer were recorded. Among 553 patients, 93 patients were found to have survived >4 years. The following favourable prognostic factors were identified: a disease-free interval of 5.5 years and a high frequency of locoregional and skeletal metastasis. In addition, the patients showed several coexistent disorders and a higher incidence of familial breast cancer. The more coexistent disorders are found in a patient, the longer seems to be the survival. Survival in metastatic breast cancer may not only be determined by known prognostic factors but also by a variety of hormonal and complex genetic influences, and possibly by non-cytotoxic drugs.