Retrospective evaluation of operated stage I breast cancer patients

As there is no national screening programme in our country, information about stage I breast carcinoma is limited. In this study, 131 stage I breast cancer patients followed between April 1989 and March 2001 at our department, were retrospectively evaluated. Median age was 49 (range: 26-77). Painless breast mass was the most common symptom (75%). Tumor size was larger than 1 cm in 66% of the patients. Seven percent of the patients had no adjuvant therapy, 43% had adjuvant tamoxifen and 50% had adjuvant chemotherapy ± tamoxifen. CMF combination (± tamoxifen) was the most common (71%) adjuvant chemotherapy regimen. Median follow-up period was 43 (range: 5+-148+) months. During the follow-up period, 1 patient had local recurrence and distant metastases, 3 had distant metastasis, and 5 patients (3.8%) had metachronous breast carcinoma. Two patients died with distant metastasis. Median disease free survival and median overall survival were not reached. Five-year disease free survival was 97% and, 5-year overall su rvival was 98.5%. Follow-up period was short and long-term follow-up is necessary for better analysis.