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Perioperative Complications of Breast Cancer Surgery in Elderly Women (≥80 Years)

  • Breast Oncology
  • Published:
Annals of Surgical Oncology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

There has been much controversy regarding the optimal management of breast cancer in very elderly women. Some clinicians are reluctant to offer surgical treatment for women older than aged 80 years because of the assumed higher operative risk associated with advanced age. This study was designed to investigate the perioperative complications of breast cancer surgery in women of this age group.

Methods

Data were reviewed of all women ≥80 years of age who underwent breast cancer surgery at a university clinic during the period 1990–2005. Symptoms, comorbidities, preoperative risk assessment, type of operation, postoperative histological diagnosis, hospital stay, morbidity, and mortality were documented and analyzed.

Results

During this 16-year period, 140 operations for breast cancer were performed in 129 women. The majority of the patients (37.9%) underwent a modified radical mastectomy, 32.1% underwent a simple mastectomy, 24.3% underwent breast-conserving therapy, and 5.7% underwent an axillary lymph node dissection. Complications occurred in 37.1% of the cohort: 31.4% were minor complications and only 5.7% were major. Intraoperative morbidity was 18.6% and postoperative morbidity was 20%. Late complications occurred in 5% of patients. The most common complications were associated with the wound region (50%). The perioperative mortality in this group of elderly women was zero.

Conclusions

Breast cancer surgery has acceptable perioperative morbidity and mortality in women aged ≥80 years. Surgery is the cornerstone of breast cancer treatment and should be offered as first-line treatment for all patients regardless of their age.

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Acknowledgment

The authors thank Prof. Dr. B. Gerber (Rostock) and Prof. Dr. K. Friese (Munich) for their support of this study. These data are based on the doctoral thesis of Paraskevi Chatzidaki, entitled “Gynaecologic operations in patients at least 80 years of age; a retrospective study at the Gynaecologic Department of the University of Rostock from 1990 to 2005.” The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany

    Paraskevi Chatzidaki MD & Volker Briese MD

  2. “Aghia Sophia” Children’s Hospital, Athens, Greece

    Paraskevi Chatzidaki MD

  3. General Hospital of Corinthos, Corinth, Greece

    Chrysovalantis Mellos MD

  4. First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich, Munich, Germany

    Ioannis Mylonas MD

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  1. Paraskevi Chatzidaki MD
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  2. Chrysovalantis Mellos MD
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  3. Volker Briese MD
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  4. Ioannis Mylonas MD
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Correspondence to Ioannis Mylonas MD.

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Chatzidaki, P., Mellos, C., Briese, V. et al. Perioperative Complications of Breast Cancer Surgery in Elderly Women (≥80 Years). Ann Surg Oncol 18, 923–931 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-010-1389-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-010-1389-1

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