Survival Rate and Prognostic Factors in Turkish Women Patients with Breast Cancer

BACKGROUND: The study aimed to estimate the overall and disease-free survival rates of breast cancer patients and the factors affecting these rates. METHODS: In this retrospective study, data were obtained from 686 patients diagnosed with breast cancer in Sivas Cumhuriyet University Faculty of Medicine Research and Application Hospital Oncology Center between 1988 and 2014. Total population sampling method was used. The survival rates at certain periods were determined by creating a Life Table. By using the Kaplan-Meier Analysis, the mean survival times and rates were determined, and whether the variables had an impact on survival was examined. By applying Cox regression analysis, the effect of prognostic factors that are significant on the survival time of breast cancer patients was examined. RESULTS: Overall mean survival time was found as 208.4±11.8 months. According to Kaplan-Meier analysis, 1, 5, 10 and 20-years overall survival rates were 96.6 ± 0.07%, 82.3 ± 1.7%, 64.4 ± 3.4% and 49%± 7.4%, respectively. According to Cox regression analysis results, variables that influence overall survival time were found as disease stage, multicentricity status, ECOG (performance status), presence of diabetes, CA15-3 value, neutro-phil/lymphocyte ratio. Moreover, variables that had an impact on the disease-free survival time were found as tumor grade, multicentricity, and ECOG. CONCLUSION: Many factors other than disease can prolong survival or accelerate death. Considering the findings of this study may be useful in planning the treatment of breast cancer patients have positive affect on overall survival rates.