Background & Aims: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the world and includes one third of cancers in women.  Although the role of age in the incidence of breast cancer has been documented but the effect of age on prognosis and its association with factors in the progression of cancer is controversial. Age at diagnosis of an independent factor in determining life expectancy and prognosis of the disease should be considered. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between age at diagnosis in patients below 40 years and above 40 years with an overall survival of the patients studied.

Materials & Methods: This study was a descriptive cross-sectional study examined the years 2001 to 2013. The study population included patients with confirmed breast cancer were presented to the Omid Hospital. Sampling was census, and patient gathered data from their files.  And for completing data telephone follow-up was done. In order to calculate differences in survival between two groups Kaplan-Meier and Log- ranking methods were used.

 Results: In this study, 1410 patients with breast cancer were studied during 12 years. The mean age at diagnosis was 47.83 with a standard deviation of 10.76 years, and the survival of people in the age group below 40 years was significantly more than those aged over 40 years.

 Conclusions: Breast cancer survival has direct relationship with age which means that the disease in old age reduces survival and disease-free survival time.

SOURCE: URMIA MED J 2015: 26(7): 633 ISSN: 1027-3727