Treatment delay in breast cancer;does it really have an impact on prognosis?

Abstract

Data is limited on treatment delay and its prognostic impact on breast cancer patients. In this study, we retrospectively measured the time between biopsy and surgery and between surgery to adjuvant therapy in our patients, and analyzed the prognostic impact of this delay. Ninety-six regularly followed patients with breast cancer, treated with mastectomy and adjuvant chemotherapytradiotherapy were analyzed for the effect of time intervals between biopsy to surgery and surgery to adjuvant chemotherapy on relapse free survival (RFS). Standard prognostic factors (age, tumor size, grade, axilla and hormone receptor status) were also evaluated. In the univariate analysis, age, tumor diameter, number of axillary nodes involved, estrogen receptor status and time to surgery (quick surgery worse) showed a statistical significance. In the multivariate analysis, older age, smaller tumor and smaller number of axillary nodes involved were associated with a better relapse free survival (RFS) (PO.05). Time to chemotherapy and time treatment (total) were not linked with RFS in univariate analysis (P=O.445 and P=O.413). Delay in surgery up to several weeks has no detrimental effect on outcome (in fact there was a trend for a reverse relation reflecting surgeon's sense). Up to several months of delay in chemotherapy does not have a major impact on disease free survival and delay should not be a reason for omitting adjuvant therapy.