Survival of women with breast cancer luminal subtype, assisted in Juiz de Fora, MG

Abstract

Objective: To estimate the five-year disease-free survival of women with luminal breast cancer, who were diagnosed between 2003 and 2005, in Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil, and its association with clinic, sociodemographic, histopathological prognostic variables and with health services and treatment. Methods: It was used a hospital-based cohort study including 331 women with immunohistochemical profile of luminal and non-metastatic tumor, who were diagnosed between 2003 and 2005, treated in a reference cancer care hospital. Sociodemographic, tumoral, and treatment variables were analyzed. Results: The five-year disease-free survival among the population studied was 79.5% (74.6–83.6). An association of tumor recurrence with type of health care service, staging, tumor size, and lymph node involvement (p<0.05) has been shown. Better survival rates were seen in private health care services, initial stage of disease, smaller tumors, no lymph node involvement and use of hormonal therapy treatment. In the final Cox model, severity of the illness and hormonal therapy remained as the most important independent prognostic factors. Conclusion: Advanced stages of the disease should receive an amplified range of therapeutic approach and access to hormonal therapy whenever indicated, including breast tumor cases classified as luminal that, at first, have a better prognosis.