Survival Outcomes of Breast Cancer Patients in South India Over 20 Years

Abstract

Objective: The study aimed to investigate the distribution and clinicopathologic features of breast cancer patients in South India, while also examining the overall survival (OS) and identifying predictive factors affecting it. Additionally, we aimed to assess the influence of risk factors on Disease Free Survival (DFS) and Distant Disease-Free Survival (DDFS). Methods: This retrospective cohort study on breast cancer trends used comprehensive follow-up including regular patient contact, medical record review and collaboration with healthcare providers. Patients without follow-up information for more than 12 months were contacted by telephone, while those with no follow-up after 2 years were labelled as lost to follow-up. Results: A total of 3256 patients were identified from a single cancer institute in India. The median follow-up time was 8.1 years. The 5-year survival rates were 89%, 84%, 85%, 88% and 10-year were 82%, 78%, 79%, 83% for luminal cancers, Triple Negative Breast Cancers, HER2 enriched and luminal with HER2 enriched respectively. Conclusion: Poorer survival rates were seen among those with pT3/4 tumors, nodal involvement at diagnosis, Estrogen receptor negative status, high Ki67 proliferative index and higher TNM stage at diagnosis of the disease. Although our patients were younger and had more aggressive types of cancer, their DFS, DDFS and overall survival were comparable to other developed nations.