Poster Presentation COSA 2015 ASM

Rare data for a  common cancer: Survival Outcomes for Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC) at Eastern Health, Victoria, Australia (#196)

Danielle A Ferraro 1 , Wee-Kheng Soo 2 3 4 , Patricia M Livingston 5 , Mohammadreza Mohebbi 6 , Melinda Craike 7 , Jacquie Chirgwin 8 9 10
  1. Department of Pathology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
  2. Eastern Health Clinical School, Monash University , Box Hill , Victoria, Australia
  3. Department of Medical Oncology and Haematology, Eastern Health, Box Hill, Victoria, Australia
  4. Department of Geriatric Medicine, Eastern Health, Box Hill, Victoria, Australia
  5. Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia
  6. Biostatistics Unit, Faculty of Health, Deakin University , Burwood, Victoria, Australia
  7. School of Psychology, Centre for Social and Early Emotional Development, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria , Australia
  8. Eastern Health, Box Hill, Victoria, Australia
  9. Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
  10. The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia

Aims. In Australia, minimal data are available regarding prevalence and incidence of metastatic breast cancer (MBC), disease and treatment patterns and survival outcomes. The aims of this study were to describe and examine in relation to possible prognostic/predictive factors the disease, patient, treatment and survival outcomes for MBC at our institution.

 Methods. In this retrospective cohort study, data from patients with MBC treated at Eastern Health were extracted, including demographics, tumour characteristics, stage at initial diagnosis, disease free interval (DFI), disease sites, treatment and overall survival.  Disease and treatment patterns and median survival were analysed and comparisons (Kaplan-Meier test) made for multiple cohorts.

Results. Of 248 patients diagnosed with MBC between January 2002 and December 2010, 68% were aged 40 to 70 years; 24% were aged > 70 years and 8% under 40 years. Median survival for the group was 2.3 years (95% CI 1.95 – 2.65 years).  The > 70yrs cohort had shorter survival (1.35 years: 95% CI 0.54 -2.16) compared to the 40-70yrs cohort  (2.68 years; 95% CI 2.3 – 3.1 years, p=0.004). Median DFI (from diagnosis of early breast cancer (EBC) to MBC) was 4 years (95% CI 3.40 – 4.60 years), and was longer for those diagnosed from 2006 – 2010 (4.54 years vs 3.67 years, p=0.016) than for those diagnosed from 2002 - 2005. Median survival from diagnosis of EBC was 7.34 years for the 40-70yr cohort and shorter for young and old cohorts (2.89 years, p=0.006; 6.38 years, p=0.047, respectively). Survival outcomes for patient-, disease- and treatment-related factors of interest will be reported.   

 Conclusions. To our knowledge, this is the first analysis of survival outcomes for a cohort of Australian patients with MBC. The results are in keeping with international findings.  Our results offer the potential to improve survival predictions and guide healthcare resource requirements and interventions for Australian women with MBC.