Survival analysis of breast cancer cases under the regimens of anthracycline alone and combinaed with taxanes (2004-2012)

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer among women. Early diagnosis, treatment and prevention of BC is among the most debated topics in the world. Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment of BC can decrease the mortality rate to 2.2% per year. The aim of this study was to analyze the survival of patients with BC treated with anthracycline alone and combined to Taxane.
In this historic cohort study the BC cases (n=160) referred to oncology clinics during 2004-2012 were divided to two treatment groups (Anthracycline alone and Anthracycline䶬媝). Patients were followed-up until death or exclusion from study. On demand, every 6 months a bone scan and CT was taken; every 3 months using blood tests the cases were followed-up. The samples were analyzed for estrogen, progesterone and HER2 Neu receptor and then survival analysis.
All cases (n=160) were divided into two equal treatment groups (Mean age: 47.4 years). While no significant difference was found between the two groups for age, estrogen, progesterone, HER2 Neu receptor, size/type of tumor, number of lymph node and metastasis rate, the mortality and exacerbation rates in Anthracycline group (12.5% and 7.5%, respectively) was significantly higher compared to Taxane group (3.8% and 0, respectively). In addition, the survival rate in Taxane group was higher.
Use of Taxane for BC reduces the mortality and exacerbation rates but increases its survival rate and life expectancy.