Survival analysis and its related factors among patients with breast cancer referred to a military hospital in Tehran

Survival rate is one of the main prognostic indicators in cancer related topics. The aim of this study was to investigate the survival rate and related factors in breast cancer patients referred to a military hospital in Tehran, Iran.

In a longitudinal epidemiologic study of a historical cohort type, the recorded data of all women with breast cancer who referred to radiotherapy center of a military hospital between 2012 and 2017 were selected by the census method and were evaluated in terms of five-year survival rate. The survival rate curve was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier statistical method, and Cox-regression was used to examine the variables affecting survival.

In the minimum 6-year follow-up of 249 patients, 237 (95.2%) were alive. The 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates in all study patients were 100%, 98% and 96%, respectively. There were significant relationships between mortality rate and age, number of children, education, menopausal status, lymphatic involvement, clinical stage and grade, underlying disease, and family history of bearst cancer (p<0.05). Among the variables included in the Cox model, lymphatic involvement and underlying disease had the greatest impact on reducing survival.

Public education at the time of patients’ visits and during the golden times of diagnosis and treatment has been effective in reducing deaths and increasing survival.