Catching cancers when they are small still makes a difference to survival

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-10/b-ccw100215.php

Public Release: 6-Oct-2015
Catching cancers when they are small still makes a difference to survival
Classic prognostic factors, such as tumour size, still matter, say experts
BMJ

Catching cancers when they are small still makes a difference to survival, even in the current era of more effective therapies, suggests a study of breast cancer patients in The BMJ this week.

The research team, based in the Netherlands, say that traditional factors such as tumour size and number of positive lymph nodes "still have a significant and major influence on overall mortality independent of age and tumour biology."

•••••

The results show that both tumour stage and lymph node status had a significant influence on overall survival in both cohorts.

The researchers stress that this is an observational study so no definitive conclusions can be drawn about cause and effect. Nevertheless, they say that tumour size and nodal status "still have a significant and major influence on overall mortality independent of age and tumour biology in the current era of more conservative surgery and newer systemic therapies.

Early stage at detection is vital; surgery is crucial, and more conservative surgery is more favourable," they conclude.

•••••