Background: To determine 5-year relative survival (5 year-RS) of breast cancer cases in Toledo-Centro and Mancha area by age group and stage at diagnosis during the period 1997-1999.
Methods: Data of incident breast cancer was obtained from Toledo Cancer Registry. A total of 366 tumours were included, classified by stage and age group (according to their inclusion in the screening program for breast cancer, < 45, 45-64 and> 64). The 5 year-RS and its 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using the Hakulinen method through the web-based application WAERS.
Results: Global 5 year-RS was 78.4% (CI 73.6-83.6), being 93.3% (CI 87.0-99.4) in < 45 years, 87.6% (CI 81.5-94.1) for the 45-64 years age group and 75.4% (CI 65.3-86.9) in > 64 years. The 5 year-RS was 99.3% (CI: 94.4-104.5) for tumours with local stage, 81.9% (CI 74.0-90.8) for those tumours spread to lymph nodes and 20.1% (CI 9.7-41.6) for tumours with metastasis. At the time of diagnosis, 52.3% of tumours in women under age 45 had spread to lymph nodes, while 14.8% of women over 64 had distant metastasis.
Conclusions: The 5 year-RS is similar to the European average of EUROCARE-4 study. These results are a first step to assess, through the monitoring of these indicators, the impact of screening activities and therapeutic improvements in the 5 year-RS of breast cancer in our area.