Objective: To study survival rates and significant prognosticating factors for survival in breast cancer patients in Maharaj Nakhon Si Thammarat Hospital.

Design: Retrospective study

Setting: Maharaj Nakhon Si Thammarat Hospital, Thailand.

Materials and methods: The study involved breast cancer patients who were diagnosed and received a modified radical mastectomy (MRM) in Maharaj Nakhon Si Thammarat Hospital, Thailand, during 2002-2005. Their medical records, MRM pathological reports and treatment protocols were studied retrospectively. The survival status and follow-up periods were analysed until 31 December 2008 to assess the survival and the significant prognosticating factors for survival using the Kaplan-Meier method with log-rank test and Cox-regression analysis.

Results: There were 7, 155 and 39 patients at stages 1, 2 and 3a respectively. The mean age was 50.7 years. The mean tumor size was 3.7 centimeters. Ninety-seven percent of the pathological reports showed invasive ductal carcinoma. 38.8% of cellular/nuclear gradings were grade II and 36.9% were grade III . On average, there were 10.6 axillary lymph nodes found per MRM specimen. All of patients were indicated for chemotherapy and 98.5% received it. Seventy-three patients were indicated for radiotherapy but 39.7% refused the treatment. The mean follow-up period was 55.5 months (5.6-83.9). The total number of deaths was 39 patients (19.4%). Five-year overall survival rates in breast cancer stage 1, 2 and 3a were 100%, 83% and 74% respectively. The most significant prognosticating factor was cellular/nuclear grading, followed by lymph node metastasis, adjuvant chemotherapy and adjuvant radiation.

Conclusions: The 5-year overall survival in this study was within standard survival rates. Cellular/nuclear grading was the most significant prognosticating factor for survival.