Is the biology of breast cancer different in patients = 80 years old?

Introduction. The highest incidence of cancer occurs in the seventh and eighth decades of life, hence with the lengthening of human life, the number of seniors diagnosed with cancer is increasing. For years, breast cancer has remained the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women in Poland. There is a belief that breast cancer in elderly women has a milder course, grows more slowly, and is biologically less aggressive compared to younger patients.Material and methods. This study presents characteristics of the biology of 240 breast cancers diagnosed in 232 patients aged = 80 years and compares them with the biology of 295 breast cancers diagnosed in 291 patients in other age groups. Results. Evaluating breast cancer biology in patients = 80 years of age compared to patients < 80 years of age in our data showed no statistically significant differences. Conclusions. The belief that breast cancers are less aggressive in the elderly was not confirmed in our study.