Changes in survival during the past two decades for breast cancer at the Kyoto University Hospital

Aims To report the changes in survival over 20 years of 775 breast cancer women operated between 1982 and 2003 at the Kyoto University Hospital in Japan, reflecting changes in clinical practice over that period. Results Survival curves have significantly improved between the periods 1982–1989 and 1990–2003. The 5- and 10-year survival rates between these periods were 80.3% and 85.1%, and 67.5% and 75.0%, respectively. Moreover, there was a difference in overall survival curves of patients of stages II and III, of 35–54 ages, or of positive estrogen receptor (ER) status between these periods. Conclusion The present study presented the recent advance of the survival rates might be due to the rational development of breast cancer treatment, and suggested the possibility that the patients of stages II and III, of 35–54 ages, or of positive ER status were received benefits by these treatments.