Abstract
OBJECTIVES: We and others have previously found a relative underutilization of breast-conserving surgery with adjuvant radiation therapy in older women diagnosed with early stage breast cancer. Because adjuvant radiotherapy involves daily trips to a facility for 6 weeks, we reasoned that season and climate might influence choice of therapy. Specifically we hypothesized that in northern states, a lower proportion of women would receive breast-conserving surgery plus radiation in the winter months than in summer, whereas in sunbelt states there would be no relationship between season and therapy. DESIGN: Analysis of national Medicare billing tapes for 1990 and SEER tumor registry data for 1983-1990. PARTICIPANTS: 43,083 women aged 65 to 79, diagnosed with local or regional breast cancer in 50 states or Washington, DC, who underwent mastectomy or breast-conserving surgery in 1990, and 32,502 women aged 65 to 79 who underwent mastectomy or breast- conserving surgery from 1983 to 1989 at any of the nine SEER sites. RESULTS: Using a variety of analytical approaches, we could find no consistent effect of cold winter climate on choice of breast cancer therapy. CONCLUSION: Bad weather does not appear to discourage the choice of breast-conserving treatment. It is not known if bad weather influences actual receipt of radiotherapy.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 962-966 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Journal of the American Geriatrics Society |
| Volume | 43 |
| Issue number | 9 |
| State | Published - 1995 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Geriatrics and Gerontology
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Effect of season and climate on choice of therapy for breast cancer in older women. / Goodwin, James; Nattinger, A. B.
In: Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, Vol. 43, No. 9, 1995, p. 962-966.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Effect of season and climate on choice of therapy for breast cancer in older women
AU - Goodwin, James
AU - Nattinger, A. B.
PY - 1995
Y1 - 1995
N2 - OBJECTIVES: We and others have previously found a relative underutilization of breast-conserving surgery with adjuvant radiation therapy in older women diagnosed with early stage breast cancer. Because adjuvant radiotherapy involves daily trips to a facility for 6 weeks, we reasoned that season and climate might influence choice of therapy. Specifically we hypothesized that in northern states, a lower proportion of women would receive breast-conserving surgery plus radiation in the winter months than in summer, whereas in sunbelt states there would be no relationship between season and therapy. DESIGN: Analysis of national Medicare billing tapes for 1990 and SEER tumor registry data for 1983-1990. PARTICIPANTS: 43,083 women aged 65 to 79, diagnosed with local or regional breast cancer in 50 states or Washington, DC, who underwent mastectomy or breast-conserving surgery in 1990, and 32,502 women aged 65 to 79 who underwent mastectomy or breast- conserving surgery from 1983 to 1989 at any of the nine SEER sites. RESULTS: Using a variety of analytical approaches, we could find no consistent effect of cold winter climate on choice of breast cancer therapy. CONCLUSION: Bad weather does not appear to discourage the choice of breast-conserving treatment. It is not known if bad weather influences actual receipt of radiotherapy.
AB - OBJECTIVES: We and others have previously found a relative underutilization of breast-conserving surgery with adjuvant radiation therapy in older women diagnosed with early stage breast cancer. Because adjuvant radiotherapy involves daily trips to a facility for 6 weeks, we reasoned that season and climate might influence choice of therapy. Specifically we hypothesized that in northern states, a lower proportion of women would receive breast-conserving surgery plus radiation in the winter months than in summer, whereas in sunbelt states there would be no relationship between season and therapy. DESIGN: Analysis of national Medicare billing tapes for 1990 and SEER tumor registry data for 1983-1990. PARTICIPANTS: 43,083 women aged 65 to 79, diagnosed with local or regional breast cancer in 50 states or Washington, DC, who underwent mastectomy or breast-conserving surgery in 1990, and 32,502 women aged 65 to 79 who underwent mastectomy or breast- conserving surgery from 1983 to 1989 at any of the nine SEER sites. RESULTS: Using a variety of analytical approaches, we could find no consistent effect of cold winter climate on choice of breast cancer therapy. CONCLUSION: Bad weather does not appear to discourage the choice of breast-conserving treatment. It is not known if bad weather influences actual receipt of radiotherapy.
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M3 - Article
VL - 43
SP - 962
EP - 966
JO - Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
JF - Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
SN - 0002-8614
IS - 9
ER -