Predicting survival in bilateral breast carcinoma.

Survival in 38 patients with bilateral breast cancer has been studied. The tumours were synchronous in 14 patients and metachronous in 24. Survival was less than that predicted for either tumour on the basis of a previously developed index involving lymph node status, oestrogen receptor content, progesterone receptor content, and patient age. Simple addition of the indices for the two tumours gave better predictor although this also overstated the prospects for survival for both synchronous and metachronous tumours. This experience suggests, therefore, that the prospects for survival for patients with suggests, therefore, that the prospects of survival for patients with synchronous or metachronous bilateral breast carcinoma is poor, and worse than might reasonably be anticipated.