Age (years) < 50 P 60–69 P ≥70
1991 96 (100%)   142 (100%)   169 (100%)
Death from BC 34 (35.4%) <0.001 22 (15.5%) <0.01 43 (25.4%)
Death from other causes 2 (2.1%) <0.01 16 (11.3%) <0.001 55 (32.5%)
Alive 60 (62.5%) ns 104 (73.2%) <0.001 71 (42.1%)
1997/98 64 (100%)   115 (100%)   88 (100%)
Dead in BC 16 (25%) <0.001 5 (7.4%) <0.01 16 (21.6%)
Dead other causes 2 (3.1%) <0.01 9 (13.2%) <0.001 34 (38.6%)
Alive 46 (71.9%) ns 54 (79.4%) <0.001 38 (30.8%)
Screened women aged 60-69 years were analyzed for both 1991 and 1997/98 samples for death rates from breast cancer and from other causes. Results were compared with two unscreened age groups, i.e. those younger than 50 years of age and older than 70 years. The 1991 and 1997/98 samples showed significant reductions in breast cancer death rates compared with both the younger (P < 0.001) and the older (P < 0.01) unscreened patient groups, notwithstanding the co-morbidities of the older patients. The percentage of patients still alive with co-morbidities was, as expected, significantly less in the older patients.
Table 4: Breast cancer death rate and death due to co-morbidity for screened women aged 60-69 years.