Clinical estimation of the growth rate of breast cancer.

To test the ability of the patient's history to provide prognostically important information in breast cancer the authors used information prospectively collected by interview from 756 patients enrolled in a randomized controlled trial of adjuvant therapy. Classification of this information according to the principles of rate of growth created groups with substantial and statistically significant differences in survival. The survival differences created by classifying growth rate were comparable to those created by other prognostic factors, and independent of those created by stage, lymph node status or tumor grade. The patient's history in breast cancer is capable of providing reproducible prognostic information when it is suitable classified, and this information represents a useful addition to current methods of estimating prognosis in breast cancer.