[Malignant neoplasms of the breast in the capital of the German Democratic Republic, Berlin, 1975-1979].

Some important data characterizing the situation in breast cancer control were analyzed in the capital of the German Democratic Republic, Berlin, during the period from 1975 to 1979. In comparison with former periods a progress is demonstrated by a decrease of the diagnostic interval, an increase of stages I and II (73%), an increase of patients treated with radical surgery (85.1%) and an improvement of the relative 5-year-survival rate (67.8% of all stages and age groups). The relative 5-year-survival rate is significantly higher in patients treated in a comprehensive cancer centre with strictly multidisciplinary treatment (75.8%) than in those treated in all other hospitals (63.5%). For patients treated in hospitals with less than 20 new cases per year the survival rate is significantly lower (59.4%), especially for the advanced stages III and IV. Further progress in breast cancer control can be expected by improvement of early detection, centralization of treatment in hospitals with specialized oncological team work and a well organized follow-up system.