Table 1.

Comparison of Characteristics Between Elderly Women Diagnosed with Early-Stage Breast Cancer in WV and SEER Regions WVCR-Medicare, 2003–2006 & SEER-Medicare, 2003–2006

All	Total		WVCR-Medicare		SEER-Medicare		p-value
	N	%	N	%	N	%
	26917	100.0	811	100.0	26106	100.0
Year of Diagnosisb							0.023*
2003	6884	25.6	217	26.8	6667	25.5
2004	6750	25.1	223	27.5	6527	25.0
2005	6626	24.6	208	25.7	6418	24.6
2006	6657	24.7	163	21.1	6494	24.9
Age at Diagnosisc							0.143
66–69	5859	21.8	167	20.6	5692	21.8
70–74	6813	25.3	227	28.0	6586	25.2
75–79	6496	24.1	226	27.9	6270	24.0
≥ 80	7749	28.8	191	23.6	7558	29.0
Raced							<0.001***
White	24233	90.0	792	97.7	23441	89.8
Other	2684	10.0	19	2.3	2665	10.2
Educationd							<0.001***
< 15% college degree	8229	30.6	361	44.5	7868	30.1
≥ 15% college degree	18688	69.4	450	55.5	18238	69.9
Annual Incomed							<0.001***
≤ $35,000	7067	26.3	744	91.7	6323	24.2
> $35,000	19850	73.8	67	8.3	19783	75.8
Metro Statusd							<0.001***
Non-metro	4745	17.6	341	42.1	4404	16.9
Metro	22172	82.4	470	58.0	21702	83.1
Comorbidity Scoreb							0.014*
0	15627	58.1	438	53.4	15194	58.2
1	7286	27.1	249	30.3	7037	27.0
≥ 2	4004	14.9	134	16.3	3875	14.8
PCP Visitsd							0.274
Low	14448	53.7	420	51.8	14028	53.7
High	12469	46.3	391	48.2	12078	46.3
Mammography Screening Centersd							0.048*
Low	13948	51.8	448	55.2	13500	51.7
High	12969	48.2	363	44.8	12606	48.3
Oncology Treatment Centersd							0.734
Low	15044	55.9	458	56.5	14586	55.9
High	11873	44.1	353	43.5	11520	44.2
Stage at Diagnosisd							0.007**
I	16811	62.5	543	67.0	16268	62.3
II	10106	37.6	268	33.1	9838	37.7
ER Statusa							<0.001***
Positive	20556	76.4	458	56.5	20098	77.0
Negative	3710	13.8	81	10.0	3629	13.9
Borderline/Unknown	2651	9.9	272	33.5	2379	9.1
PR Statusa							<0.001***
Positive	17027	63.2	379	46.7	16648	63.8
Negative	6970	25.9	156	19.2	6814	26.1
Borderline/Unknown	2920	10.9	276	34.0	2644	10.1
Tumor Gradea							<0.001***
Well Differentiated	6889	25.6	222	27.4	6667	25.5
Moderately Differentiated	11524	42.8	312	38.5	11212	43.0
Poorly Differentiated	6414	23.8	169	20.8	6245	23.9
Undifferentiated/Unknown	2090	7.8	108	13.3	1982	7.6
Treatmenta							0.730
BCS+RT	14417	53.6	430	53.0	13987	53.6
Mastectomy	6169	22.9	195	24.0	5974	22.9
BCS Only	6331	23.5	186	22.9	6145	23.5
Type of Surgeon Seena							0.078
General Only	5675	21.1	185	22.8	5490	21.0
Oncology Only	1419	5.3	30	3.7	1389	5.3
Both	19823	73.6	596	73.5	19227	73.7

^acmh chi square test of general association

^bcmh chi square test of location shift using table scores

^ccmh chi square test of location shift using modified ridit scores

^dPearson's chi square test of association

PCP = Primary Care Provider, BCS = Breast-Conserving Surgery, RT = Radiation Therapy, ER = Estrogen Receptor, PR = Progesterone Receptor

^*p < 0.05;

^**p < 0.01;

^***p < 0.001