Objective: To investigate the clinicopathologic features, treatment patterns and prognostic factors in female breast cancer patients over 70 years of age. Methods: The clinical 203 female breast cancer patients over 70 admitted and undergoing surgical treatment in the Department of Breast Surgery, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University from January 2007 to December 2010 were reviewed. The clinical features and prognosis of the patients were analyzed. Results: Of the 203 patients, 67 cases (33.0%) had TNM stage I and 117 cases (57.6%) had TNM stage II disease and 92 cases (53.5%) had no axillary lymph node metastasis; 166 cases (81.8%) were invasive ductal carcinoma which was the main pathological type. Immunohistochemical staining showed that ER and PR expression, and HER-2 overexpression was found in 123 cases (69.5%), 114 cases (64.4%), and 23 cases (13.0%) respectively. Of the patients, 153 cases (75.4%) underwent modified radical mastectomy that was the main surgical type, and 111 cases (54.7%) received endocrine therapy and 28 cases (13.8%) had chemotherapy after operation. Univariate analysis showed the overall survival (OS) was associated with age, lymph node status, ER, PR, histological grade and endocrine therapy of the patients, and disease-free survival (DFS) was related to lymph node status, ER, PR, HER-2, endocrine therapy and chemotherapy (all P<0.05); multivariate COX analysis indicated that age, lymph node status and PR were independent prognostic factors for OS, while lymph node status was an independent prognostic factor for DFS (all P<0.05). Conclusion: Breast cancer in elderly patients has distinct biological characteristics, and surgery is the main treatment method. Age, lymph node status and PR are independent prognostic factors for these patients.