Background and objective: Controversies remain regarding the therapeutic principle for and prognosis of breast cancer patients with isolated local-regional recurrence after mastectomy. This study was to evaluate the role of radiotherapy in treating these patients and to investigate the prognosis.
Methods: Clinical data of 255 breast cancer patients with chest-wall and/or regional lymph node recurrence as first failure after mastectomy from 1990 to 2005 were analyzed. All patients received radiotherapy for recurrence.
Results: The median follow-up time was 45 months (9 months-15.5 years). The median disease-free interval (DFI) was 22 months (2-260 months); it was 37 months in patients with positive hormonal receptor and 17 months in those with unknown or negative receptor. The 2-, 5-, and 8-year overall survival (OS) rates were 86.4%, 56.5%, and 35.0%, respectively. The median survival time was 79 months. The 2-, 5-and, 8-year local control rates were 6.1%, 36.3%, and 27.6%, respectively. Univariate prognostic analysis showed that DFI, site and number of recurrence, receptor status, short-term therapeutic response, initial T status and axillary involvement significantly affected the survival (all P<0.05); multivariate analysis showed that DFI, receptor status, site and number of recurrence were independent prognostic factors. Prognostic index was established to classify the patients. The 2-, 5-and 8-year OS rates were 100%, 91.6%, and 56.4% in the favorable prognosis group, 88.1%, 59.1%, and 36.8% in the medium prognosis group, 68.0%, 8.5%, and 0 in the poor prognosis group (P<0.001).
Conclusion: Radiotherapy is effective for breast cancer patients with isolated local-regional recurrence after mastectomy. Prognostic index could be applied to predict the prognosis.