Analysis of loco-regional and distant recurrences in breast cancer after conservative surgery

BACKGROUND: A number of patients treated conservatively for breast cancer will develop loco-regional and distant recurrences. Our aim was to determine how their occurrence may be linked to the evolution of the disease. METHODS: We analyzed 238 women treated by conservative breast surgery and breast irradiation in a single institution. We evaluated the prognostic factors associated with loco-regional and distant recurrences and the prognostic value of local and regional recurrences on systemic progression. RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 5 year (range 1–10), 16 (6.72 %) patients in the breast conservative surgery (BCS) groups had loco-regional recurrence. For distant recurrence, 10 (4.2 %) patients had experienced distant recurrence. Lympho-vascular invasion (HR 2.55; 95 % CI, 076 to 8.49) and an extensive intraductal component (HR, 2.22; 95 % CI, 0.69 to 7.15) and nodal status are risk factors for loco-regional recurrence (LRR) after breast conservative therapy (BCT). Tumor size, nodal status, high histologic grade, and breast cancer diagnosed at a young age (≤35 years) are correlated with higher distant recurrence rates after BCT. CONCLUSIONS: Risk factors for LRR after BCS include lympho-vascular invasion, extensive inraductal component, and high nodal status, where as risk factors for distant recurrence include tumor size, nodal status, high histologic grade, and breast cancer diagnosed at a young age (≤35 years).