Abstract
BACKGROUND: We attempt to determine significant predictors of systemic recurrence following ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence (IBTR). METHODS: A retrospective single-institution chart review of all newly diagnosed breast cancer patients was conducted to identify women treated with breast-conserving therapy (BCT) who developed IBTR. Charts were reviewed for demographics, clinical presentation, method of detection, stage, type of therapy, histopathology, and margin status for both the primary and recurrent tumors. RESULTS: Of 1,733 patients who were treated with BCT, 157 experienced IBTR. Multivariate Cox regression showed that time to recurrence and method of detection of local recurrence remained significant predictors of distant metastases-free survival (DMFS). Median DMFS times for clinically and radiographically detected IBTRs were 54 months and 231 months, respectively. Adjusted relative risk for clinically detected IBTRs was 2.2. CONCLUSIONS: Given the prognostic significance of post-treatment mammography in our study, combined with median time to recurrence of 44 months, we believe that routine long-term mammographic surveillance is indicated following BCT.