Locoregional recurrence in breast carcinoma patients.

AIMS

To assess the risk of locoregional recurrence (LRR) after mastectomy and to identify predictive and treatment factors that affect the risk of LRR.

METHODS

The primary endpoint was local recurrence. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were carried out in the data from 1217 patients.

RESULTS

The median follow-up was 74 months, and 63 (5.2%) patients experienced a LRR in their follow-up period. In the multivariate analysis, age group (< or =35 years vs. >35 years, p<0.0001; Hazard Ratio [HR], 5.0; 95% Confidence Interval [95% CI], 3.0-8.3), tumour size (>2 cm vs. < or =2 cm, p=0.03; HR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.2-4.7) and LVI (yes vs. no, p<0.0001; HR, 3.2; 95% CI,1.9-5.2) were the independent prognostic factors for LRR. This analysis, in the final model, indicated that adjuvant radiotherapy and adjuvant tamoxifen were associated with a reduced risk of LRR by 90% and 75%, respectively, across the follow-up period, whereas age group remained as an important risk factor (p=0.002; HR, 3.0; 95% CI, 1.5-6.2).

CONCLUSIONS

Although adjuvant therapies reduce the risk of LRR, young age is an independent risk factor for LRR.