Frequency of locoregional and axillary recurrences among patients following breast cancer operations.

Our department performed 554 operations for breast cancer between 01. 01. 1986 and 31. 12. 1995. When following up these 554 patients, we recognized local recurrences, axillary and neck-region lymph node recurrences in 32 cases (5.8%). Breast conserving procedure was introduced at our department within the period above. What our experience proves is, that the raise in the frequency of breast conserving procedures did not make the rate of locoregional recurrences grow. Together with applying breast conserving procedures we extended the application of axillary block dissections, in terms of indications, and also of numbers of lymph nodes removed. The past five years axillary recurrences did not appear among our patients.