[Prognostic significance of isolated local recurrences in breast cancer following mastectomy and axillary node excision. Apropos of 77 recurrences in 2362 patients].

During the years 1958-1984, 2 362 patients presenting with breast carcinoma were treated at the Fondation Bergonié by modified radical mastectomy and followed or not by radiotherapy or adjuvant chemotherapy. A retrospective analysis of this series showed that 77 patients (3.3%) presented an isolated locoregional recurrence as the first sign of treatment failure. A chest wall recurrence alone was noted in 47 patients, while 30 presented an involvement of the lymph nodes, sometimes associated with chest wall disease. The prognosis' factors of isolated locoregional recurrence, studied by multidimensional analysis by Cox's model are by decreasing order the disease free interval and the Scarf and Bloom's histologic grade. The median survival is 29 months after isolated locoregional recurrence and the survival curve is very similar to that of patients with isolated bone metastatic recurrences (median survival of 26 months) and slightly better than the median survival of patients with non osseous metastasis (median survival of 16 months).