title: Analysis of prognostic factors in patients with isolated chest wall recurrence of breast cancer.
abstract: A retrospective analysis of a series of 162 patients treated for isolated chest wall recurrence of breast cancer after mastectomy was undertaken. Cumulative survival, distant relapse-free survival, and freedom from local progression after 5 years from the diagnosis of recurrence were 34%, 28%, and 45% respectively. Five prognostic factors influenced survival: axillary node status, primary T stage, length of disease-free interval, and number and size of recurrences. Four prognostic factors influenced the local control: axillary node status, primary T stage, disease-free interval, and number of recurrences. Patients with three or more, out of five, favorable prognostic factors fared much better than those with two or less: 75% versus 15% survival at 5 years. Our findings suggest that it is possible to identify a group of patients with a distinctly good medium-term survival and local control of disease.
mesh_terms: D000206:Actuarial Analysis; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008408:Mastectomy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000628:therapy; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013899:Thoracic Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D013997:Time Factors