Chest wall recurrence after mastectomy does not always portend a dismal outcome.
BACKGROUND
Chest wall recurrence (CWR) after mastectomy often forecasts a grim prognosis. Predictors of outcome after CWR, however, are not clear.


METHODS
From 1988 to 1998, 130 patients with isolated CWRs were seen at our center. Clinicopathologic factors were studied by univariate and multivariate analyses for distant metastasis-free survival after CWR. The median post-CWR follow-up was 37 months.


RESULTS
Initial nodal status was the strongest predictor of outcome by univariate analysis. Other significant factors included initial T4 disease, primary lymphovascular invasion, treatment of the primary tumor with neoadjuvant therapy or radiation, time to CWR >24 months, and treatment for CWR (surgery, radiation, or multimodality therapy). Multivariate analysis also found initial nodal status to have the greatest effect; time to CWR and use of radiation for CWR were also independent predictors. Three groups of patients were identified. Low risk was defined by initial node-negative disease, time to CWR >24 months, and radiation for CWR; intermediate risk had one or two favorable features; and high risk had none. The median distant metastasis-free survival after CWR was significantly different among these groups (P <.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with CWR are a heterogeneous population. Patients with initial node-negative disease who develop CWR after 24 months have an optimistic prognosis, especially if they are treated with radiation.
Chagpar
Anees
A
Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.
Meric-Bernstam
Funda
F
Hunt
Kelly K
KK
Ross
Merrick I
MI
Cristofanilli
Massimo
M
Singletary
S Eva
SE
Buchholz
Thomas A
TA
Ames
Frederick C
FC
Marcy
Sylvie
S
Babiera
Gildy V
GV
Feig
Barry W
BW
Hortobagyi
Gabriel N
GN
Kuerer
Henry M
HM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008408:Mastectomy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D035441:Thoracic Wall / Q000473:pathology*