title: Very late relapse in breast cancer survivors: a report of 6 cases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Breast cancer is the most common cancer and the leading cause of cancer death among the women worldwide. The risk of local and distant recurrence is the highest during the first two years following the initial treatment. Very late relapse (after 12 years) is uncommon in breast cancer survivors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Herein, we report the characteristics and outcomes of 6 such cases of breast cancer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of the patients was 40.1 years (range 30-57) and the mean disease free survival was 19.6 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Late relapse is not so common in breast cancer but can occur in any stage. Therefore, we suggest life-time follow up for every patient with breast cancer.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Radiation Oncology, Namazi Hospital, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Shapour
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Omidvari
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Radiation Oncology, Namazi Hospital, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed Hasan
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Hamedi
authors.affiliation: Colorectal Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mohammadianpanah
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Radiation Oncology, Namazi Hospital, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Hamid
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nasrolahi
authors.affiliation: Shiraz Institute for Cancer Research, Namazi Hospital, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mosalaei
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Surgery, Shahid Faghihi Hospital, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Abdolrasoul
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Talei
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Radiation Oncology, Namazi Hospital, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Niloofar
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ahmadloo
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Radiation Oncology, Namazi Hospital, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran ; Shiraz Institute for Cancer Research, Namazi Hospital, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mansour
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ansari
keywords: Breast neoplasm; Recurrence; Survival