Period of local recurrence occurrence in patients with primary operable breast cancer at various therapeutic approaches

A total of 120 patients with primary operable breast cancer were treated at RCRC from 1990 to 2006. All patients underwent radical operations (mastectomy - 42.5 %, organ-conservative surgery - 55.8 % of patients). The adjuvant treatment was administered to 80 % of patients: radiotherapy to 22.5 %, chemotherapy to 13.3 %, endocrine therapy to 13.3 %. Combined modality treatment was administered to 30.8 % of patients. Local recurrence occurred within 4 to 120 months after surgery, being the only symptom of disease progression. Local recurrence after organ-conservative surgery occurred in later period after operation, likely due to the following factors: more careful selection of patients for organ-conservative surgery (young age, smaller tumor size, negative axillary lymph nodes), and administration of postoperative radiotherapy. Combined modality treatment for primary tumors including radiotherapy, chemotherapy and endocrine therapy promotes occurrence of recurrence in later period after operations.