Factors influencing the risk of local recurrence in the breast

This paper reviews what is currently known regarding possible factors influencing the risk of local failure in the breast after conservative surgery and radiation therapy for clinical stage I and II breast cancer. The best established features correlating with increased risk are young age at time of primary therapy, and the presence of an extensive intraductal component within the primary tumour. The interactions of tumour- and treatment-related factors is complex, but adequacy of surgical excision, quality of radiation therapy technique, and use of systemic therapy all appear to contribute to risk reduction.