[The supraclavicular recurrence of breast carcinoma]

Between January 1970 and December 1978 39 patients with isolated supraclavicular recurrence of breast cancer were referred to the Department of Radiotherapy and Radiobiology, University of Vienna. All patients have had mastectomy as primary treatment. In 46% of the patients a surgical excision of involved lymph node has been performed before irradiation. The median interval between mastectomy and supraclavicular recurrence was 26 months. The cumulative incidence after three years was 75%. 15 patients have shown complete local response during the whole follow-up time. In 38 patients, osseous and/or visceral metastasis were observed after a median interval of eight months. After two years, 87% of the patients presented distant disease. 15 patients suffered on local pain in the supraclavicular region or in the ipsilateral shoulder with lymph oedema of the arm. The median survival after therapy was 18 months. The death rate after three years was 77%. Patients with a recurrence-free interval after mastectomy less than two years had a median survival time of eleven months whereas patients with a recurrence-free interval had 26 months.