[Local recurrence in breast cancer. Course of the disease with reference to morphologic parameters]

In 124 patients suffering from a local recurrence after primary treatment of a breast cancer the course of disease was checked in a retrospective manner. This particular study points out the dependence of the clinical outcome on morphological indicators. The results show that local recurrence is mostly accompanied by a generalisation of the disease and on the whole by a poor prognosis. After five years only 29% of the patients with local recurrence are still alive. Of the morphological indicators the lymphatic carcinomatosis is the most important factor related with poor prognosis. Infiltration of the pectoralis muscle has no influence on the further course. Only in few cases breast tissue that has been left after the first surgical therapy can be regarded as the starting point of a local recurrence. To avoid a further local recurrence the excision with clear tumour margins is necessary. If an incomplete removal has been carried out or in cases of narrow resection margins one has to reckon with new local recurrencies in half of all cases despite adjunctive radiotherapy. The results suggest that in cases of local recurrence beside the local treatment systemic therapy with hormones or chemotherapy might be important.