[Clinicopathological features of recurrent breast cancer]

Recurrence of breast cancer is classified into three categories, namely local (chest wall) recurrence, recurrence in regional lymph nodes, and distant metastasis. In an analysis of 77 recurrent cases out of 385 breast cancer cases managed by us from 1962 to 1973, recurrence of the former two categories occurred early, mostly within three years, but distant metastatic disease occurred in later years. With regard to staging and the time of recurrence, it was observed in general that the earlier the initial stage of disease, the longer the time period until the presence of detectable recurrence. In addition, as to local recurrence and distant metastases in various sites, the following aspects were reviewed and discussed; incidence, mechanisms of recurrence, characteristics of the recurrent disease.