| pubmed-article:6658855 | pubmed:abstractText | A retrospective study was done of 149 patients with isolated chestwall recurrences of breast cancer. All patients received chestwall irradiation for the recurrence. The absolute survival for the patients at five years from the onset of chestwall recurrence was 28,4%. The amount of chestwall disease at the time of irradiation for the recurrence (subclinical versus macroscopic) as well as the time interval between mastectomy and recurrence were found to be prognostically significant factors. For patients with subclinical chestwall disease and a time interval to recurrence of at least two years the survival rate at five years was 53,8%. As about 80% of all patients with chestwall recurrences ultimately developed distant metastases, the importance of elective postoperative irradiation as part of the initial curative management of breast cancer is stressed. | lld:pubmed |
