Prognostic effects of local recurrence after conservative treatment for early infiltrating breast carcinoma

Aim: A study was carried out to determine whether local recurrence after quadrantectomy, axillary dissection and radiotherapy (QUART) affects the oncologic prognosis of patients with early infiltrating breast carcinoma. Methods: A total of 149 patients were submitted to QUART between 1981 and 1990 and followed by an average period of 120.9 months (range, 16-213). Local recurrence was not observed in 132 cases (group 1) but was detected in 17 patients (group 2). Results: In group 1, 39 cases (29.5%) presented distant metastases and 34 (25.8%) evolved to death. In group 2, 10 (51.8%) distant metastases and 9 deaths (52.9%) were verified. The survival curves estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method and analyzed by the logrank test were statistically different for distant metastases-free survival (P = 0.03) and for overall survival (P = 0.01). The relative risk in patients with post-QUART local recurrence for distant metastases was 2.09 and for death 2.34. Conclusions: It was concluded that post-QUART local recurrences are a poor prognostic factor in patients with early infiltrating breast carcinoma.