Loco-regional recurrence and survival after wide local excision, radiotherapy and axillary clearance for early breast cancer.

After breast conservation for early breast cancer which comprised wide local excision, axillary clearance and radiotherapy to the breast, 145 women have been followed prospectively for a median of 42 months. Local recurrence occurred in 11 (7%) and axillary recurrence in three (2%). Distant recurrence has occurred in 32 and accounted for 80% of all first recurrences. Local treatment failure has occurred in three women and would not have been prevented by mastectomy. Loco-regional recurrence in the absence of preceding or synchronous distant disease was unusual and did not pose a significant clinical problem.