Outcome of surgical resection for chest wall recurrence in breast cancer patients

BACKGROUND: Although recurrent breast cancer is a systemic disease, there might be several exceptions where local treatment has a favorable outcome. METHODS: From 1989 to 1996, 15 patients underwent full thickness chest wall resection, supported by peri- and postoperative systemic treatments for patients with isolated chest wall recurrences, including soft tissue local recurrence and parasternal lymph node metastasis. RESULTS: The 5-year survival rate after surgical removal was 47%. Patients with > 5-year disease-free intervals (DFI) after mastectomy showed a long survival after chest wall resection. Local failures appeared in four cases whose surgical margins were positive. No serious complication except one pyothorax occurred after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: It is suggested that surgical treatment with a full thickness chest wall resection might have a favorable prognosis for selected patients with solitary lesion and long DFI.