Regional recurrence in the era of sentinel lymph node biopsy.
BACKGROUND
The incidence of all-location regional recurrence after sentinel lymph node biopsy is not well documented. This study attempts to identify risk factors.


METHODS
A prospectively maintained database was queried to identify patients with a regional recurrence of breast cancer after a first operation for invasive unilateral breast cancer. Patients with regional recurrence were compared with those alive and disease free at 5 years.


RESULTS
Twenty-one of 1,060 patients (2%) experienced a regional recurrence. Most patients (95%) underwent sentinel lymph node biopsy as their axillary staging. Those with regional recurrences had larger tumors (P < .001), higher stage disease (P < .001), more estrogen receptor- and triple-negative breast cancers (P < .001), and more positive lymph nodes (P = .007). Mastectomy (P = .001) and receipt of neoadjuvant and/or chemotherapy (P < .001) were more common among those with regional recurrences.


CONCLUSIONS
Regional recurrence of breast cancer occurs infrequently. Risk factors include high-risk cancers, higher stage at presentation, nodal involvement, and need for therapies reflecting higher risk biology.
['Linnaus|Maria E|ME|', 'Dueck|Amylou C|AC|', 'Kosiorek|Heidi E|HE|', 'Gray|Richard J|RJ|', 'Wasif|Nabil|N|', 'Northfelt|Donald W|DW|', 'Anderson|Karen S|KS|', 'McCullough|Ann E|AE|', 'Wong|William W|WW|', 'Halyard|Michele Y|MY|', 'Patel|Samir H|SH|', 'Pockaj|Barbara A|BA|']
D001943:Breast Neoplasms D005260:Female D006801:Humans D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis D008875:Middle Aged D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local D009367:Neoplasm Staging D011446:Prospective Studies D012307:Risk Factors D021701:Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy
Regional recurrence Sentinel lymph node biopsy Breast cancer