Mammographic appearance of recurrent breast cancer after breast conservation therapy.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: To compare the mammographic appearance of recurrent breast cancer to the primary tumor in patients treated with breast conservation therapy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The charts of women with American Joint Committee on Cancer Stage I or II breast cancer who underwent breast conservation therapy between 1977 and 2001 at our institution were reviewed. A total of 132 patients were diagnosed with local recurrence.

RESULTS: The mammographic appearance of the local recurrence often varied from the appearance of the original breast cancer. This was especially true for women who had mammographically occult primary breast cancer. In these women, the recurrence was detected mammographically 76.9% of the time.

CONCLUSIONS: Given the variable appearance of the local recurrence after breast conservation therapy, any suspicious finding needs to be carefully evaluated regardless of the mammographic appearance of the original tumor.