Local Failure Is Responsible for the Decrease in Survival for Patients With Breast Cancer Treated With Conservative Surgery and Postoperative Radiotherapy

Abstract

Our results show that local failure is associated with an increase in mortality. The difference in the time distribution of distant metastasis for LF and LC could imply distinct mechanisms of dissemination. Local failure should be considered not only as a marker of occult circulating distant metastases but also as a source for new distant metastases and subsequent mortality.