Prognostic factors in recurrent breast cancer: relationships to site of recurrence, disease-free interval, female sex steroid receptors, ploidy and histological malignancy grading.

Site of first recurrence, disease-free interval (DFI), female sex steroid receptors, ploidy measurements as well as histological grading have been analysed as potentially valuable predictive factors in 313 cases of recurrent breast cancer. Univariate and multivariate analyses show histological grading, site of recurrence and disease free interval to be useful prognostic variables when assessing prognosis once disease has recurred. High concentrations of oestrogen receptors (ER) were found in patients with bone metastases, whereas lower concentrations of ER were related to visceral recurrences. Ploidy measurements failed in this study to give any predictive information once disease recurred.