Exeresis and brachytherapy as salvage treatment for local recurrence after conservative treatment for breast cancer: results of a ten-year pilot study.

Purpose: To analyze the long-term results of a pilot study assessing excision and brachytherapy as salvage treatment for local recurrence after conservative treatment of breast cancer.

Methods And Materials: Between December 1990 and March 2001, 36 patients with breast-only recurrence less than 3 cm in diameter after conservative treatment for Stage I or II breast carcinoma were treated with local excision followed by high-dose rate brachytherapy implants (30 Gy in 12 fractions over a period of 5 days). No patient was lost to follow-up.