Local recurrence after treatment of breast cancer with mastectomy + radiotherapy +/- systemic therapy is associated with a significantly higher risk of distant metastases and death. In this analysis, local recurrence was a strong and, besides lymph node status and T category, an independent risk factor for survival. Minimizing the risk of local recurrence is therefore an essential goal of a curative treatment concept.

The observed frequency of zoster (about 4% of patients after postoperative radiotherapy) in this retrospective study suggests that the risk of developing zoster in this patient group may be 3- to 5-fold higher as compared to the incidence in the general population. However, the occurrence of zoster was not linked to prognosis and treatment response.