From the Guidelines
Recurrent breast cancer infection is most commonly caused by the biology of the cancer, including high grade, lymphovascular invasion, and nonluminal tumor type, as well as tumor burden, surgical margins, and lymph node involvement at initial diagnosis. The risk of recurrence is difficult to predict given variable settings, patient populations, and treatments, but it is related to these factors 1.
Causes of Recurrence
- High grade of cancer
- Lymphovascular invasion
- Nonluminal tumor type
- Tumor burden (size >5 cm)
- Surgical margins
- Lymph node involvement at initial diagnosis Patients with node-positive disease at initial diagnosis of breast cancer are at higher risk for recurrence than patients with node-negative disease 1. The likelihood of local recurrent disease for original node-negative breast cancer is 6.7% versus 11% for original node-positive disease at 5 years 1.
Risk of Recurrence
The annual hazard of recurrence peaks in the second year after diagnosis and remains at 2% to 5% in the 5th to 20th years, according to the European Society of Medical Oncology guidelines 1. Locoregional recurrent disease accounts for less than 10% to 15% of all recurrences 1.
Patient Groups
Patients presenting with recurrent disease fall into 3 main groups: post–breast-conserving surgery, post-mastectomy, and localized axillary recurrent disease 1. For patients status post–breast-conservation surgery, imaging to detect the local recurrence can be challenging because of background postsurgical and/or postradiation changes 1.
From the Research
Causes of Recurrent Infections
There are no research papers provided that directly address the causes of recurrent breast cancer infection. The studies available focus on recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs), discussing their diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.
Risk Factors for Recurrent UTIs
- Diabetes mellitus 2
- Chronic renal disease 2
- Use of immunosuppressive drugs 2
- Renal transplant 2
- Any form of urinary tract catheterization 2
- Immobilization 2
- Neurogenic bladder 2
- Frequency of sexual intercourse 3
Common Organisms in UTIs
- Escherichia coli is the most common organism in all patient groups 3
- Klebsiella, Pseudomonas, Proteus, and other organisms are more common in patients with certain risk factors for complicated UTIs 3