Low Incidence of Local Breast Cancer Recurrence in Young Women

Recent research published in JAMA Surgery highlights that women diagnosed with breast cancer at age 40 or younger experience relatively low rates of isolated locoregional recurrence (LRR). The study, led by Dr. Laura S. Dominici from Brigham and Women's Hospital, analyzed data from over 1,100 women diagnosed between 2006 and 2016, with a median follow-up of a decade. The findings reveal that only about 5.2% experienced isolated local recurrence, while regional recurrence was rare at 0.4%. The incidence of LRR varied slightly across molecular subtypes, with rates ranging from approximately 2.2% to 6.5% at 10 years, depending on the subtype. Treatment approaches, including breast-conserving therapy and mastectomy with or without radiation, were associated with different recurrence risks, with mastectomy plus radiation showing the lowest recurrence rates. Importantly, the study found no significant differences in recurrence rates based on molecular subtypes, suggesting that tailored treatment strategies remain effective across subgroups. These findings are reassuring for young women in remission, emphasizing that modern therapies can effectively minimize the risk of local recurrence over long-term follow-up. The authors stress the importance of ongoing research to further understand long-term outcomes in this population, given the increasing number of young women diagnosed with breast cancer.