Purpose: To evaluate the mammographic findings and role of detection of local recurrence in breast cancer patients, who underwent breast conserving surgery and radiation therapy.
Design: Descriptive retrospective study
Material and Method: From 1988 to 1998, 78 women with early breast cancer (stage I, II) were treated with lumpectomy and axillary nodes resection, followed by radiation treatment. Mammographic imagings were taken yearly after complete treatment. Needle biopsy was done for suspected local recurrence on mammographic findings.
Results: Duration of follow-up ranged from 3 years to 10 years. Seventy-three of 78 patients (93.6%) had evidence of parenchymal changes on serial annual mammography. Twenty-eight of 73 patients (38.4%) had diffuse dense parenchymal changes.Twenty-four of 73 patients (32.9%) had focal fibrotic changes, and 21 of 73 patients (28.8%) had evidence of parenchymal distortion with a mass like lesion. Skin thickening was found in 54 of 78 patients (69.2%). Calcification was the least change, found in only 2 of 78 patients (2.6%). Nine of 78 patients (11.5%) had mammographic signs of local recurrence. Seven of 9 patients had suspected local recurrence by needle biopsy. Four of seven patients had proven local recurrence on mastectomy, and 3 of 7 patients (42.8%) had false positive on mastectomy.
Conclusion: Annual mammography in post breast conserving treatment showed beneficial results for detection
of recurrent cancer.

Keywords: Mammography, CA breast