Research Article

Brain recurrence patterns in breast cancer patients with or without postoperative radiotherapy

Volume: 7 Number: 6 October 26, 2025
TR EN

Brain recurrence patterns in breast cancer patients with or without postoperative radiotherapy

Abstract

Aims: Postoperative radiotherapy (RT) has been shown to reduce locoregional and distant recurrence in breast cancer (BC). Nevertheless, its specific influence on the development and patterns of brain metastasis (BM) is not well established. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients diagnosed with BC brain metastasis (BCBM) at our institution between January 2007 and December 2023 to assess the impact of RT following curative breast surgery on time to brain metastasis (TTBM) and patterns of brain recurrence. Results: A total of 252 patients were included, of whom 220 received postoperative RT and 32 did not. The median TTBM was 50.4 months, and the median survival after BM was 9.2 months. While 24.1% of patients in the RT group developed isolated BMs, no patients in the non-RT group developed BM first (p<0.001). In the RT group, the median TTBM was 25.9 months (95% Cl, 20.9-30.8) for the patients who developed BMs as the first recurrence site and 57.7 months (95% Cl, 46.2-69.2) for those who had a first recurrence at other sites in the body (p<0.001). The overall median TTBM was 45.5 months in the RT group and 92.6 months in the non-RT group (multivariate adjusted analysis; p=0.088). Postoperative RT did not affect the time from diagnosis to extracranial metastases (p=0.728). Conclusion: Our study suggested that postoperative RT may reveal a relatively higher recurrence pattern of isolated brain metastases but does not affect TTBM.

Keywords

Supporting Institution

not

Ethical Statement

The Ethics Committee of Health Sciences University, Dr. Abdurrahman Yurtaslan Oncology Training and Research Hospital, evaluated and authorized the study involving human subjects (Approval reference number: 2024-07/110). Written informed consent was not required to participate in this study, as per national legislation and institutional requirements.

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Clinical Oncology

Journal Section

Research Article

Publication Date

October 26, 2025

Submission Date

July 12, 2025

Acceptance Date

September 15, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 7 Number: 6

APA
Önder, T., Göksel, F., & Ateş, Ö. (2025). Brain recurrence patterns in breast cancer patients with or without postoperative radiotherapy. Anatolian Current Medical Journal, 7(6), 725-732. https://doi.org/10.38053/acmj.1740412
AMA
1.Önder T, Göksel F, Ateş Ö. Brain recurrence patterns in breast cancer patients with or without postoperative radiotherapy. Anatolian Curr Med J / ACMJ / acmj. 2025;7(6):725-732. doi:10.38053/acmj.1740412
Chicago
Önder, Tuğba, Fatih Göksel, and Öztürk Ateş. 2025. “Brain Recurrence Patterns in Breast Cancer Patients With or Without Postoperative Radiotherapy”. Anatolian Current Medical Journal 7 (6): 725-32. https://doi.org/10.38053/acmj.1740412.
EndNote
Önder T, Göksel F, Ateş Ö (October 1, 2025) Brain recurrence patterns in breast cancer patients with or without postoperative radiotherapy. Anatolian Current Medical Journal 7 6 725–732.
IEEE
[1]T. Önder, F. Göksel, and Ö. Ateş, “Brain recurrence patterns in breast cancer patients with or without postoperative radiotherapy”, Anatolian Curr Med J / ACMJ / acmj, vol. 7, no. 6, pp. 725–732, Oct. 2025, doi: 10.38053/acmj.1740412.
ISNAD
Önder, Tuğba - Göksel, Fatih - Ateş, Öztürk. “Brain Recurrence Patterns in Breast Cancer Patients With or Without Postoperative Radiotherapy”. Anatolian Current Medical Journal 7/6 (October 1, 2025): 725-732. https://doi.org/10.38053/acmj.1740412.
JAMA
1.Önder T, Göksel F, Ateş Ö. Brain recurrence patterns in breast cancer patients with or without postoperative radiotherapy. Anatolian Curr Med J / ACMJ / acmj. 2025;7:725–732.
MLA
Önder, Tuğba, et al. “Brain Recurrence Patterns in Breast Cancer Patients With or Without Postoperative Radiotherapy”. Anatolian Current Medical Journal, vol. 7, no. 6, Oct. 2025, pp. 725-32, doi:10.38053/acmj.1740412.
Vancouver
1.Tuğba Önder, Fatih Göksel, Öztürk Ateş. Brain recurrence patterns in breast cancer patients with or without postoperative radiotherapy. Anatolian Curr Med J / ACMJ / acmj. 2025 Oct. 1;7(6):725-32. doi:10.38053/acmj.1740412

 

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