Abstract: Four hundred and two Patients with recurrent breast cancer following mastectomy were studied retrospectively to investigate the factors influencing prognosis after recurrence and the ways to improve the therapeutic results. Of these, 60% of recurrence were discovered within two years after initial surgery. 76% cases with recurrence survived less than two years after discovery of recurrence. The post-relapse 2 year survival was not significantly associated with patients' age, menopausal status, hormone receptor status, surgical management, with or without castration. The authors suggest that careful surgical treatment, reasonable postoperative management and regular follow-up should be emphasized to improve the therapeutic result.