Between 24 November 1977 and 16 September 1988, 18 consecutive chest wall resections for recurrent breast cancer after failure of radiotherapy, were evaluated as of 1 January 1990. Chest wall involvement was the only site of recurrence in 14 patients (Group I), and the most painful of the multiple recurrences in the remaining four (Group II). Of Group I, chest wall recurrence was local in eight patients (four with necrosis after radiotherapy), regional in four, and distant in two. Chest wall reconstruction was effected by contralateral breast flap in six, by random cutaneous flap in seven and by myocutaneous flap in the remaining five. Cosmetic results were better if both marlex mesh and myocutaneous flap were used. Of Group I, at surgical/pathological staging, one recurrence with sarcomatous findings, two multiple recurrences and residual cancer in all necrosed local recurrences were found: in three of these cases radionecrosis was prominent. Mortality was 0% and surgical morbidity 5%. For Group I, median disease-free interval from mastectomy was extended from 1611 days to 3220 by recurrence resection, and disease-free interval from chest wall resection was 28% cancer-free at 1657 days, without any difference between the local vs regional-distant recurrence. Correlation factor between first and second disease interval was 0.99 and R2 was 0.98. For Group II, survival was 0% at 635 days. Chest wall resection must be considered as an important part of palliative treatment in breast cancer, but the results reflects the biology of the disease more than the chest wall surgery.