Although reconstruction is now a standard part of the care of breast cancer patients, certain unresolved issues surround local recurrence. A percentage of women can be expected to develop local recurrence after mastectomy, whether or not they have reconstruction. This study provides a baseline for local recurrence in breast reconstruction candidates. Between 1955 and 1975, 1,110 patients underwent modified radical mastectomy at the Cleveland Clinic. This group of patients was analyzed to provide information about local recurrence in breast reconstruction candidates. The data were also analyzed for the effects of timing and nodal status. On the basis of this study, we have concluded that the number of involved axillary lymph nodes alone should not exclude a woman from having reconstruction. We also conclude that there is no oncological justification for imposing a specified waiting time between mastectomy and reconstruction.