Breast Cancer Recurrence
Once someone has been treated for breast cancer, fear of recurrence (return of the cancer) may be a big concern. Individuals come to terms with a recurrence in different ways. You may feel empowered by learning as much as you can and researching all the options available. You might want to reach out for more support by calling the Y-ME 24-hour Hotline and speaking with one of our peer counselors who talk to thousands of breast cancer patients every year. They will let you know that you’re not alone because they too have had breast cancer. If you choose, they can “match” you with someone in your same situation. Please get in touch with us anytime by calling our Hotline at 1-800-221-2141.
What Kinds of Recurrence are There and What Does Recurrence Mean?
Local recurrence is the return of cancer to the area where a patient originally had surgery. Signs of local recurrence are usually discovered during mammograms, physical examinations or patient self-examinations.
Regional recurrence is more serious than local recurrence because the cancer has spread beyond the breast. These recurrences are in the chest muscles; in the lymph nodes under the breastbone and between the ribs; in the lymph nodes above the collarbone; and in the lymph nodes surrounding the neck.
Distant recurrence is the most dangerous type. This is when cancer metastasizes, or spreads to other parts of the body. Doctors usually identify distant recurrence after patients report symptoms such as bone pain, weight loss or shortness of breath. They order a series of tests to determine whether the cancer has returned and which areas are affected. If cancer metastasizes, it commonly spreads to the bones, lungs, liver or brain.
Local recurrence is often treated with surgery, followed by chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and/or hormonal therapy. Metastatic breast cancer can be treated, but unfortunately it cannot be eradicated at this time. However, women with metastatic cancer can sometimes live for many years with treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy and/or hormonal therapy.
Treatments for Breast Cancer Recurrence
If you have been diagnosed with breast cancer, you and your doctor must decide on a course of treatment. Initial treatment (surgery to remove the tumor and any lymph nodes where the cancer might have spread) may be supplemented by other therapies, when appropriate. Other therapies include chemotherapy, radiation therapy and hormonal therapy to reduce the risk of cancer recurring.
Your health care team will make every effort to remove all traces of the tumor during surgery. Many patients never have a recurrence, but breast cancer does recur in some patients. A recurrence may be discovered months or even years after the original diagnosis and treatment. Doctors follow their breast cancer patients closely to identify and treat any recurrence as soon as it is discovered.
To reduce the possibility of recurrence, patients may be treated, when appropriate, with hormonal therapy or chemotherapy. Both effectively reduce recurrence risk in many, but not all, patients. However, these therapies also have short-term and long-term side effects. For this reason, doctors and patients must consider the risks and benefits of each potential treatment.
October 2007
