Breast cancerrecurrence occurs whenbreast cancercomes back after initial treatment and a period of remission. Althoughbreast cancermay recur practically anywhere in the body, theliver, bones,lungs, brain, and skin are the most common sites.
Breastcancerrecurrence requires systemic treatment, which includes chemotherapy,hormone therapy, or targeted therapy, to reachcanceranywhere in the body.
Which breast cancer is most likely to recur?
Some types of breastcancerare more likely than others to recur.Inflammatory breast cancerandtriple-negative breast cancerare both aggressive and difficult to treat. As a result, they are more likely to recur.
Treatment of recurrent breast cancer is determined by previous therapies you have undergone and the location of the cancer recurrence. Local-regional recurrences of breast cancer, which are restricted to the breast or area immediately around the breast, are commonly treated with surgery, with or withoutradiation therapy.
What are the signs of breast cancer coming back?
Local recurrence
In a local recurrence, cancer reappears in the same location as the original cancer. If you have had alumpectomy, cancer may return to the residual breast tissue; if amastectomywas done, cancer may return to the tissue lining of the chest wall or skin. Symptoms of local recurrence of breast cancer inside the same breast include:
- A new breast bulge or an uneven patch of firmness
- Nipple discharge
- Changes in the breast skin
- Skin inflammationor a skin flare
Symptoms of local recurrence on the chest wall following a mastectomy include:
- Painless nodules on or under the skin of the chest wall
- A new thickening region at or near the mastectomyscar
Regional recurrence
A regional breast cancer recurrence occurs when cancer reappears near thelymph nodesof the breast. It manifests as a bulge or swelling in the lymph nodes in the following areas:
- Beneath the arm
- Around the neck
- Close to the collarbone
- In the groove above the collarbone
Distant recurrence
A distant or metastatic recurrence of breast cancer indicates that the disease has spread to other regions of the body, most often the bones, liver, and lungs. Signs and symptoms include:
- Persistentpain in the chestor bone, which gradually worsens
- Troublebreathing
- Severecough
- Intenseheadaches
- Reduced appetite
- Unexplainedweight loss
- Seizures
SLIDESHOW
See SlideshowWhat causes recurrent breast cancer?
Recurrent breast cancer occurs when cells from the original tumor break out and hide in the breast or another area of the body. Later, the cells begin to multiply.
Chemotherapy,radiationtherapy, hormone therapy, and other treatment modalities that follow the initial diagnosis of breast cancer are intended to destroy any cancer cells that remain after surgery. Unfortunately, these treatments may not destroy all cancer cells as they can lie dormant for years without causing damage. Any stimulus that tends to trigger these latent cells may cause them to develop and spread to other places of the body for unknown reasons.
What are the odds of getting breast cancer twice?
Everyone who has had breast cancer is at risk of recurrence; however, the risk varies greatly depending on several factors.
Some breast tumors have an excellent prognosis and are unlikely to recur if detected early, are small, and do not involve lymph nodes. However, large tumors withlymph nodeinvolvement or more aggressive behavior are more likely to recur. The risk of breast cancer recurrence is higher in the following cases:
- Involvement of lymph nodes
- The tumor is larger than 5 cm (2 inches)
- Breast cancer is inflammatory
- Histological findings indicate that the main tumor was excised with little or no borders of healthy tissue
- Radiation was not given following the lumpectomy
- Initial diagnosis at a young age, as women younger than 35 years have the highest risk of breast cancer
Usually, a 5-year survival rate is used to estimate the prognosis and life expectancy. Cancer usually recurs within 5 years following treatment. If it does not reoccur within 5 years, the risks of recurrence within 10 years are low. If you remain cancer-free for 10 years, then you are said to have a normal life expectancy.
However, some studies report otherwise. A meta-analysis of 88 clinical studies involving 62,923 women with estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer reported that women who received endocrine treatment for 5 years and were cancer-free by the end of the treatment had developed cancer by up to 20 years after initial diagnosis. Although these women were cancer-free for the first 5 years, the risk of cancer recurring elsewhere (in the bone, liver, or lung) remained consistent from years 5 to 20 years.
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How is recurrent breast cancer diagnosed?
If your doctor believes you have recurrent breast cancer based on the findings ofmammographyor physical exam or on signs and symptoms, you may be subjected to further tests to confirm the diagnosis:
- Imaging tests:Imaging tests, such asMRI, CT, X-ray,bone scan, or positron emission tomography, may be done to look for abnormal cells. Your doctor will decide which tests will be most beneficial in your case.
- Biopsy:A biopsy involves tissue extraction for detailed evaluation in a lab. Your doctor may advise you to get a biopsy done to collect suspicious cells for testing as this is the only method to determine whether your cancer has returned. A pathologist analyzes cells in a laboratory to identify the types of cells involved.
A pathologist can identify whether the cancer is a recurrence or a new form. Tests can reveal if the tumor is susceptible to hormone therapy or targeted therapy, which may have changed since your first cancer diagnosis.
How is recurrent breast cancer treated?
Treatment will be determined by previous treatments you underwent for breast cancer. Your doctor will consult with you to choose the most effective treatment.
- If you received breast-conserving therapy and cancer has returned to the breast, you will likely need a mastectomy.
- Chemotherapy, hormonal treatment, or targeted therapy may be used at the location where cancer has returned.
QUESTION
See AnswerCan you survive recurrent breast cancer?
Recurrent breast cancer is not always as life-threatening as initial breast cancer. If diagnosed early, it can be treated and with better results. It is best to have yourself screened on a regular basis after completing your initial breast cancer treatment. In addition, to avoid a recurrence, take all precautions and follow your doctor's instructions.
Early-stage breast cancer is normally removed surgically, but it may also require radiation, chemotherapy, and hormone treatment. If cancer recurs in the breast, lymph nodes, or elsewhere in the body, it suggests that some of the original breast cancer cells survived the therapy. Recurrent cancer cells are considered more resistant and aggressive cells as they necessitate more invasive surgery and, in most cases, chemotherapy.
How do you stop the recurrence of breast cancer?
Strategies that can reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence include the following:
- Hormone therapy:If your breast cancer is hormone receptor-positive, hormone therapy may help minimize your risks of recurrence.
- Chemotherapy:Chemotherapy reduces cancer recurrence and increases your life expectancy.
- Radiation therapy:If you have undergone a breast-saving operation for breast cancer, or have had a big tumor orinflammatory breast cancer, you have a low risk of recurrence if radiation therapy is used.
- Targeted therapy:If your cancer produces more HER2 protein, medications that target this protein may help lower the risks of recurrence.
- Maintaining a healthy weight:Maintaining a healthy weight may reduce the risk of recurrent breast cancer.
- Exercise:Regularexercisecan reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence.
- Nutritiousdiet:Eat plenty of vegetables, fruits, and grains. Limitalcoholintake to one drink a day.
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Top Breast Cancer Recurrence Related Articles
Breast Anatomy
The breast, or mammary gland is made up of lobules, milk producing glands, and a system of ducts to transport milk. Both males and females have breasts. Abnormal enlargement of breasts in men is referred to as gynecomastia. In women, during pregnancy the breasts grow larger and produce milk. Common medical conditions that affect the breasts include breast cancer, breast lumps, fibrocystic changes and cysts, mastitis, and benign tumors (fibroadenomas).Breast Biopsy
There are several types of breast biopsies, which are diagnostic procedures to examine part or all of suspicious breast growth(s). The types of breast biopsies include fine needle aspiration (FNA), core needle breast biopsy (CNB), vacuum-assisted breast biopsy, and excision breast biopsy (surgery, lumpectomy). The type of breast biopsy procedure depends upon the location and size of the growth(s).Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is an invasive tumor that develops in the mammary gland. Breast cancer is detected via mammograms, breast self-examination (BSE), biopsy, and specialized testing on breast cancer tissue. Treatment of breast cancer may involve surgery, radiation, hormone therapy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy. Breast cancer risk may be lowered by managing controllable risk factors.
What you should know about breast cancer
- Breast cancer is the most common cancer among American women.
- One in every eight women in the United States develops breast cancer.
- There are many types of breast cancer that differ in their capability of spreading (metastasize) to other body tissues.
- The causes of breast cancer are unknown, although medical professionals have identified a number of risk factors.
- There are many different types of breast cancer.
- Breast cancer symptoms and signs include
- a lump in the breast or armpit,
- bloody nipple discharge,
- inverted nipple,
- orange-peel texture or dimpling of the breast's skin (peau d'orange),
- breast pain or sore nipple,
- swollen lymph nodes in the neck or armpit, and
- a change in the size or shape of the breast or nipple.
- Breast cancer can also be symptom free, which makes following national screening recommendations an important practice.
- Breast cancer is diagnosed during a physical exam, by a self-exam of the breasts, mammography, ultrasound testing, and biopsy.
- Treatment of breast cancer depends on the type of cancer and its stage (0-IV) and may involve surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy.
Breast Cancer Slides
Learn about breast cancer causes, symptoms, tests, recovery, and prevention. Discover the types of treatments such as surgery and drug therapies as well as the survival rate for breast cancer.Breast Cancer Quiz
This Breast Cancer Quiz features signs, symptoms, facts, causes, common forms, terms, risk factors, statistics, and more. Increase your awareness of breast cancer now!Breast Lumps (in Women)
Breast lumps in women can have a variety of causes such as breast inflammation, infection, injuries, cancer, and non-cancerous growths. Breast lumps in women are diagnosed with physical exam, mammogram, ultrasound, MRI, and biopsy. Treatment of breast lumps in women depend on the cause.Can You Live a Normal Life After Breast Cancer?
With today's advanced treatment and early detection, breast cancer survivors can live a long and full life after breast cancer treatment.Cancer
癌症是一种疾病引起的异常增长啊f cells, also called malignancy. It is a group of 100 different diseases, and is not contagious. Cancer can be treated through chemotherapy, a treatment of drugs that destroy cancer cells.Male Breast Cancer
Male breast cancer accounts for 1% of all breast cancers, and most cases are found in men between the ages of 60 and 70. A man's risk of developing breast cancer is one in 1,000. Signs and symptoms include a firm mass located below the nipple and skin changes around the nipple, including puckering, redness or scaling, retraction and ulceration of the nipple. Treatment depends upon staging and the health of the patient.Mammogram
Mammogram is a test that produces an image of the breast tissue on film. The technique is referred to as mammography. Mammography can visualize normal and abnormal structures within the breast such as cysts, calcifications, and tumors looking for breast cancer. The first baseline mammogram for a woman should be between the ages of 35 to 40.Swollen Lymph Nodes (Glands)
Lymph nodes help the body's immune system fight infections. Causes of swollen lymph nodes (glands) may include infection (viral, bacterial, fungal, parasites). Symptoms of swollen lymph nodes vary greatly, but may include fever, night sweats, toothache, sore throat, or weight loss. Causes of swollen lymph nodes also vary, but may include cancer, the common cold, mono, chickenox, HIV, and herpes. The treatment of swollen lymph nodes depends upon the cause.Women's Health
Women's health is an important topic area to guide a woman through the stages of her life, as well as knowing the conditions and diseases that may occur. Educating yourself so that the transitions into different phases of life is key to a healthy, happy, and productive life.