Recurrent breast cancer or breast cancer recurrence is the return of cancer following treatment for breast cancer. Breast cancer recurrence occurs because breast cancer treatment has not killed all the tumor cells.
Types
There are three types of breast cancer recurrence: local , regional and distant. Local recurrence refers to cancers that reappear in the breast, at or near the location of the initial cancer. Regional recurrence refers to the occurrence of cancer in the lymph nodes. Distant recurrence refers to cancers that come back in other organs. Distant recurrence of breast cancer most often occurs in bones, liver and brain.
Time Frame
In principle, breast cancer can recur at any time, even immediately following the initial cancer. However, most breast cancer recurrence presents between 12 and 60 months following the initial cancer.
Prevention/Solution
Women who had breast cancer can undergo chemoprevention to reduce the risk breast cancer recurrence. A popular chemopreventive agent is tamoxifen. Existing data shows that tamoxifen can reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence by 50 percent in estrogen receptor positive (ER+) tumors.
Test
A genetic test, Oncotype Dx, allows assessment of the risk of breast cancer recurrence. Oncotype Dx is marketed by Genomic Health and has been approved by the FDA.
Effects
Recurrence of breast cancer increases the risk of dying due to breast cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, the five-year survival rate of women diagnosed with recurrent breast cancer is roughly 50 percent. For comparison, the five-year survival rate of women diagnosed with stage I breast cancer is 95 percent.
Identification
One symptom of local recurrence is the appearance of a lump in your chest or in your breast. Symptoms of regional recurrence include difficulty swallowing, swelling or pain in the arm and shoulder or chest. Symptoms of distant recurrence vary greatly between individuals and depend on the organ that is affected. For instance, if distant recurrence occurs in the bones, you will experience excruciating pain in the bones. If it occurs in the brain, you will experience severe headaches.
