Breast Cancer Recurrence

Breast cancer recurrence is defined as the cancer coming back after treatment.  The site where the cancer cells are found to have recurred will determine the type of recurrence namely;

• Local recurrence is where the cancer cells has recurred at the original site either in the breast or chest wall
• Regional recurrence is where the cancer cells has recurred in the lymph nodes in the armpit or collar bone of the same side of the original site
• Distant recurrence is where the cancer cells has recurred in the lung, liver, bone or brain.  This is considered Stage 4 cancer

Risk factors for Cancer Recurrence 

• Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC)
• Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC)
• Stage 3 breast cancers
• Breast cancers in young patients (below the age of 35 years)
• Breast cancer with BRCA gene mutation
• Being overweight

The risk of recurrence of Stage 1 and 2 breast cancers are very low (around 6%) especially when you have had surgery and/or adjuvant therapy as advised by your breast surgeon or oncologist.  

Prevention

Although there is NO guarantee of a 100% complete cure, modern treatment for breast cancer has high success rates.  It is important to continue to have regular follow-up tests with your doctor and perform self-examination for any local recurrences. 

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, eating a wholesome healthy diet, doing regular exercises and keeping a happy stress-free daily routine have been shown to have protective effects in cancer survivors. 

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Disclaimer. TELEME blog posts contains general information about health conditions and treatments. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. The information is not advice and should not be treated as such. 

If you think you may be suffering from any medical condition, you should seek immediate medical attention from your doctor or other professional healthcare providers. You should never delay seeking medical advice, disregard medical advice, or discontinue medical treatment because of information on this website.