Recurrent Breast Cancer is a breast cancer that recurs after initial treatment. Approximately 12.4 percent of women born in the U.S. will develop breast cancer at some time during their lives.

Signs include skin inflam......mation, nipple redness, nipple discharge, painless nodules (lymph nodes) under the skin or the chest wall. Signs and symptoms include persistent and worsening pain, such as chest or bone pain.

A distant (metastatic) recurrence can migrate to the neck or collar bone: symptoms include persistent deep pain and a lump under the arm or near the collar bone (clavicle). 

Recurrent breast cancer may occur months or years after initial treatment. The cancer could recur in the same site as the original cancer. Recurrent breast cancer is not hopeless. Treatment may eliminate local, regional or distant recurrent breast cancer.

Treatments linked to a reduced risk of breast cancer recurrence include:

Women with hormone receptor positive breast cancer may reduce their risk of recurrent breast cancer by taking hormone therapy after their initial treatment. The hormone therapy may continue for at least five years.

For women with breast cancer who have increased risk of cancer recurrence, chemotherapy may decrease the chance that cancer will recur. Those who receive chemotherapy live longer.

Women who've had a breast-sparing operation to treat breast cancer and those who had a large tumor or inflammatory breast cancer have a lower chance of the cancer recurring if they're treated with radiation therapy.

Maintaining a healthy weight can decrease the risk of recurrent breast cancer. Regular exercise may reduce your risk of breast cancer recurrence.

Factors that increase the risk of a recurrence include:

Cancer in nearby lymph nodes at the time of your original diagnosis.

Women with multiple affected lymph nodes.

Women with larger tumors.

Women who don't undergo the radiation therapy.

Younger women, particularly those under age 35 at the time of their original breast cancer diagnosis.

Women with inflammatory breast cancer.

If your breast cancer wasn't responsive to hormone therapy.

How do you diagnose it?

Your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions.

When did you first begin experooencing symptoms again?

Has the been a change in the symptoms over time?

Do these symptoms feel different from when you were first diagnosed with cancer?

How do you eel overall?

Have yunexpected weight loss? Have you lost your appetite?

If your doctor suspects you may have recurrent breast cancer based on results of a mammogram or physical exam, or because of signs and symptoms, he or she may recommend additional tests to confirm the diagnosis. Imaging tests may include a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computerized tomography (CT) scan, X-ray, bone scan or positron emission tomography (PET) scan. Not eveRecurrent Breast Cancer is a breast cancer that recurs after initial treatment. Approximately 12.4 percent of women born in the U.S. will develop breast cancer at some time during their lives.

 Signs include skin inflammation, nipple redness, nipple discharge, painless nodules (lymph nodes) under the skin or the chest wall. Signs and symptoms include persistent and worsening pain, such as chest or bone pain.

 A distant (metastatic) recurrence can migrate to the neck or collar bone: symptoms include persistent deep pain and a lump under the arm or near the collar bone (clavicle). 

Recurrent breast cancer may occur months or years after initial treatment. The cancer could recur in the same site as the original cancer. Recurrent breast cancer is not hopeless. Treatment may eliminate local, regional or distant recurrent breast cancer.

Treatments linked to a reduced risk of breast cancer recurrence include:

Women with hormone receptor positive breast cancer may reduce their risk of recurrent breast cancer by taking hormone therapy after their initial treatment. The hormone therapy may continue for at least five years.

For women with breast cancer who have increased risk of cancer recurrence, chemotherapy may decrease the chance that cancer will recur. Those who receive chemotherapy live longer.

Women who've had a breast-sparing operation to treat breast cancer and those who had a large tumor or inflammatory breast cancer have a lower chance of the cancer recurring if they're treated with radiation therapy.

Maintaining a healthy weight can decrease the risk of recurrent breast cancer. Regular exercise may reduce your risk of breast cancer recurrence.

Factors that increase the risk of a recurrence include:

Cancer in nearby lymph nodes at the time of your original diagnosis.

Women with multiple affected lymph nodes.

Women with larger tumors.

Women who don't undergo the radiation therapy.

Younger women, particularly those under age 35 at the time of their original breast cancer diagnosis.

 Women with inflammatory breast cancer.

 If your breast cancer wasn't responsive to hormone therapy.

 How do you diagnose it?

 Your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions.

 When did you first begin experiencing symptoms again?

Has there been a change in the symptoms over time?

Do these symptoms feel different from when you were first diagnosed with cancer?

How do you feel overall?

Have you had any unexpected weight loss? Have you lost your appetite?

If your doctor suspects you may have recurrent breast cancer based on results of a mammogram or physical exam, or because of signs and symptoms, he or she may recommend additional tests to confirm the diagnosis. Imaging tests may include a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computerized tomography (CT) scan, X-ray, bone scan or positron emission tomography (PET) scan. Not every person needs every test.

Your doctor may recommend a biopsy procedure to collect suspicious cells for testing. Working in a laboratory, a pathologist examines the cells and determines the types of cells involved. A pathologist can determine if the cancer is a recurrence of cancer or a new type of cancer. Tests also show whether the cancer is sensitive to hormone treatment or targeted therapy.

 Treatment for a local recurrence may include radiation if you haven't had it before. Radiation therapy uses high-energy beams, such as X-rays, to kill cancer cells. If you didn't have radiation therapy for your first breast cancer, your doctor may recommend it. Chemotherapy and hormone therapy may also be recommended. Treatment options depend on the extent of the disease, its hormone receptor status, type of treatment you received for your first breast cancer and overall health.

 If your first cancer was treated with a lumpectomy, your doctor may recommend a mastectomy to remove all of your breast tissue. If your first breast cancer was treated with a mastectomy and the cancer comes back in the chest wall, you may have surgery to remove the new cancer along with a margin of normal tissue.

 Hormone therapy. Medications that block the growth-promoting effects of the hormones estrogen and progesterone may be recommended if your cancer is hormone receptor positive. For women whose cancer makes extra HER2 protein, the drug trastuzumab (Herceptin) can decrease the chance of the cancer recurring.

 Treatments exist for metastatic breast cancer. Options will depend on where your cancer has spread. If cancer has spread to your bones, your doctor may recommend a bone-building drug to reduce your risk of broken bones or reduce bone pain you may experience. Treatment may allow you to live longer and help relieve symptoms.

 No alternative medicine treatments exist for breast cancer. Complementary and alternative medicine therapies may help cope with side effects of treatment when combined with your doctor's care. They can also help you cope with distress. They include:

Art therapy

Dance or movement therapy

Exercise

Meditation

Music therapy

Relaxation exercises

Yoga

 Your doctor can refer you to professionals who can help you learn about and try these alternative treatments.

Keep friends and family close. Keeping your close relationships strong will help you deal with your recurrent breast cancer. Friends and family can provide the practical support you will need, such as helping take care of your house if you are in the hospital. They can serve as emotional support when you feel overwhelmed by cancer.

 The concern and understanding of a counselor, medical social worker, clergy member or cancer support group also may be helpful. Ask your doctor about support groups in the area such as the National Cancer Institute or the American Cancer Society.

Sources:  NIH Breast Cancer Institute (https://www.nih.gov/)  

Breast Cancer in American Women (https://www.cancer.gov/types/breast/risk-fact-sheet)

National Cancer Institute (https://www.cancer.gov/types/breastry person needs every test.

Your doctor may recommend a biopsy procedure to collect suspicious cells for testing. Working in a laboratory, a pathologist examines the cells and determines the types of cells involved. A pathologist can determine if the cancer is a recurrence of cancer or a new type of cancer. Tests also show whether the cancer is sensitive to hormone treatment or targeted therapy.

Treatment for a local recurrence may include radiation if you haven't had it before. Radiation therapy uses high-energy beams, such as X-rays, tokill cancer cells. If you didn't have radiation therapy for your first breast cancer, your doctor may recommend it. Chemotherapy and hormone therapy may also be recommended. Treatment options depend on the extent of the disease, its hormone receptor status, type of treatment you received for your first breast cancer and overall health.

If your first cancer was treated with a lumpectomy, your doctor may recommend a mastectomy to remove all of your breast tissue. If your first breast cancer was treated with a mastectomy and the cancer comes back in the chest wall, you may have surgery to remove the new cancer along with a margin of normal tissue.

Hormone therapy. Medications that block the growth-promoting effects of the hormones estrogen and progesterone may be recommended if your cancer is hormone receptor positive. For women whose cancer makes extra HER2 protein, the drug trastuzumab (Herceptin) can decrease the chance of the cancer recurring.

Treatments exist for metastatic breast cancer. Options will depend on where your cancer has spread. If cancer has spread to your bones, your doctor may recommend a bone-building drug to reduce your risk of broken bones or reduce bone pain you may experience. Treatment may allow you to live longer and help relieve symptoms.

No alternative medicine treatments exist for breast cancer. Complementary and alternative medicine therapies may help cope with side effects of treatment when combined with your doctor's care. They can also help you cope with distress. They include:

Art therapy

Dance or movement therapy

Exercise

Meditation

Music therapy

Relaxation exercises

Yoga

Your doctor can refer you to professionals who can help you learn about and try these alternative treatments.

Keep friends and family close. Keeping your close relationships strong will help you deal with your recurrent breast cancer. Friends and family can provide the practical support you will need, such as helping take care of your house if you are in the hospital. They can serve as emotional support when you feel overwhelmed by cancer.

The concern and understanding of a counselor, medical social worker, clergy member or cancer support group also may be helpful. Ask your doctor about support groups in the area such as the National Cancer Institute or the American Cancer Society.

Sources:

NIH Breast Cancer Institute (https://www.nih.gov/)  

Breast Cancer in American Women (https://www.cancer.gov/types/breast/risk-fact-sheet)

National Cancer Institute (https://www.cancer.gov/types/breast