Breast Cancer Recurrence

Completing breast cancer treatment often brings a significant sense of relief. While this is an exciting time, you may be pondering the possibility of your cancer reappearing in the future. If this happens, it is referred to as recurrent breast cancer. Unfortunately, there is no definitive way to predict whether breast cancer will recur, as the risk varies from person to person. The likelihood of recurrence depends on several factors, including the type and stage of your initial breast cancer diagnosis.

If there are any signs that your breast cancer has returned, your breast cancer specialist will conduct thorough tests to pinpoint its exact location in the body. These results help guide your cancer care team in creating a personalized treatment plan tailored specifically for recurrent cancer.

Types of Breast Cancer Recurrence

Recurrent breast cancer can be categorized into three types based on where it reappears in the body:

Local recurrence: The cancer returns to the same breast, which can occur in the chest wall, skin, remaining breast tissue, or surgical scar.
Regional recurrence: The cancer resurfaces in the lymph nodes near the breast but has not spread to distant parts of the body.
Distant recurrence: The cancer metastasizes and affects other parts of the body, such as the bones, liver, lungs, and brain.

Known Risk Factors Of Recurrent Breast Cancer

Several factors influence the likelihood of developing recurrent breast cancer, including the type and stage of the initial breast cancer, the size of the original tumor, and lymph node involvement. Your risk may also increase if you were previously treated with radiation therapy or endocrine therapy.

Certain lifestyle choices can further impact the risk of recurrence. If you smoke, are overweight, do not exercise regularly, or have poor overall health, consider making healthier lifestyle changes to help reduce your risk.

Symptoms of Recurrent Breast Cancer

Breast cancer symptoms are not usually noticed until it has grown large enough to feel or it’s developed outside of the breast. Because of this, it's very important to attend all follow-up appointments and schedule regular mammograms if you still have breast tissue

When cancer grows beyond the breast, more noticeable symptoms may include:

Fatigue
Persistent chest pain
Nipple changes
Swollen lymph nodes in the breast region
New lumps, swollen areas, or unusual firmness
Bone pain, especially in the spine
Unexplained weight loss
Numbness or weakness
Nausea or loss of appetite
Jaundice (yellowing of the skin or white of the eyes)
Difficulty swallowing
Seizures
Severe headaches

Keep in mind that specific symptoms may depend on the recurrence's location. If you experience any of these symptoms as a breast cancer survivor, we encourage you to contact your cancer care team to discuss the need for further testing.

Rocky Mountain Breast Specialists

If you have moved to Colorado since your first treatment or would like to consider switching from the breast cancer care team you used for initial treatment, we are here to guide you through the next steps.

Meet the Breast Cancer Team

How Is Recurrent Breast Cancer Diagnosed?

After completing treatment for your initial diagnosis, you'll have regular follow-up appointments with your breast oncologist. These visits typically include blood tests to look for signs of cancer growth, which is especially important since symptoms are not always present. If there is any indication that your breast cancer has returned, your breast cancer oncologist will likely schedule imaging tests or biopsies for confirmation.

If it's confirmed you have recurrent breast cancer, further testing will be necessary to see if it has spread beyond the breast area. This usually involves bone scans and PET/CT scans. Understanding the extent of the recurrence will help your breast cancer doctor determine the most appropriate treatment approach.

It's important to keep in mind that recurrent breast cancer is treated with breast cancer therapies, even if tumors develop in other areas of the body.

Recurrent Breast Cancer Treatment Options

The treatment options available for recurrent breast cancer depend on factors including the location, size, and stage at recurrence. Biomarker testing is also a part of the treatment planning process for recurrent breast cancer, looking for specific genetic changes that can be treated with targeted therapies.

Learn more about advances in breast cancer treatment.

Your breast cancer doctor will also consider your overall health, personal preferences, and any previous treatments when developing a treatment plan.

Treating Local Breast Cancer Recurrence

Surgery is usually the first approach for treating a local recurrence. Women who initially had a lumpectomy may now undergo a mastectomy. If you have already had a mastectomy, the new tumor, nearby lymph nodes, and a margin of healthy tissue will be surgically removed.

Sometimes, additional treatments such as radiation therapy may be included, especially if it was not part of your original treatment plan. Other treatment options for local breast cancer recurrence may include:

Hormone Therapy: These medications block estrogen and progesterone and can be effective for hormone-receptor-positive cancer.
Targeted Therapy: These drugs inhibit the overproduction of the HER2 protein.
Immunotherapy: These drugs enhance the body's immune system, enabling it to target and attack recurrent breast cancer cells.

Treating Regional Breast Cancer Recurrence

A regional recurrence typically involves nearby lymph nodes. In this case, any affected lymph nodes and tumors will be surgically removed. Following surgery, you may receive a combination of radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, or targeted therapy to eliminate any remaining cancer cells.

Treating Distant Breast Cancer Recurrence

When breast cancer recurs in distant areas such as the bones, brain, or lungs, treatment can be more challenging. Surgery is rarely an option in these cases, so systemic treatments are often used. These may include hormone therapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy. If these treatments are no longer effective, your breast cancer doctor might also suggest chemotherapy.

Additionally, several ongoing clinical trials are investigating biomarkers in metastatic breast cancer that can be treated with targeted therapy. If you are interested in participating in a clinical trial, talk to a member of your care team.

For patients requiring palliative care due to pain or other symptoms that negatively impact their quality of life, treatment options may include bone-building medications and radiation therapy.

Expert Breast Cancer Treatment at Rocky Mountain Breast Specialists

If your breast cancer has recurred, there are many treatments available to fight it. Living with recurrent breast cancer is becoming more common as more treatments are proven to be effective through clinical research. Talk with one of our breast cancer doctors about what’s best for you.

With over 30 years of experience in delivering world-class cancer care to patients across Colorado, our breast cancer oncologists and surgeons are dedicated to helping you understand your diagnosis. We want you to have the information you need to make these important decisions about your cancer care team and the treatments included in your personalized plan. We are a dedicated, passionate team for our patients, and you are always at the center.

Request an appointment at one of our breast cancer centers throughout Colorado.