If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with early breast cancer, you probably have questions about the risk or recurrence, or the risk that the disease will come back after the initial treatment. While you'll find answers to some of those questions here, the best way to get the information you need is to speak directly to your doctor. Together, you and your doctor can decide upon the best course of treatment to lower your risk of recurrence.
Frequently asked questions about risk of recurrence
Frequently asked questions about hormonal treatment to help lower the risk of recurrence
Answers to frequently asked questions about risk of recurrence
What is the risk of breast cancer recurrence?
The risk of recurrence is highest within the first five years of diagnosis, yet no studies have proven that there is a specific time when a breast cancer patient will be completely free of the risk of recurrence. There are many variables that factor into a person's risk of recurrence. Talk to your physician to learn more about your personal risk for recurrence.
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If I've had a lumpectomy or mastectomy, can my breast cancer come back?
It's possible for breast cancer to recur (come back) in some women even after surgery to partially or completely remove the breast. Breast cancer can recur either locally, regionally, or as distant disease. Local recurrence occurs in the breast where the cancer first started, or in the skin and underlying tissues where the breast used to be. Regional recurrence occurs in the lymph nodes near the affected breast. Distant recurrence occurs in other parts of the body, such as the lung, liver, bone, or brain.
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I've been breast cancer-free for over five years. Can my breast cancer still come back?
While the chance of recurrence is highest within the first five years after diagnosis, breast cancer can recur many years later.
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What treatment should I be taking to help lower the risk of my breast cancer recurring?
Treatment to lower the risk of recurrence is called "adjuvant" treatment. There are different types of adjuvant treatment, including chemotherapy and hormonal treatment. Talk to your doctor about which treatments might be best for you.
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What is adjuvant therapy?
Adjuvant means "in addition to." In breast cancer, this means that you receive another therapy in addition to your primary or initial treatment, such as surgery with or without radiation. The reason is that after surgery, a small number of microscopic cancer cells may remain in your body. Not all patients have these cells, but if you do, they can continue to multiply. Adjuvant therapy helps to prevent or delay these cells from multiplying, and it may decrease the chance that your breast cancer will recur (come back).
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Answers to frequently asked questions about hormonal treatment to lower the risk of recurrence
How is hormonal treatment used in breast cancer?
Hormonal treatment can be used as adjuvant therapy (treatment following surgery or surgery and radiation) to lower the risk of breast cancer recurrence. Hormonal treatment can decrease the production of estrogen, or block estrogen from reaching cancer cells that need estrogen to grow. Hormonal treatment is usually used when the tumor cells are estrogen receptor-positive.
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If I have been prescribed a hormonal treatment, do I really need to take it every day for many years, even if I feel fine?
The benefit derived from a hormonal treatment may only be achieved when the medicine is taken as prescribed. A woman's risk of recurrence is highest in the first five years after the initial diagnosis. It is important that you take your medication for as long as it is prescribed.
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I'm continuing to take my hormonal treatment as prescribed. What are the chances of my breast cancer recurring?
It is important to talk to your doctor about your personal risk of recurrence. Factors that can increase the risk of recurrence include age, the size of your breast cancer when diagnosed, and lymph node status.
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I occasionally skip a dose of my medication. Is that a problem?
Hormonal medications that are prescribed to be taken on a daily basis have been evaluated at a specific dose and schedule. Changes to that schedule might reduce the drug's effectiveness and increase your risk for breast cancer recurrence.
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If I take only half of my pill, will it still have the same effect?
The effectiveness of any medication has been tested and proven at a specific dose. It is important for you to take the medicine at the dose prescribed by your doctor.
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I am experiencing some side effects as a result of my hormonal treatment. What can I do?
If you are experiencing side effects, or notice any change in your condition, you should contact your doctor immediately, but it is important that you continue taking your medication until he or she tells you otherwise. Your doctor may have suggestions for helping to manage side effects.
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