Breast Cancer - Recurrence

One of the issues that every breast cancer survivor must deal with is the possibility of the cancer coming back. We call this a recurrence and even though rates of breast cancer recurrence are lower and survival rates much higher, there is still that chance that the breast cancer will come back after the initial occurrence and treatment. There are three ways in which breast cancer can recur.

The first type of recurrence is called a local recurrence. when cancer recurs locally, it will come back in the original breast area. This is because of a failure of the original treatment. Even when there is a mastectomy, a local recurrence can happen because it is impossible remove all the breast tissue, skin and fat from the area. If even one cancer cell remains after the initial treatment, a local recurrence can happen.

The second type of recurrence is regional in nature. By regional we mean that the cancer has come back outside of the original breast and lymph node area. This is considered to be more serious than a local recurrence, but not as serious as a distant recurrence. The areas in which regional spread of the disease occur include the chest muscles (pectoral), the lymph nodes surrounding the neck area, the internal breast lymph nodes in the breast bone and rib areas and in the lymph nodes above the collarbone. This type of recurrence is rare.

The third and most serious type of recurrence is called a distant recurrence. This is also referred to as a metastasis. The areas where distant spread can occur are most likely to occur are bone (25%), liver, brain, bone marrow, lungs or other organs. Sometimes this is referred to as metastatic disease or Stage IV breast cancer. The survival rate becomes much lower once metastasis occurs, with a life expectancy of 18 months on the average after discovering it.

Symptoms of metastatic breast cancer may include bone pain, shortness of breath, lack of appetite, weight loss (possible indication of liver metastases, neurological pain or weakness and headaches.

If you are a breast cancer survivor, you should be aware of the symptoms of metastatic spread. These symptoms can include bone pain (bone), weight loss (liver), loss of appetite (liver), headaches (brain), neurological pain or weakness (brain/spine) and shortness of breath (lungs). However, keep in mind that having one or more of these symptoms does not mean you should panic. A good rule of thumb is the "three week rule". If you have a pain or other symptom that lasts more than three week, see your doctor. If you have an unrelenting pain or constant pain, see a doctor. Cancer pain does not go away compared other types of pain which will come and go. Like back pain caused by muscle spasms and/or non-cancer related disc problem.

If you suspect you have a recurrence of breast cancer, see your doctor. They will schedule some diagnostic tests like a CAT scan, bone scan, or MRI to try to find the root of your symptoms. Usually surgery is not a treatment option, but there are many other treatments, like radiation and/or chemotherapy that could possibly put a recurring cancer back into remission. There are amazing advances in treatment being made all the time.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Breast Cancer

Breast Cancer Prevention and The American Cancer Industry

I am angry because The United States has yet to pass breast cancer prevention laws.

Unlike the European Union, which passed a cosmetics safety law in 2005, and a chemical safety law in 2006, the U.S. Government continues to allow known and potentially carcinogenic ingredients to be added to our food supply, our air and water, our cosmetics, our body care products, our dry cleaning process, and our home and garden supplies.

As a result of the European Union’s Safe Cosmetics Act, most of the shampoos, body lotions, hair dyes and lipsticks now in our American bathrooms, are considered unsafe and banned from sale in Europe. Imported non-organic meat and dairy products from the US are also banned. This is because most meat and dairy now sold in US supermarkets, contain added animal growth hormones, which research shows contribute to breast and other type of cancers.

Meanwhile, U.S., breast cancer rates are the highest in the world. In the 1950’s, only 1 in 20 American women could expect a breast diagnosis in her lifetime. Today, in some EU countries, that number is one out of 15, in Great Britain it is 1 out of 9 and in the U.S. it is now 1 out of 7.

The European Union’s government believes it has the responsibility and the ability to protect its citizens from this breast cancer epidemic that has gained momentum in both the US and Europe for the past fifty years. So why hasn’t the US passed similar prevention laws?

“It’s the cancer economy stupid.”... to paraphrase a well-known political truism.

Environmental and nutritional science, along with medical research, is now showing us that 90% of breast cancer is preventable. This is not good news for companies within the American Cancer Industry; such business entities do not promote prevention as they must always find ways to increase surgery numbers, drug sales and radiation procedures to meet their quarterly profit goals.

Neither the US corporate media, nor our politicians have yet to talk about this huge disconnect between the industry’s need for more cancer patients and our growing international body of scientific research that understands how to stop breast cancer before it starts. The result? American women are now living with an unnecessary breast cancer epidemic.

Maybe it’s time to haul in the pink ribbons and raise some red flags.

Susan Wadia-Ells is the director of The Women, Weight and Breast Cancer Project or WWBC. This national organization offers free workshops to women's community, religious and business groups around the country, educating women about personal and public ways we can each prevent breast cancer. The project also offers women support in losing extra body fat, in order to lower one's breast cancer risk. The project's growing group of paid workshop leaders hopes to offer workshops in all fifty states by the end of 2007.

To learn more about the project, to schedule a free workshop for your group or for information on how to earn income as a WWBC workshop leader, visit the project at http://www.womenwbc.org