| One of the issues that every breast cancer survivor | | | | Sometimes this is referred to as metastatic disease |
| must deal with is the possibility of the cancer coming | | | | or Stage IV breast cancer. The survival rate |
| back. We call this a recurrence and even though | | | | becomes much lower once metastasis occurs, with a |
| rates of breast cancer recurrence are lower and | | | | life expectancy of 18 months on the average after |
| survival rates much higher, there is still that chance | | | | discovering it.Symptoms of metastatic breast cancer |
| that the breast cancer will come back after the initial | | | | may include bone pain, shortness of breath, lack of |
| occurrence and treatment. There are three ways in | | | | appetite, weight loss (possible indication of liver |
| which breast cancer can recur.The first type of | | | | metastases, neurological pain or weakness and |
| recurrence is called a local recurrence. when cancer | | | | headaches.If you are a breast cancer survivor, you |
| recurs locally, it will come back in the original breast | | | | should be aware of the symptoms of metastatic |
| area. This is because of a failure of the original | | | | spread. These symptoms can include bone pain |
| treatment. Even when there is a mastectomy, a local | | | | (bone), weight loss (liver), loss of appetite (liver), |
| recurrence can happen because it is impossible | | | | headaches (brain), neurological pain or weakness |
| remove all the breast tissue, skin and fat from the | | | | (brain/spine) and shortness of breath (lungs). |
| area. If even one cancer cell remains after the initial | | | | However, keep in mind that having one or more of |
| treatment, a local recurrence can happen.The second | | | | these symptoms does not mean you should panic. A |
| type of recurrence is regional in nature. By regional | | | | good rule of thumb is the "three week rule". If you |
| we mean that the cancer has come back outside of | | | | have a pain or other symptom that lasts more than |
| the original breast and lymph node area. This is | | | | three week, see your doctor. If you have an |
| considered to be more serious than a local | | | | unrelenting pain or constant pain, see a doctor. |
| recurrence, but not as serious as a distant | | | | Cancer pain does not go away compared other |
| recurrence. The areas in which regional spread of the | | | | types of pain which will come and go. Like back pain |
| disease occur include the chest muscles (pectoral), | | | | caused by muscle spasms and/or non-cancer related |
| the lymph nodes surrounding the neck area, the | | | | disc problem.If you suspect you have a recurrence of |
| internal breast lymph nodes in the breast bone and | | | | breast cancer, see your doctor. They will schedule |
| rib areas and in the lymph nodes above the | | | | some diagnostic tests like a CAT scan, bone scan, or |
| collarbone. This type of recurrence is rare.The third | | | | MRI to try to find the root of your symptoms. |
| and most serious type of recurrence is called a | | | | Usually surgery is not a treatment option, but there |
| distant recurrence. This is also referred to as a | | | | are many other treatments, like radiation and/or |
| metastasis. The areas where distant spread can | | | | chemotherapy that could possibly put a recurring |
| occur are most likely to occur are bone (25%), liver, | | | | cancer back into remission. There are amazing |
| brain, bone marrow, lungs or other organs. | | | | advances in treatment being made all the time. |