What are the chances of getting breast cancer again?

only your doctor can give you that answer. sometimes breast cancer comes back but today the percentage of women who survived breast cancer with out it comeing back is why higher then persons that didn’t my protect is breast cancer survivor.

You were diagnosed 9 months ago what did they do about it? Your inquiry is vague. But, I had breast cancer and did chemo radation the whole facility and its been 4 1/2 yrs.

I have tried to sumerise it so that you can know your disease better.

Local and Regional Reappearance

Breast cancer most commonly recurs in the same area as the original cancer had occurred. Women with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) who are treated with breast-conserving therapy (lumpectomy and radiation) are at a slightly higher risk of experiencing a reappearance than persons women who are treated with mastectomy (removal of the affected breast). But, several studies have shown that women treated with breast conserving therapy who have local reappearance of DCIS are not at any significantly greater risk of dying from the disease than women treated with mastectomy. DCIS is a common type of cancer that is confined to the milk ducts of the breast.

A reappearance of non-invasive breast cancer is less serious than a reappearance of invasive cancer. In general, invasive local recurrences are more aggressive since they have a second chance of spreading (metastasizing) to additional areas of the body.

Once recurrent breast cancer has been detected, physicians will order bonus tests to determine to what extent the cancer has spread. These tests may include: bone scan, chest X-ray, CAT scan, MRI scan, and liver blood tests. Treatment of a local reappearance often depends on how the initial treatment was performed. If lumpectomy was performed, recurrent breast cancer will usually be treated with mastectomy.

A local reappearance after mastectomy will usually present itself as a small lump in the mastectomy scar or below the skin. This type of reappearance often goes undetected for some time because it may be mistaken for a leftover stitch or scar tissue from the mastectomy operation. Once the lump grows, breast biopsy is performed to determine whether it is cancerous.

Breast reconstruction rarely hides recurrent breast cancer. Local recurrences with implants are most often in front of the implant, and recurrences with TRAM flap procedures are along the edge of the breast skin (not in the flap).

Women whose initial breast cancer was aggressive are more likely to have recurrences than additional women. Inflammatory breast cancer with cancer cells in the lymphatics of the skin or breast often recurs. (Lymphatics are key components of the body’s immune system). Also, women with large tumors or several cancerous lymph nodes may experience recurrent breast cancer. Often, these types of recurrent cancers are treated with mastectomy (if it was not performed all owing to primary treatment) followed by radiation therapy to the chest wall.

Regional breast cancer recurrences are rare, occurring in approximately 2% of all breast cancer cases. Most often, regional reappearance appears as a cancerous axillary (underarm) lymph node that was not removed all owing to primary treatment. Treatment involves simply removing the cancerous node. Regional reappearance in the lymph nodes of the neck or above the collarbone usually indicates more aggressive cancers.

Above and beyond local and regional recurrences, a new cancer may occasionally occur years after the initial cancer. Usually, the new cancer is in a uncommon area of the breast and does not have the same pathology. For example, the original cancer is ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and the second cancer appears invasive lobular carcinoma. Second cancers are treated as new cancers, independent of the first cancer.

I don’t know quite enough about your circumstances to say exactly, because it will vary depending upon the findings at surgery and the treatments you have received (e.g. chemotherapy, radiation and/or hormone therapy). I’m guessing that if you’re having a mammogram you had a lumpectomy and radiation; in that case the chance of a reappearance in the first 5 years is rare. The first mammogram after diagnosis can be anxiety provoking, but after surgery +/- radiation it helps establish a new ‘baseline’ appearance for comparison on future mammograms.

In general, current recommendations for screening are self-exams monthly and mammograms as indicated (usually annually if they are ‘negative’). But, women with breast cancer should also typically have a visit with one of their physicians/nurses at the start about every 3-4 months.

Hang in there; the anxiety doesn’t go away but it gradually improves as each mammogram and visit goes by and everything continues to go well. My mom had it 18 years ago and is doing fantastic, but she still gets nervous.