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Breast Cancer,Metastatic or Recurrent - Topic Overview
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This topic provides information about breast cancer that has spread or come back after treatment. If you are looking for information about first-time diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer, see the topic Breast Cancer.
What are metastatic and recurrent breast cancer?
Breast cancer
occurs when abnormal cells grow out of
control in one or both breasts. Treatment often cures breast cancer if it is
found before it has spread.
But even after treatment that seemed to work, cancer can come back (recur) or spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body. Cancer that comes back in or near the original site is called locally recurrent breast cancer. Cancer that spreads to other parts of the body is called metastatic breast cancer.
For most women who have had breast cancer, their greatest fear is that the cancer will come back or spread. Finding out this has happened can turn your world upside down. But there is hope. Treatment can often cure recurrent breast cancer. Although metastatic breast cancer usually cannot be cured, treatment can help you manage the disease and live longer. Some women live for many years, managing their cancer like a long-term health problem.
Why does breast cancer come back after treatment?
Even with the best treatment, cancer can come back. If just a small cluster of cancer cells remains in your body, those cells can spread through the blood or lymph system and grow. This may happen from a few months to many years after the first diagnosis.
If your breast cancer has come back, you may be tempted to second-guess your previous treatment choices. But the fact is, there is no guarantee with any treatment.
The treatment decisions you and your doctor made in the past were the right ones at that time. But now it is time to make new decisions and explore other treatment options.
What are the symptoms?
The symptoms depend on where the cancer is and how large it is. The most common places for breast cancer to spread are within the breast or to the nearby chest wall or to the liver, lungs, or bones. Common symptoms include a lump in your breast or on your chest wall, bone pain, or shortness of breath.
You may not have any symptoms. Sometimes recurrent or metastatic breast cancer is found with an X-ray or lab test.
How is it treated?
To plan your treatment, your doctor will consider where the cancer is and what type of treatment you had in the past. Your wishes and quality of life are also important factors. Treatment choices may include surgery, medicines like chemotherapy or hormone therapy, and radiation. Sometimes a mix of these treatments is used.
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise
Breast Cancer,Metastatic or Recurrent Topics
VIVELLE-DOT (estradiol transdermal system) IS AVAILABLE BY PRESCRPTION ONLY.
INDICATION
Vivelle-Dot is used after menopause to: reduce moderate to severe hot flashes; treat moderate to severe dryness, itching and burning in or around the vagina; help reduce your chances of getting osteoporosis (thin weak bones); and treat certain conditions in which a young woman's ovaries do not produce enough estrogens naturally. Vivelle-Dot 0.025 mg/day is only used to prevent osteoporosis from menopause. If you use Vivelle-Dot only to treat your dryness, itching, and burning in and around your vagina or if you use Vivelle-Dot only to prevent osteoporosis from menopause, talk with your healthcare professional about whether a different treatment or medicine without estrogens might be better for you.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Estrogens increase the chances of getting cancer of the uterus (womb). Report any unusual vaginal bleeding right away while you are taking estrogens. Vaginal bleeding after menopause may be a warning sign of cancer of the uterus (womb).
Do not use estrogens with or without progestins to prevent heart disease, heart attacks, or strokes. Using estrogens with or without progestins may increase your chances of getting heart attacks, strokes, breast cancer, and blood clots. Using estrogens with progestins may increase your risk of dementia (decline in memory and thinking skills).
Vivelle-Dot should not be used if you have unusual vaginal bleeding; currently have or have had certain cancers, including cancer of the breast or uterus; had a stroke or heart attack in the recent past (for example, in the past year); currently have or have had blood clots; currently have or have had liver problems; or think you may be, or know that you are, pregnant.
The most common side effects that may occur with Vivelle-Dot are headache, breast tenderness, and back pain.
You and your healthcare professional should talk regularly about whether you still need treatment with Vivelle-Dot.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Please see Full Prescribing Information for Vivelle-Dot.
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and a new study reveals why a high number of women with the disease still prefer to have the entire breast surgically removed instead of just the tumor. It's not always because doctors recommend it.
