If the breast cancer returns in the breast, it is known as local recurrence. When breast cancer returns to a body part other than the breast, it is called distant or metastatic recurrence.
More than 1 in 3 people with early breast cancer are at risk of cancer coming back based on diagnosis and risk factors
Being told you’re “cancer free" is an important milestone in the early breast cancer journey (stages 1, 2, 3). However, the science shows that despite initial treatment success after surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiation, there's still a chance cancer can come back. If cancer does return after treatment, it’s called a recurrence.
Just remember, everybody’s journey with breast cancer is unique. We want to help you move forward with confidence, equipped with better understanding about your risk of cancer coming back and the key questions to ask your doctor.
The truth about recurrence
Despite available treatments, more than 1 in 3 people diagnosed with stage 2 or 3 HR+, HER2- early breast cancer are at risk of having their cancer come back, even if their tumor has not affected their lymph nodes.
The risk peaks in the first years after diagnosis, but never fully goes away
Unfortunately, most people who experience recurrence see their cancer come back and spread to other parts of their body. When that happens, the cancer is not curable and is known as metastatic breast cancer
Minimizing the risk of having your cancer come back
To minimize the risk of cancer coming back, your doctor may recommend adjuvant therapy (also known as maintenance therapy).
The goal of maintenance therapy is to reduce the spread of any cancerous cells that were missed during surgery.
Know your risk
Each person with early breast cancer faces a different risk of it coming back.
Having a complete understanding of your diagnosis is crucial to assessing your risk and the best approach to reducing those odds of recurrence. Your risk is based on several factors:
Your tumor stage and size
Tumor subtype, known as hormone receptor (HR) and HER2 status; in the US the most common subtype of breast cancer is HR+, HER2-
The number of lymph nodes impacted
There’s a higher risk for those with several nodes affected by the tumor
But there’s still a risk even with intact lymph nodes
Whether you have mutations in your genes or abnormal activity of your tumor’s genes that may cause cancer to grow more aggressively
Your age at diagnosis
Your lifestyle
Scoring your risk
Because so many factors are at play, it’s hard to get a concrete answer on whether your cancer is likely to come back. Certain tests can help your care team understand your risk.
Some examples of these tests include Oncotype DX®, MammaPrint®, Prosigna®, Breast Cancer Index®, and EndoPredict®*
Based on the test scores, your doctor may recommend additional treatments, including maintenance therapy
A lower score=lower risk of coming back and a higher score=higher risk of coming back
While these tests are helpful tools, they have some limitations:
Different tests may provide different risk assessments for the same person
Some tests may underestimate risk of recurrence in Black and Hispanic people
Ask your doctor for more information about these tests or sign up to learn more about selecting the right test for you.
What you can do
Your next step may be maintenance therapy
For patients diagnosed with HR+, HER2- early breast cancer, endocrine or hormone therapy is usually the backbone of the maintenance therapy used to reduce the risk of having cancer come back.
To help reduce your risk of recurrence, continue taking your maintenance treatment if one has been prescribed to you
Work together with your doctor to stay up to date on the latest treatment developments–including clinical trials–and create the best overall plan based on your level of risk and treatment goals
3 changes you can make to support your physical and mental well-being
Lifestyle choices matter
Lifestyle adjustments alone may not be enough to reduce your risk of recurrence, but they should be part of a holistic plan to minimize risk, ease medication side effects, and support your physical and mental well-being.
Maintaining a healthy weight and exercising regularly are important complements to your maintenance therapy and not a substitute for determining or addressing your risk
Not smoking is a risk you can control
Smoking is known to cause several diseases and it’s linked to a higher risk of breast cancer in younger, premenopausal women.
Avoid alcohol and opt for a mocktail instead
It’s best to avoid or limit alcohol. Consuming 3-4 alcoholic drinks or more per week after a breast cancer diagnosis may increase the risk of breast cancer coming back.
Ask your doctor about your risk of cancer coming back
It’s important to take an active role in your treatment plan after ‘ringing the bell.’ While the frequency of visits may change, try to keep the lines of communication open with your doctors and ask questions about your personal risk factors.
Remember, you’re not alone–we’re here to support you!
Sign up below and connect with the patient community to get valuable information and hear from others like you. Visit their websites†:
Glossary
It can feel overwhelming when you’re faced with unfamiliar medical terms. Here is a helpful list because the more you understand, the better you'll be able to communicate with those helping you.
For a complete glossary, sign up for our newsletter below.
5 Terms to Know
5 Terms to Know
Stage indicates how much cancer is in the body and its behavior. Stages 1, 2, and 3 are early. Stage 4 is metastatic, meaning it has moved beyond the breast. The subtype determines the treatment. The most common subtype is HR+, HER2−.
Refers to the spread of cancer to the lymph nodes and whether or not the lymph nodes in the underarm area, which are called the axillary lymph nodes, contain cancer.
Treatment given in addition to surgery and radiation therapy to get rid of breast cancer cells that may have spread to other parts of the body. It may include chemotherapy, hormone therapy and/or targeted therapy.
A cancer treatment for HR+ tumors, which rely on the presence of hormones, such as estrogen or progesterone, to grow.
Sign up now
Learn more about reducing your risk of cancer coming back.