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.
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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.
Tip! Don't drink so much. Supposedly there is a strong link between alcohol consumption and breast cancer and it doesn't matter what type of alcohol it is.

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.
Tip! Keep your weight down. Supposedly there is a link between being overweight and getting breast cancer, especially if you gain a lot of weight after menopause It seems that the more fatty tissue the more oestrogen you have and high oestrogen levels are linked to breast cancer.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Breast Cancer

Breast Cancer - Herceptin and HER2

One of the biggest and most exciting advances in recent history in the fight against breast cancer is a drug called Herceptin. (Trastuzumab) The drug has shown to be very successful against certain types of advanced breast cancers. Some more recent clinical trials have shown that herceptin may also be successful against certain types of earlier stage breast cancers. Herceptin has been approved for use in 1998 by the FDA.

By certain types of cancers we are referring to those that over-express a protein that is called HER2. HER2 stands for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2. HER2 can be found on the surface of cells and it is what is responsible for keeping the growth of the cell in check. When HER2 malfunctions and begins to produce too much of itself due to a mutation it can cause the cells to produce too much of themselves too quickly. This in turn can make cancers behave in a much more aggressive manner. The HER2 over-expression is a factor in 20% to 30% of breast cancer occurrences.
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The official scientific big word description of Herceptin is that it is a monoclonal antibody, engineered via biotechnology. The way it works is by attaching itself to any cells that are overproducing the HER2 protein. It attacks the protein receptors which then slows the growth of the cells down. It targets the HER2 protein as opposed to traditional types of treatment which tend to destroy all fast growing cells in their path, healthy or cancerous. This is a big improvement over certain types of chemotherapy. The development of targeted treatments like Herceptin is the wave of the future.

So how does a breast cancer patient receive herceptin? Their cancer must show that it over-expresses the HER2 protein. This is determined by having a pathologist test the cancerous cells that were removed from the breast during surgery. He or she will stain the tissue with a solution that will highlight any instance of overproduction of HER2. If a patient has the HER2 over-expression present, they are considered to be HER2 positive and therefore it could be possible to treat their cancer with herceptin if needed.
Tip! Don't drink so much. Supposedly there is a strong link between alcohol consumption and breast cancer and it doesn't matter what type of alcohol it is.

Herceptin is not for everyone. It is approved for treatment of women with advanced cancer in combination with the chemotherapy drug, paclitaxel. There are side effects associated with the drug and one of those includes cardiotoxicity which can cause serious heart problems in patients. Therefore heart monitoring before, during and after treatment is crucial. Less serious side effects include fever, chills, increased cough, diarrhea and weakness. If herceptin is given with chemotherapy, nausea is possible. Other moderately severe side effects include loss of white blood cells and anemia.

A diagnosis of breast cancer can be a frightening thing, especially if you are in the percentage of patients that have the more aggressive HER2 cancer. Knowing that there is another treatment that has been proven to be effective against those types of cancers brings increased hope of survival to these women and men.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Breast Cancer