I kept reading about recur after DMX. How is this possible?

letsdothis15

I am newly diagnosed and about to have a DMX. We went this route because without breast tissue, you can't get breast cancer again, right? Wrong! What is the deal with this? I am getting scared about it coming back before I even get rid of it the first time!

leftduetostupidmods

Because in reality they can never get all the breast tissue. Some can be all the way under your collar bone, behind your armpit, etc. If even a cell of breast tissue is left, and that is a cancer stem cell, it comes back. Or, even with all the precautions, it can be "seeded" somewhere in the skin or chest muscle.

Also, the cancer cells could have already "traveled" to other areas of the body and then you get metastatic recurrence. There are even cases recorded where the primary breast cancer was never found (in the breast) and BC was directly found metastasized in other areas of the body. The best scanning machines out there still cannot "see" anything under 2 mm.

labelle

Everything Seachain wrote is true.

However, the vast majority of women diagnosed with early stage BC never experience a recurrence or a progression, regardless of what kind of surgery they have (mastectomy or lumpectomy). Statistically speaking, the odds are on your side. I think we all, to some degree, worry about it coming back and that is normal, but the reality is you (and I ) will most likely never have to deal w a BC diagnosis again. Your doctors should be able to tell you what the chances of yours coming back or having spread are. The odds of having BC again or having it spread are never 0%, no one can guarantee anything with this diagnosis, but they are probably better than you think.

Hang in there. I know it is incredibly hard in the beginning, but it does get better. These boards are sort of slow on weekends, but I'm sure you'll get more responses soon.

ElaineTherese

Both seachain and Iabelle are right. A double mastectomy is no guarantee against recurrence. But, recurrence after very early stage BC only happens in a small percentage of women.

Lots of women opt for a double mastectomy because it seems like they are "doing more." There are certainly legitimate reasons for opting for this operation. For example, some cancer is multifocal and a lumpectomy wouldn't get all the cancer. In other instances, women were offered BMX or lumpectomy with radiation, and they wish to avoid radiation. Either way is equally effective; I opted for a lumpectomy because I didn't want to have to deal with reconstruction. Best wishes!

KBeee

Lumpectomy with rads and BMX have the same rate of overall survival and distant recurrence but lumpectomy has a little higher rate of local recurrence. Local recurrence can occur after BMX though and I am an example of that. I had everything in my favor, but had a recurrence. I am the exception, not the rule however, and if I had to do it again, I would not change anything

Mylesofsmyles

OMG! I am newly diagnosed, (11/2/2015) and I have also decided on a DMX, and after "googling" waaay too much, I also started to have this same fear! I am so glad that this was posted as you guys are a wealth of information and inspiration,

letsdothis15

Thank you seachain, Labelle and Elaine!
KBeee... I have been in your place with the odds with a different cancer journey. I'm sorry you were on the wrong side of them! That's the part that isn't fair!
Mylesofsmyles- I had to stop all the googling and just focus specifically on my case and direct questions. We shouldn't be worrying about recurrance, just about getting through our dx and treatment!

Best wishes and prayers for health and peace for all of you ladies!