How soon can a recurrence occur?

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In January 2018 , I was originally diagnosed with stage 1 ER/PR+ IDC

I had lumpectomy, radiation (33 rounds) and Tamoxifen

I'm now waiting on a biopsy. My ultrasound showed a new 7mm mass.

Isn't it too soon for a recurrence??I was only stage 1 to begin with.


Comments

  • DorothyB
    DorothyB Member Posts: 305
    edited August 2019

    It could be a recurrence or it could be a totally different cancer. Is it in the breast area? Most recurrences go to bones, lungs, liver, brain, etc.

  • JJeffries
    JJeffries Member Posts: 18
    edited August 2019

    Yes, it’s on the same breast. Uughh the waiting sucks!!!

  • Beesie
    Beesie Member Posts: 12,240
    edited August 2019

    After a breast cancer diagnosis, we all face the risk of two different types of recurrences. Distant recurrence, i.e. a metastatic recurrence, occurs beyond the breast, in the bones or liver, etc., as Dorothy noted.

    Local recurrences happen within the breast (for those who had a lumpectomy) or breast area (for those who had a mastectomy). If a few cancer cells are left behind after surgery, and if radiation and hormone therapy don't kill them off, then a local recurrence will develop. Rads and hormone therapy are very effective at reducing the risk of a local recurrence, but neither treatment is 100% effective, so some risk always remains. The risk may be greater if the surgical margins were close, if the area of cancer was large and if the cancer was high grade. To my understanding, the peak years for local recurrences are years 2 - 5 post-surgically. 18 months is a bit shorter time, but not by much. So no, it is not too soon for a recurrence.

    That said, surgery and radiation can cause fat necrosis and changes to the breast that might look suspicious on a mammogram. Hopefully that's the case for you, and this turns out to be a false alarm.

    Good luck with the biopsy; hoping for benign results. Let us know how it goes.


  • JJeffries
    JJeffries Member Posts: 18
    edited August 2019

    Thank you so much for the thoughtful response. I’m hoping to hear something soon.

  • timetobebrave70
    timetobebrave70 Member Posts: 83
    edited August 2019

    Jeffries, I am in a same boat. . I had cancer on my left breast but did a bilateral mastectomy, chemo, radiation...I noticed a lump during radiation and all the doctors brushed it off as being the expander. 7/23/19 I had the exchange surgery and the lump is still there. Now the plastic surgeon and radiation oncologist wants me to go see the breast surgeon. I see her Friday. I am praying that it’s just a fat necrosis as well. Praying for both of us🙏

  • Ingerp
    Ingerp Member Posts: 2,624
    edited August 2019

    So sorry you are in this situation. In my case, it was a new primary that showed up two years later, although yours could be that too, just coincidentally in the same breast. My 2018 tumor was 1.6 cm, so probably would have been detectable six months earlier, or 18 months after my 2016 dx.

  • KBeee
    KBeee Member Posts: 5,109
    edited August 2019

    Hoping it is benign. My recurrence was 14 months after the conclusion of chemo for my stage 1 tumor.

  • timetobebrave70
    timetobebrave70 Member Posts: 83
    edited August 2019

    JJeffries, I saw my breast surgeon Friday and after physical exam and ultrasound, she was sure it was a fat necrosis. She didn’t feel the concern to do any further tests. I hope you get good news as well🙏🙏🙏

  • JJeffries
    JJeffries Member Posts: 18
    edited August 2019

    Thankfully, my biopsy was benign! No recurrence!!

    The pathology report states the following:

    "fibrofatty breast tissue with foreign body type giant cells and reactive changes"

    Anybody understand what that means? Will be seeing doc for f/u on Wednesday but am hoping to formulate some concise questions.

    Many thanks!

  • Beesie
    Beesie Member Posts: 12,240
    edited August 2019

    I don't know what the sentence from the pathology report means, but YAY!! to benign.

  • JJeffries
    JJeffries Member Posts: 18
    edited August 2019

    Thank you Beesie

  • KBeee
    KBeee Member Posts: 5,109
    edited August 2019

    Sounds benign to me. Great news!

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