PT Health Life – Breast cancer is a disease caused by uncontrolled growth of mammary gland cells, creating malignant tumors, with the ability to divide strongly, invade surrounding areas and metastasize far.
Recurrent disease is when the cancer comes back after initial treatment and can recur at any time. Local or regional breast cancer can metastasize to organs: lymph nodes, bones, liver, lungs. , brain… And in fact, when cancer recurs and metastasizes , treating the disease becomes more difficult.
1. Can breast cancer come back after treatment?

Both doctors and patients hope that treatment that eliminates the most cancer cells will help the patient prolong their life. But in fact, during treatment, a small number of cells can survive, go undetected, and multiply, becoming regular breast cancer.
After initial treatment, depending on each case, breast cancer may recur several months or years later. The cancer can return to the site of the original tumor, called local recurrence, or it can spread to other organ areas, typically the bones, liver, and lungs.
2. Warning signs of breast cancer recurrence
Symptoms of breast cancer often change depending on where the cancer returns. The disease may show up as a lump in the breast, thickening of the surgical scar or into the chest wall near where the cancer originated.
It’s also possible for the tumor to be discovered on a mammogram, where a lump has been removed (lumpectomy), or show up somewhere else in the body such as the bones, liver or lungs.
With local recurrence: Symptoms in patients are often seen as a hard lump in the breast area where surgery was performed. The skin on the breast shrinks or becomes swollen, red and inflamed, and one or more solid, painless lumps appear under the skin. Patients may see drainage, oozing, or surgical scars that do not heal.
For metastatic tumors: The patient can feel the lymph nodes in the neck and above the collarbone, which are hard and less mobile. It is also possible to palpate axillary lymph nodes on the same or contralateral side, bloating , and indigestion. Other symptoms that can be seen are abdominal pain, headache, dizziness , visual disturbances….
In clinical practice, breast cancer is getting younger and younger and is often at risk of recurrence, metastasis will occur in cases of: Metastasis to multiple lymph nodes, large tumors, no radiotherapy after conservative surgery or when There is a large tumor with lymph node metastasis.
3. When do breast cancer patients need to see a doctor?
In fact, after cancer treatment, patients are often recommended by doctors to have regular check-ups. The time for this periodic re-examination depends on each specific patient. Follow-up examinations help doctors monitor and check disease status and detect early signs of cancer recurrence. Normally, patients treated for breast cancer are recommended to have follow-up examinations every 3 months for the first 2 years and every 6 months for the next 3 years for timely detection and treatment.
However, it is possible that due to personal problems, there may be late follow-up appointments or certain subjective reasons, so the recurrence is not detected. Therefore, patients see unusual symptoms and changes such as new pain, changes or new lumps in the breast or surgical scars, weight loss and difficulty breathing… need to be hospitalized to be examined by doctors.
In patients with recurrent breast cancer, treatment depends on the patient’s health, stage and previous treatment methods. Doctors will provide an appropriate regimen. Patients need to have proper nutrition, exercise, rest, and maintain a comfortable spirit for the treatment to be most effective.
Summary: Breast cancer can recur, no preventative measures can guarantee that breast cancer will not return. However, not all cases of breast cancer recur. So be optimistic, find the prospect of health after treatment improving.
For each person, find your own source of energy and arrange your favorite work to help you cope with this disease. Patients should take time for themselves, plan ahead for times when they may need more rest, and find ways to relax. Being strong and having faith in victory will help deal with this cancer.