How long can you live after breast cancer diagnosis and treatment?

PT Health Life – One of the first questions that many people ask after being diagnosed and treated for breast cancer is how long can they live?

Most cases of breast cancer are highly treatable, especially when diagnosed by a doctor in the early stages. Many people live for years or even decades after being diagnosed and treated for breast cancer . Typically, the sooner a doctor diagnoses and treats this condition, the better a person’s outlook.

Regular follow-up appointments are important to monitor a person’s health after breast cancer treatment.

1. Follow-up care after breast cancer treatment

After being treated for breast cancer, you should attend regular follow-up appointments so your doctor can monitor your recovery. check for signs that the cancer has returned or is starting to grow again; Identify and manage side effects from treatments…

Your doctor will ask about your health and perform a physical exam to check for side effects from treatment or signs that the cancer has returned or is starting to grow. Your doctor may order blood tests , imaging tests, or other tests if necessary.

1.1 Check for recurrence and development of breast cancer

 breast cancer is classified into 4 stages:

– Stage I: cancer tumor is less than 2 cm in size and is usually located in the breast. Accordingly, if the disease is detected at this stage, the patient has a good prognosis with a 5-year survival rate of about 98%.

– Stage II : The tumor at this stage has grown larger than stage I (about 2-5 cm in size) and has begun to spread to the lymph nodes under the arm on the same side as the diseased breast. At this time, about 90% of patients can live at least 5 years after diagnosis.

– Stage III : Also known as locally advanced breast cancer stage. Stage 3 tumors are larger than 5 cm in size and have spread to the chest wall, breast skin, or lymph nodes. At this stage, the patient’s 5-year survival rate is more than 70%.

Stage IV : This is the final stage of breast cancer. At this time, cancer cells have metastasized to one or more distant organs in the body, most commonly the bones, lungs and liver. In general, stage 4 disease cannot be completely cured and the patient’s prognosis is often not high. The 5-year survival rate is about 25%.

However, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Database classifies breast cancer into three stages based on tumor spread, including:

• Localized: This means the cancer does not appear to have spread beyond the breast.
• Regional: This means the cancer has spread from the breast to nearby lymph nodes or structures.
• Distant: Means the cancer has spread from the breast to distant parts of the body, such as the bones, liver, or lungs.

Most cases of localized and regional breast cancer can be cured with treatment. However, in some cases, breast cancer recurs after initial treatment. This is called breast cancer recurrence.

If breast cancer spreads to distant organs, it cannot be cured. That said, treatment can help slow the growth of tumors and sometimes shrink them. Tumors may start to grow again if treatment stops working.

Doctors may prescribe long-term medications and recommend lifestyle changes to help reduce the risk of cancer recurring or developing.

If your cancer has come back or the tumor has started to grow again, your doctor can help you understand your treatment options. Early diagnosis and treatment is important.

1.2 Managing side effects of breast cancer treatment

Radiation therapy is one of the treatments for breast cancer.

Breast cancer treatments can cause many side effects. Some side effects may be short-lived and resolve on their own, but others may require management treatment to adjust the medication regimen if the patient experiences side effects due to the medication. You should see a physical therapist if your physical function declines after treatment, and you may have breast reconstruction surgery if you are dissatisfied with the shape or appearance of your breast after cancer surgery. breast cancer

Breast cancer and its treatments can also affect a patient’s mental health. If a person is having mental health difficulties, a doctor may prescribe medication, counseling, or a combination of both.

Breast cancer patients should let their doctors know about any changes in their physical or mental health during follow-up appointments, even if they are not sure that the changes are related to the cancer. breast or cancer treatments. Some side effects of treatment may take months or years to appear.

2. How long can you live after breast cancer diagnosis and treatment?

The survival rate of cancer patients is not only based on the stage of cancer but also on many factors.

Scientists use relative survival rates to help people with breast cancer learn about the outlook. For example, the 5-year survival rate shows how many people with breast cancer are still alive 5 years after diagnosis compared to people without breast cancer.

Such survival rates are estimates that scientists developed using data on breast cancer. Some breast cancer tumors have characteristics that make them easier to treat than others.

2.1 Overall survival rate:

This means that most people with breast cancer survive at least 10 years after diagnosis.

Survival rates for distant breast cancer are lower than for local or regional disease. Even so, more than a quarter of people with metastatic breast cancer still live at least 5 years.

Research suggests that survival rates for people with distant cancers have improved thanks to advances in treatment. As treatment options continue to improve, survival rates may also improve. Current survival rates may be higher than the latest data suggests.

Doctors cannot know for sure how long breast cancer patients will live. However, your doctor can estimate your outlook not only based on the stage of your cancer but also on the following factors:

Size of the tumor: Larger tumors are more likely to recur than smaller tumors.

Grade of the tumor: Doctors examine tumor cells under a microscope to learn how likely the tumor is to grow and spread. Low-grade tumors usually grow more slowly and are less likely to spread than high-grade tumors.

Hormone receptor status: Some breast cancer tumors are hormone receptor positive, meaning they need estrogen, progesterone, or both to grow. Thanks to hormone-blocking therapies, these tumors tend to be easier to treat than hormone receptor-negative tumors and are less likely to recur within 5 years after treatment.

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status: Some breast cancer tumors have high levels of HER2 protein. This causes them to grow and spread faster. These tumors tend to be aggressive, reducing survival rates and increasing the risk of recurrence.

Breast cancer treatments also affect a person’s chances of survival and risk of recurrence. A person’s doctor can help them understand and weigh the potential benefits and risks of different treatments.

Doctors may use specialized scoring systems, software programs or other tools to estimate a person’s outlook.

2.2 Can breast cancer survivors live long?

Many people with breast cancer live for decades after diagnosis and treatment. According to the American Cancer Society’s 2019–2020 report, the 15-year relative survival rate for people with breast cancer is 80%.

Long-term survival rates for distant breast cancer are much lower than for localized and regional breast cancer. According to the NCI, less than 15% of people with metastatic breast cancer live 10 years or longer. However, scientists are continually improving treatments for distant breast cancer.

2.3 Can you live 20 years after breast cancer?

Many people with localized or regional breast cancer can live 20 years or more after diagnosis and treatment.

It is very rare for a person with metastatic breast cancer to live 20 years. However, scientists are continuing to improve treatments for distant breast cancer.

3. What makes breast cancer survivors survive?

Physical activity is one of the factors that contribute to reducing the risk of recurrence and increasing survival in people with breast cancer.

 there are many factors that affect a person’s short-term and long-term outlook for breast cancer. In addition to the tumor characteristics above, these factors include:

Age: Research shows that women with breast cancer under the age of 35 tend to have tumors that are fast-growing, aggressive, and often widespread by the time of diagnosis. Their outlook tends to be poorer than that of older, postmenopausal women with breast cancer.

Weight: A 2018 review found that obesity increases the risk of breast cancer recurrence and breast cancer death. Obesity also increases the risk of many other health conditions that can affect survival as well as the risk of death from any cause.

Physical activity: A 2021 study linked physical activity to a reduced risk of recurrence and increased survival in people with breast cancer. Survivors who exercised 2–5 days per week were 63% less likely to relapse than survivors who were inactive.

Diet: A 2018 review found limited evidence that a low-fat diet may help prevent breast cancer recurrence. Eating a balanced, nutrient-rich diet is also beneficial for overall physical and mental health.

Alcohol: According to a 2016 review, several studies of alcohol consumption in breast cancer survivors consistently linked alcohol consumption to an increased risk of recurrence.

Therefore, practicing healthy lifestyle factors may help reduce the risk of recurrence and improve survival in people with breast cancer.

Thanks to early diagnosis and treatment, many people with breast cancer can live decades after knowing they have the disease. Survival rates are especially high for people with localized or regional breast cancer that has not spread to distant organs. However, survival is improving for people with distant breast cancer.

After breast cancer treatment, it is important for survivors to have follow-up visits with their doctor. This allows doctors to manage potential side effects of treatment and check for signs that the breast cancer has returned or is starting to grow again.

Doctors can also advise on measures to reduce the risk of recurrence and improve a person’s overall outlook through lifestyle changes.