Breast Cancer Recurrence after Mastectomy and Reconstruction
In many cases, women experience breast cancer recurrence, especially after mastectomy and reconstruction surgery. In addition, it’s not uncommon for breast cancer to spread to the second one in one breast.
Learn more about how it can happen and what you should do if it recurs in your other breast.
We want to talk with you about the possible treatment options if your tumor metastasizes or reappears in your other breast after a mastectomy and reconstruction surgery. The two main treatments we talk about are mastectomy and reconstruction.
In some cases, it happens that breast cancer returns. Even after mastectomy and reconstruction surgery, there are still minimal chances of cancer recurrence. But if it does occur, you could need to think about the best treatment options available.
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Chances of recurrence after mastectomy with reconstruction
The majority of cases can occur within 6 months. However, some cases may take longer than a year. When they do, they are called late recurrences. Approximately 20% will recur within 6 months and approximately 30% within a year. According to the experts at Medicover Hospital Vizag, there are several options to tackle. The most common in our clinic are chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
When chemotherapy is used to treat breast cancer that has spread, it helps shrink the tumor and improves your chances of a cure. But it can also lead to serious side effects such as fatigue, hair loss, and digestive problems. Therefore, if you have non-metastatic breast cancer after mastectomy with reconstruction, we recommend that you choose radiation therapy instead of chemo. Radiation therapy offers a better chance of being cured with fewer side effects.
The patient may experience the recurrence of the cancer cells in the breast lymph node. It is called a local recurrence. Or, cancer may spread from the affected breast to other parts of the body.
Symptoms of Local Breast Cancer Recurrence
Local recurrence could cause one or more of the following symptoms:
- Dimpling of the skin in the breast.
- Pain in the shoulder, upper arm, or chest area.
- Breast lump or thickening.
- Skin inflammation or area of redness
- Nipple discharge
- Itchy skin
- Painful nipple.
- Nipple discharge
- Loss of milk production.
In some cases, cancer has spread to other parts of the body. In this case, breast lump or swelling occurs on one side while the other is normal. Once you discover the symptoms, get the opinion of the top oncologist in India at Medicover Hospital Vizag.
Regional recurrence of Breast cancer after mastectomy and reconstruction
Regional recurrence usually occurs in the lymph nodes, which drain fluid and help fight infection.
When breast cancer returns, it can appear as a swollen lymph node under the arm or within the breast. The swelling is often hard and painless, sometimes accompanied by a burning sensation on your skin.
Frequent infections like colds or flu could be one of the symptoms of regional recurrence. In addition, the swelling may feel hot, tender to the touch, and painful.
It’s also common for regional recurrence to cause pain in your armpits that may last for several weeks or months before going away or getting worse.
You’ll need to see your doctor if you notice these signs or symptoms after breast cancer treatment.
Surgery after mastectomy is an option for both late recurrence and distant metastases.
If cancer has spread from a lymph node in the armor to another part of your body, you may have surgery to remove the affected lymph nodes.
Sometimes surgeons remove more than 1 lymph node. Then, they examine your breast tissue and cut your skin to see whether they can find cancer cells hiding in the fatty tissue.
Afterward, they take breast tissue samples and send them to a lab. In some cases, surgeons perform a biopsy. They take tissue samples during surgery using special tools and send them back to the lab for analysis.
Distant recurrence of Breast cancer after reconstruction
Distant recurrence means the cancer return to a distant part of the body. Therefore, you will notice the recurrence in a different part of the body such as hand, lump, neck, etc.
After your breast cancer treatment, the tumor may continue to grow. It may then return to another part of your body.
It could be hard to spot, so you’ll need to see a doctor regularly for checkups.
The next step is performing an imaging test called a mammogram (also called breast x-ray). It is necessary to see whether or not there have been any new growths or changes in the appearance of cells on the x-rays. They help assess the presence of cancer and the likelihood that it has spread.
A mammogram can detect and a change in a lump on one side that you noticed after surgery.
Treatment options for breast cancer recurrence
Some treatment options are available for breast cancer if it has recurred in the second breast after mastectomy with reconstruction.
- Chemotherapy or radiation therapy – Chemotherapy is usually done as a single session. You would have to come for one appointment before starting your chemotherapy and one follow-up appointment after the chemotherapy session to check your progress and make necessary adjustments.
- Surgery – If tumor cells are detected in areas of the body other than the breasts, the surgeon can then remove them surgically. The surgical procedure is called a sentinel lymph node biopsy, and it requires several sessions spaced months apart.
- Radiation therapy – If the patient has non-metastatic breast cancer but has evidence of lymph node spread, we may recommend radiation therapy.
Final Thoughts
Talk to your doctor about your options if you want to ensure that the tumor in your other breast is contained and that you get the best results from surgery and treatment. Don’t hesitate to ask how long you’ll be expected to stay in hospital after the surgery, how long to stay on post-surgery chemotherapy or radiation therapy, what kind of follow-up care is available at our clinic, and what will happen if recurrence occurs.
It is better to read more before talking to your doctor about the mastectomy after breast cancer recurrence.
The reconstruction procedure needs some rest time, so patients need to consider taking time off from work to recover and enjoy their spare time with friends and family.
Get an opinion of the oncologist
Take the opinion of the oncologist for cancer recurrence that breast reconstruction is a tough job and how it can affect your life.
Finding a mastectomy scar after cancer recurrence is difficult for women. So, asking about it can help them prepare themselves. However, do not miss the best medical facilities at Credihealth. Therefore, book an appointment with the top oncologist at Medicover Hospital Vizag.
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