Recurrence

For any woman who has had breast cancer, the lingering possibility of a recurrence is always hidden somewhere in the back of your mind. I've been a survivor for 2 1/2 years now and most days I don't even think about recurrence. When I'm due for my mammogram or blood work, the nasty thoughts of "What if?" manage to work their way to the forefront of my brain.

Recurrence happens on three levels - local, regional and metastatic. Local means that they find cancer cells in the area of the original cancer. This is usually easy to eradicate. It is simply cells that were not destroyed with your first round of treatment. To be on the safe side, you will have to endure the battery of tests to determine if the cancer is really local. Tests such as a bone scan, liver blood tests, chest Xray and so on. You've probably been through this regiment before, but now you probably don't trust your body anymore. You feel betrayed. The good news is most local spread does not leave you in any greater risk group than if they had gotten all the cancer the first time around. Don't be quick to blame this recurrence on your medical team - sometimes the cells are too minute to detect; others lay dormant and something triggers them awake. If you have to have a recurrence, this is the easiest kind to deal with.

A regional recurrence shows up in the lymph nodes of the armpit or collarbone. With the advent of Sentinel Node Biopsy, it is possible that a few stray cells could be left behind. Additional surgery and/or radiation or even chemotherapy will usually control this spread of the disease. If the affected lymph nodes are located elsewhere, than a more aggressive treatment approach is usually indicated.

A distance spread of cancer, or metastatic disease, is the most serious type of recurrence. While this spread can not be cured, it can be treated. While the thought of cancer spreading is mind-boggling to me, I find hope and power in the knowledge that I have many survivor friends who have survived many rounds of metastases and are still as proud, beautiful and vital as ever. My pal, Rosalie, started her cancer journey in 1989, has endured endless treatments, mets to several locations and she is still one of the most outspoken, powerful advocates I know. She is also a gentle and wonderful woman. So take heart! A recurrence is devastating, but you can not only survive, but thrive.

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