How is breast cancer recurrence managed or treated?

How is breast cancer recurrence managed or treated?

Your treatment depends on the type of cancer recurrence, as well as past treatments. If cancer develops in a reconstructed breast, your surgeon may want to remove the breast implant or skin flap.

Treatments for local and regional breast cancer recurrence may include:

• Mastectomy: Your surgeon removes the affected breast (or both breasts) and sometimes lymph nodes.
• Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy (chemo) circulates in blood, killing cancer cells.
• Hormone therapy: Tamoxifen and other hormone therapies treat cancers that thrive on estrogen (hormone positive).
• Immunotherapy: Immunotherapy (biological therapy) engages your body’s immune system to fight cancer.
• Radiation therapy: High-energy X-ray beams damage and destroy cancer cells.
• Targeted therapy: Treatments target specific cancer cell genes or proteins.