1. < Breast Cancer

Local recurrence - understanding terminology

Posted by lilacs777 @lilacs777, 5 days ago

What is considered "local recurrence" post-mastectomy? If the cancer recurs in the skin or muscle of mastectomy side, wouldn't that be stage 4? Does local recurrence really only apply to lumpectomy? Also, if there is a new cancer in the other breast but of the same subtype as the original tumor in the other breast, is that considered a new primary or a local recurrence or distant recur/stage 4? (i.e. primary is ductal in right breast but years later another ductal occurs in left breast)

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Breast Cancer Support Group.

Zebra | @californiazebra | 3 days ago
In reply to @myoga "Zebra, thank you for sharing your experience. My diagnosis is similar to yours, except the CHEK2...." + (show)
@myoga

Zebra, thank you for sharing your experience. My diagnosis is similar to yours, except the CHEK2. I’m taking Exemestane and hoping it keeps the recurrence at bay for my DMX. Yes, I’ve been waiting for the surgery for almost 3 months now. I pray that your meds continue working for a long long time. Love your discussion on favorite quotes!

Jump to this post

Hi @myoga
Waiting is so hard. Prayers for your surgery and outcome. Ask about the plan for clear margins. I was frustrated they cut it so close and missed the mark by a mm or 2. Keep us posted on how it goes.

I always love when people join in on the inspirational quotes thread. So many great quotes out there or create your own. You don’t need to be famous to have a great thought. 😊

REPLY
myoga | @myoga | 3 days ago

Hi @californiazebra, I actually went through lumpectomy and radiation two years ago. My excisional biopsy became lumpectomy due to clear margin (very close though). Thank God the surgeon decided to take out all suspicious tissues. When I found out about BRCA2, I couldn’t bring myself to go through DMX then. Now I’m ready, but at this point it’s considered prophylactic and I have to wait longer, almost three months now! Thank you for your prayers 🙏

REPLY
1 reply
Zebra | @californiazebra | 3 days ago
In reply to @myoga "Hi @californiazebra, I actually went through lumpectomy and radiation two years ago. My excisional biopsy became..." + (show)
@myoga

Hi @californiazebra, I actually went through lumpectomy and radiation two years ago. My excisional biopsy became lumpectomy due to clear margin (very close though). Thank God the surgeon decided to take out all suspicious tissues. When I found out about BRCA2, I couldn’t bring myself to go through DMX then. Now I’m ready, but at this point it’s considered prophylactic and I have to wait longer, almost three months now! Thank you for your prayers 🙏

Jump to this post

I understand. Any plans to take ovaries out or hysterectomy as a precaution? I was 54 the first time around so had DMX and ovaries/tubes out. I’m 66 now and glad I did both.

REPLY
1 reply
myoga | @myoga | 3 days ago
In reply to @californiazebra "I understand. Any plans to take ovaries out or hysterectomy as a precaution? I was 54..." + (show)
@californiazebra

I understand. Any plans to take ovaries out or hysterectomy as a precaution? I was 54 the first time around so had DMX and ovaries/tubes out. I’m 66 now and glad I did both.

Jump to this post

I had the bso a year ago. It’s was a fast surgery and the recovery was short. It’s the DMX that scared me. But I’m ready now. I’m 63 so I plan to go flat, probably easier to detect recurrence. I wished I had the courage to go through DMX back then. I’m still uneasy of being knocked out unconscious by anesthesia. Weird that it creates a hole in time, no memory, no dream, just blackout.

REPLY
1 reply
Zebra | @californiazebra | 3 days ago
In reply to @myoga "I had the bso a year ago. It’s was a fast surgery and the recovery was..." + (show)
@myoga

I had the bso a year ago. It’s was a fast surgery and the recovery was short. It’s the DMX that scared me. But I’m ready now. I’m 63 so I plan to go flat, probably easier to detect recurrence. I wished I had the courage to go through DMX back then. I’m still uneasy of being knocked out unconscious by anesthesia. Weird that it creates a hole in time, no memory, no dream, just blackout.

Jump to this post

Yes, I agree that going flat makes it easier to detect recurrence and it’s just less to go through and be done with it all.

REPLY
windyshores | @windyshores | 3 days ago

I just read the NCCN guidelines and they list local, regional, and distant spread, (and new primary) with only distant spread considered stage 4.

REPLY
feprincess | @feprincess | 1 day ago

I have IDC stage IIA in 2015. I had a single MX (left side). In 2022 I had a auxillary lymphnode dissection and the pathology was slightly different but it was the same cancer. I am considered stage IIIC. A new primary like @windyshores said, only distant spread is considered stage 4. Even if it's in the vicinity of the prior occurence, it has to have a complete different pathology. I won't lie that even with IIIC my report noted metastatic and it was really hard to read those words.

REPLY
View MoreView Less
Please sign in or register to post a reply.