Depending on where the breast cancer has spread, symptoms may vary. You may have a new lump within the breast or on the chest wall where the cancer originally formed. Sometimes your surgical scar may thicken or new formations may be found in other parts of your body, such as on your lungs or bones. The skin may begin to change (i.e., dimple or pucker). It is crucial to see your doctor if you begin to notice unusual symptoms or changes with your breasts.
Local Recurrence
With local recurrence cancer, a tumor will appear in the same location as the original cancer formation. If you had a lumpectomy, a new tumor may appear, or if you had a mastectomy, the tumor may be in the chest wall or skin. You may experience a thickness of the breast area, nodules in the skin, the skin will begin to pull back at the lumpectomy site, skin inflammation and redness or a flattening of the nipple.
Regional Recurrence
This type of cancer means the cancer has come back in your lymph nodes, within your armpit or somewhere amongst your collarbone. You may feel a lump within your arm, swelling of the lymph nodes in the arm or lumps and swelling around the collarbone or breastbone. Your arm may swell, you may feel pain in the arm or shoulder and sometimes you will lose sensation of the arm and hand. Sometimes you can experience chest pain (especially when breathing) or difficulty in swallowing.
Distant Metastic Recurrence
This form of cancer means that it has traveled to other locations in the body. It may be that the cancer has found its way into your bones, liver or lungs. You may feel bone pain, a dry cough, difficulty in breathing, chest pain, appetite loss, nausea/vomiting, headaches, jaundice, visual disturbances or seizures.
Other Symptoms
Other symptoms may include a discharge from the nipple, fractures of the hip (when the cancer has spread to this area), constipation, fatigue, abdominal pain, edema (fluid collection in the feet and legs), confusion, memory loss, speech difficulty and visual disturbances.
Warning
It is especially important to seek treatment from your doctor if you ever experience any of these symptoms. Always receive an annual mammogram to check for new lesions, even if you've had a lumpectomy. Even though the cancer may have been treated the first time, treatment may have not fully eradicated the cancer cells. The cancer cells may even be resistant to treatment.
Risks
There are many risks with breast cancer, which increase the odds of it becoming metastatic. If cancer is found in surrounding areas of the breast, it may return. If you have a tumor larger than 5 centimeters (about 2 Inches), the odds of the cancer returning is higher. Younger women (under the age of 60), also have higher chances of breast cancer returning, as well as those who choose not to receive radiation after a lumpectomy.
Tags: breast cancer, cancer cells, cancer found, cancer means, cancer returning, cancer spread, chest pain
