Breast cancer life after. Predictions for breast cancer at different stages of the disease. Top health guides

Breast cancer treatment behind. What's next? How to return to the old life?

Life after breast cancer treatment involves some return to their usual activities, and some rejection of them. Even the end of treatment does not mean that all this can be forgotten forever. After a treatment that can last anywhere from six months to a year, you may look forward to your final radiation or chemotherapy treatment, but that doesn't mean you can now breathe a sigh of relief and forget about it like a bad dream.

Instead, you have to learn how to live in a new way, and in some ways, your new life will be different.

Breast cancer can change many aspects of your life, from relationships with family and spouse to eating habits and physical activity. How to deal with fatigue? What to eat to prevent recurrence of breast cancer? Is it possible to count on a regular sex life? Here are just a few questions that are of interest to all, without exception, women who have experienced all kinds of breast cancer therapies.

"Chemical brain" and other consequences

Your last chemotherapy session was six months ago. Your hair has finally started to grow and your eyebrows have appeared, but why are you still so tired? When does the body fully recover?

"Your body has been exposed to destructive actions and recovery is a very laborious and lengthy procedure. You can't bounce back right away," says oncologist Marisa Weiss, founder of Breastcancer.org and author of the book Life after cancer. "Surgery, anesthesia, multiple cycles of chemotherapy and radiation leave their marks."

The two main barriers to recovery are fatigue due to chemotherapy and/or the cumulative effects of other treatments, and a phenomenon known as "chemical brain" - a state of cognitive decline in patients undergoing chemotherapy.

"You expect it to go away once treatment is over, but it's not," says Mary McCabe, director of the Survival Program at Memorial Cancer Center in New York.

Such a program helps to understand what it means to live with cancer and how to live after treatment. So how long does it take for the body to finally recover, and fatigue and other side effects of treatment disappear? As a rule, the recovery period takes the same time as the period from the diagnosis to the end of treatment.

"Additional therapy, in the form of tamoxifen and other hormonal drugs: such as Arimidex, Aromasin and Femara can also slow down the recovery process.

"Many of my patients who are in their second year of living with cancer are still being treated for side effects. hormonal methods treatment, despite the fact that the main therapy is already in the past. Sometimes it becomes a never ending process."

The McCabe program teaches how to manage symptoms that occur at the end of treatment using adaptive strategies.

"You must plan your vacation and also avoid stressful situations: Write reminders for yourself, write down information you might forget, ask people to repeat what they said, etc., says McCabe. Try journaling.

Possibility of choice

Make sure your family and colleagues understand that the end of treatment does not mean that you can immediately return to week-long business trips, daily training and managing large and complex facilities.

"It is very important that your environment understands that the effects of therapy do not always stop at the same time as the therapy itself."

"Take control of your life," advises Weiss, "avoid stressful situations and pressure from the people around you. There are many suggestions for better adaptation during the recovery process." Ask for help if you feel like you can't handle the responsibility and move what you don't have. special significance for later.

Gina Shaw

Charlotte E. Grayson Mathis

Mammary cancer - malignant tumor glandular tissue of the breast. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women.

The disease itself and the therapy used exhaust the woman. However, the consequences of the operation may not be easier. This also applies physical condition, and psychological.

What difficulties can a woman who has had breast cancer face?

From the moment of diagnosis, throughout the treatment, a cancer patient is in a state of crisis. Over time, this state becomes so habitual that at first there may be a feeling of emptiness. The woman continues to think that she needs to fight for life and cannot get out of this state.
Along with the disease comes a heightened sense of vulnerability and lack of control over one's life. Unfortunately, most women continue to live with uncertainty and fear even after treatment.

Operation, radiation therapy and chemotherapy are physically and emotionally debilitating. many expect quick recovery after surgery and long rehabilitation period can bring disappointment. Basically, rehabilitation after surgery takes as much time as the treatment itself lasted.
Effects transferred treatment do not go away immediately after surgery. Side effects may persist for a long time.
The transferred disease makes a person rethink his life. Some women suffer from low self-esteem, others begin to appreciate life even more.

Despite these problems, it is possible to restore inner harmony and self-confidence.

If breast cancer is diagnosed early, the survival rate is 10 years in 97% of cases.
Breast cancer is diagnosed in the early stages in about 80%.
25% of women experience a relapse of the disease.
Preventive drugs such as tamoxifen show high efficiency in preventing cancer recurrence.
The main cause of death in women who have had breast cancer is not cancer, but cardiovascular disease.

About relapse prevention:

Can the disease recur even if a mastectomy has been performed?
How likely is a relapse in my case?
What can be done to prevent relapse?
What kind medications do I need to take?
What changes need to be made to my lifestyle?
What examinations should be done and how often?
How to reduce the risk of developing other types of cancer?

About aftercare:

What care will be needed after the end of treatment and for how long?
What symptoms may indicate that the disease has returned?
How will my follow-up treatment affect me?
Are there long term side effects I need to know about?

About Breast Reconstruction:

How long after surgery can breast reconstruction be performed?
What are the reconstruction options? Which one is the best for me?
What results can be expected from reconstruction?
What complications can arise?
How long does rehabilitation take?
Will changes in weight affect the appearance of the reconstructed breast?

Life After Breast Cancer (Video)

When breast cancer treatment is over, regardless of the results, the woman will be in a special group of patients. You will have to undergo regular check-ups, during which the doctor will ask about your well-being, prescribe certain laboratory research and take control shots. This is what life looks like after breast cancer.

To make sure that the tumor does not return, that there are no foci of metastases anywhere, you will have to go to the doctor regularly. It is also important to visit a doctor in order to control side effects that almost every cancer treatment has.

Of course, rehabilitation after an illness is important, but this does not mean that it will take a lot of time. The first few months, the visits will be more frequent because there may be side effects of the treatment. It is especially necessary to see a doctor if something is very disturbing, new unfamiliar conditions have appeared.

At first, if you feel well, it will be enough to go to the doctor once every six months. The more time passes since the victory over the disease and the better the general clinical picture, the more the interval between preventive examinations increases. After five years, it will be possible to see a doctor once a year.

Important! If an operation was performed, but the breast was preserved, it will be necessary to go to a specialist every year, throughout life, in order to undergo a mammogram. If a woman takes tamoxifen, then once a year it will be necessary to additionally examine the pelvic area, especially if there is an unknown nature of vaginal discharge (may indicate the development of uterine cancer).

It happens that during preventive examination the doctor notices that the tumor is recurring. Then assigned additional examination. If the diagnosis is confirmed, treatment depends on the location of the tumor and overall picture previous treatment.

Lymphoedema is swelling due to the accumulation of lymph. People who have beaten breast cancer often face this side effect. Edema can occur at any time: and, and years later. It is not possible to determine who exactly will develop lymphedema. At proper care behind you after treatment, you can avoid the appearance of this side effect. Any trauma or infection on the side where the tumor was, can exacerbate the process.

In women who have survived the disease, in most cases, a normal quality of life is maintained. But here much depends on the treatment that was carried out. Most negative effects gives in later life. Many studies show that the younger the patient, the more difficult it is for her to adapt to a new lifestyle. Often after chemotherapy early menopause, which affects the occurrence sexual problems.

When the disease is left behind, one should rejoice, and not lose heart. Today, in almost every city, there are special support groups and professional consultations of psychologists that help people who have survived breast cancer adapt to society.

In this aspect of life, much depends on the method of treatment that was chosen in the end. Often, along with a mastectomy, women can opt for breast-sparing surgery.

But here it is important to understand that you should choose the most effective treatment, and subsequent cosmetic defects modern medicine helps to quickly eliminate. Hair loss after chemo scares many ladies, but there are many modern ways how to deal with this phenomenon.

After an illness, you can not only live well, but also give new life. modern medicine allows women who have defeated breast cancer to become pregnant two years after the disease (in the absence of relapses and general good health). quite compatible things. Many studies show that pregnancy does not increase the risk of cancer returning.

Of course, oncology, especially breast cancer, is a serious diagnosis that requires a long and difficult treatment. Treatment is difficult not only medically, but also emotionally. To overcome the disease, it is necessary to gather all your strength and will, to provide yourself with the support of loved ones and relatives. Many forms of breast cancer can be beaten. Research in this direction continues, and new methods of treatment are being introduced constantly.

The concept of breast cancer includes a number of different malignant formations. The type of cancer directly depends on the size of the primary lesion, its location, progress in tumor growth, and the presence of metastases. Depending on all these factors, treatment methods are set up, and a prognosis of the patient's survival is also made.

Survival depending on the degree of development of carcinoma

The equivalent of an effective cure for breast cancer is considered to be a life expectancy of 5 years. Total number, how many survived after making such a diagnosis within 5 years, is approximately half of the patients, subject to the application curative measures. In the absence of proper treatment, the coefficient is no more than 15%.

Also, the presence of an aggressive type of oncological formation, determined by the Her2neu marker, which is detected in 20-30% of patients, significantly affects survival, significantly reducing it.

Forecast for 5 years

Survival for breast cancer in patients also depends on the stage of tumor development, of which 4 are distinguished:

The first is determined by the occurrence of tumors no more than 2 cm in diameter. Inflammatory processes in lymph node x is completely missing. Survival is predicted to be 70-95%.
The second is conditionally divided into 2a and 2b. With 2a degree of progress of the disease, there is inflammation of up to 5 lymph nodes in the armpit area, while the tumor itself has a size not exceeding 2 cm in diameter. Grade 2b is characterized by a significant growth of oncological formation, up to 5 cm, with no node lesions of cardio-vascular system. The forecast for 5 years is 50-80%.
The third is expressed by growths of the tumor formation more than 5 cm, with concomitant lesions of the lymph nodes and possible metastases to the area chest and bones. The survival rate for this severity of the disease is 10-50%.
The fourth is accompanied by a significant growth of the tumor to arbitrary sizes. Metastases spread to a large number of organs and systems of the body, such as: bones, stomach, liver, skin, lungs. The survival rate in this advanced stage does not exceed 10%.

Forecast for 10 years

If we take into account the percentage of survival for 10 years after the discovery of a malignant tumor, then, depending on the stage of severity of the disease, it is:

1st stage - 60-80%;
2nd is 40-60%;
3rd stage - 0-30%;
4th - 0-5%.

Of great importance in determining the prognosis, along with the severity, is the presence and number of metastases in the lymph nodes and bones. So, in the absence of penetration into healthy parts of the body, the prognosis for 10 years is 75%. With existing metastases, the survival rate is only 25%.

With penetrations in less than 4 lymph nodes, the prognosis is 35%. But, in the case of cancer progress in the tissue of four or more vessels or bones, the survival rate is not more than 15% of all cases.

Operation

Operations to remove a tumor formation, part of the breast or complete removal mammary glands are produced only up to stage 4 and in the presence of shallow metastases that have not affected the bones and vital organs. Predictions in the absence of metastases after surgery are up to 96%. In the case of a significant number of penetrations of cancer outside the chest area into the area of bones and other vital important systems, how many percent is the prognosis for life, only after a thorough analysis of the general condition of the patient can only be established by a doctor.

relapse

After a certain period of time, ranging from a couple of months to several years, the symptoms of oncological formations may reappear. Relapses most often occur after a previous, low-grade type of cancer. Often, relapses occur after invasive ductal cancer, since it is characterized by significant manifestations of metastases in the armpits. Also, the appearance of relapses quite often occurs after the removal of large tumors.

The percentage of survival in such situations directly depends on the therapeutic mechanisms of action and is 1-2 years in duration.

Location of pathology

The localization of a malignant formation significantly affects the results of the course of the disease, because from this factor the intensity of development of metastases and the direction of their introduction into healthy cells and bones directly depend.

The highest percentage of survival is found in the appearance of tumors in the area outside the breast, since in this way their occurrence is easier to notice from the very beginning. In addition, this location allows you to perform operations to remove the anomaly with greater accuracy and efficiency.

In the event of pathologies in other parts of the breast, the likelihood of metastases is high. Therefore, the percentage of survival in this situation, even as a result of a very successful operation, drops significantly.

Types of cancers

One of the main circumstances characterizing a malignant formation in the breast is the ability of the tumor to grow and penetrate into other tissues and organs. Based on this, doctors distinguish several types of breast cancer:

infiltrative duct cancer,
invasive lobular cancer,
inflammatory type, called low-differentiation,
hormone-dependent
triple negative,
luminal.

Determining the type of breast cancer is very important, since the choice of the most effective therapeutic measures depends on the exact diagnosis.

Ductal cancer

Infiltrative duct cancer is the most common form of malignant tumors in the breast, which appears in 78% of diseases. On mammograms, infiltrating ductal carcinoma is star-shaped or round spot with sharp boundaries. In the case of a star-shaped tumor, the disease is characterized by a significant degree of severity. The prognosis of survival directly depends on the severity of the disease on which it was possible to establish the diagnosis. So, at stage 1 it is 91.8%, at stage 2 - 64.5%, at stage 3 - 42%. In the case of extreme neglect, only with the help of persistent treatment can a result of 28% be achieved.

Lobular cancer

Invasive lobular carcinoma appears as a small thickening in the upper zone of the inner breast. Education is often sensitive to female hormones, therefore, hormone therapy in most cases of lobular cancer, with not advanced forms of the disease, is very effective. However, given the fact that it is difficult to diagnose the disease in early forms, a good prognosis is not often given. Main problems early diagnosis lobular cancer can be called a hard-to-reach place of tumor localization, as well as very irregular preventive measures. At initial stages invasive lobular cancer, it is 54%, Late stages oncology of lobular carcinoma with the presence of deep metastases in the bones, skin, lungs, liver, can predict life expectancy up to 3 years, after the detection of the disease in 2-12% of cases.

Inflammatory appearance

In many ways, low-grade cancer is identical to mastitis. However, it is a fairly aggressive form of carcinoma. Disease in the initial stages of education, after operational purpose treatment gives a positive prognosis in 45% of cases of low-grade breast cancer.

Hormone dependent

Because this type oncological disease accompanied by a rather vague symptomatology at the beginning of the appearance of formations, it is found most often at stages 2-3. The prognosis for a long course of hormone treatment is 27%. In the event of a relapse, the prognosis for survival cannot be made.

Triple negative

Triple negative breast cancer, with proper treatment at the initial stage, allows you to get a prognosis of 77% survival. With 2 degrees of severity of the disease, it is possible to reach 42%. And in the case of running forms three times negative cancer, the maximum forecast reaches 9%. However, triple-negative breast cancer is a very aggressive entity. Due to the high rate of development of triple-negative carcinoma, it can be detected, in most cases, only in the later stages.

However, on this moment, some subtypes of triple negative carcinoma are known. Doctors have not yet been able to collect enough research data to distinguish these types of triple negative cancers in individual groups. However, it is already known that in a significant percentage of those examined, triple-negative cancer has a non-aggressive form. This fact can increase survival rates in the presence of formations of a triple negative type.

Luminal

The luminal type of breast cancer is conditionally divided into 2 subspecies: A and B. Type A has high percent survival due to sensitivity to hormone therapy. In the initial stages, the prognosis for luminal cancer is 94%. Type B, being a very aggressive form of the disease, is very difficult to treat and prone to relapse in most cases. The prognosis for this type of luminal cancer is no higher than 46%.

There are many types cancer that affect the mammary glands and very often produce metastases to vital organs and bones. It is very difficult to give a universal accurate forecast for the development of the disease and the degree of survival after it. Successful treatment of any of the oncological formations, whether lobular, triple negative or otherwise possible cancer, largely depends on the preventive measures. It is important to promptly apply for medical care, choice effective method therapy, and general state health and mental attitude. It must be remembered that even the smallest percentage of success is a chance for life.

Many women are interested in the question: how much do they live with when faced with such similar ailment. Doctors state that the survival rate is quite high (up to 90%), but with timely diagnosis and effective treatment further.

The statistics are such that basically the disease has a hereditary factor and the risk of getting breast cancer to a woman, if there were similar cases from close relatives, increases significantly.

It should be understood that after the operation to remove the tumor, life does not end, compliance with all the doctor's prescriptions during the prevention period, as well as regular examinations, will allow you to keep your well-being under control, thereby significantly extending life even with such a serious oncological disease.

Malignant processes of neoplasms occupy a leading position among oncologists, and the causes of occurrence today are fully understood, and doctors cannot guarantee a favorable outcome. Breast cancer comes in many forms different speed course and presents difficulties for doctors when examining patients.

In the early stages, the tumor is usually removed surgically. Survival and quality of life in the future directly depend on the degree of cancer development, the effectiveness of the treatment course to remove the tumor. Of course, tumor-like cell particles remaining in the breast after the operation can progress again, thereby worsening the situation.

In addition, the survival rate is significantly lower if the woman has chronic diseases doctor's prescriptions are also not followed. After all, it is correct image life, sports, positive attitude to cure play an important role for patients in order to prolong life.

Effect of cell malignancy on prognosis

A malignant tumor with a diameter of no more than 2 cm suggests that 95% of cancer patients live up to 5 years. 80% of women can hope for a duration of up to 5 years when a neoplasm reaches 5-6 cm, while there is no damage to the lymph nodes.

If no more than 5 lymph nodes are affected, the probability of overstepping the 5-year milestone is 30%. In the presence of distant metastases and neoplasms larger than 5 cm in diameter, the survival rate is almost zero.

Still, timely and adequate gives a completely favorable outcome even at 3-4 stages of cancer, but of course, but a ten-year long survival threshold, according to statistics, occurs in only 5% of cancer patients.

Doctors advise, regardless of the stage of cancer, in no case to become depressed and not to listen much to the statistics about how many people live with, but on the contrary, to fight in every way to the end with an insidious disease. Although statistics confirm disappointing forecasts, but medicine is strong today and, of course, everyone has a chance to overcome the disease.

You can not refuse women from the operation, do not delay the treatment. Those who receive quality honey on time. help from doctors may well count on a favorable outcome in the future and there is life after cancer!

How can the molecular type of a tumor affect prognosis?

Doctors distinguish 4 types of mutating cells (in the figure above): luminal (a), nominal (b), positive (c) and negative (d). If a particular species is found after the histological examination will be selected by the doctor appropriate medical tactics also made a forecast for the future. The situation with the molecular form of a breast tumor may be worsened in women at risk:

age 45-50 years;
who gave birth to their first child after 30 years;
faced with early start menstruation up to 12 years, or vice versa, with the onset of menopause at 40 years;
never breastfeeding;
having problems with the thyroid gland;
having an irregular sex life;
having diseases in the genital area;
uncontrolled taking certain contraceptives, hormonal drugs;
who had previously had diseases of the mammary glands;
passive women who prefer to lead sedentary image life.

In addition, the development of breast cancer is possible with early injury, diabetes, hypertension, overweight among women. At risk of getting cancer are smokers, abusers of alcohol, fatty and fried foods, working in harmful conditions or living in an ecologically unfavorable area.

How does the location of the tumor in the mammary glands affect the prognosis?

It is the localization of the neoplasm in the breast tissues that affects the outcome of the course of the disease. If the tumor is located in the outer quadrants of the mammary glands, then this will allow doctors to identify the disease on early stage and conduct invasive therapy to remove the neoplasm.

When the tumor is localized in the medial central areas of the mammary glands, the prognosis is already unfavorable. The neoplasm develops rapidly, gives metastases. But, everything will directly depend on the type of cancer, the method of therapy chosen by the doctor, the body's reaction to metastases that have appeared in the lymph nodes.

Experience shows that if breast cancer is detected, then how long do they live after surgery in the absence of other comorbidities? Survival up to 5 years is likely in 70% of women. Breast cancer is not a pleasant disease, but it is quickly diagnosed, so it allows you to keep healing process under control, as well as the state of health of patients at the proper level.

It happens that a carcinoma occurs after an operation, when a large amount of fluid and lymph accumulates in the glands, which can lead to thinning of the operated glands. But negative consequences can be avoided if after the operation all the advice and instructions of the oncologist are taken into account.

In addition, the accumulation of fluid in the glands can lead to injury or even minor blows to the glands, thereby provoking a new development cancer cells. Women should in every possible way avoid rough exposure to sore breasts, do not wear tight clothing, a bra.

Perhaps after the operation, a psychologist's consultation is required, the passage of special support groups for cancer patients who have undergone surgery for breast cancer. The main thing is to keep women calm, restore their health and not give up. With the help of family and friends, survival can be significantly increased.

How long can you live with breast cancer

If the disease is detected at the 1-2 stage after the operation, it is mainly laser method without the presence of other chronic pathologies in the body of 5 years, survival is ascertained in 70% of women.

Today, many seek to resort to unconventional methods therapy, neglecting radical and abandoning adequate treatment. In such cases, doctors do not give predictions for long life. The 5-year milestone after breast cancer is diagnosed in only 15% of cases.

The living period will directly depend on the stage of detection of the tumor, the timely operation to remove it. Do not rely on chance, various tinctures and poultices recommended grandmother's recipes.

Today, breast cancer is diagnosed in developed countries, in particular in Russia, with an abundance of nuclear power plants, chemical plants, an abundance around products with dyes, artificial flavor enhancers, substitutes, flavorings and herbicides.

It is best for women with a predisposition to develop breast cancer to lead a correct lifestyle, consult doctors for any reason, especially when unpleasant nodular seals appear in the chest.

Also, do not neglect the diet, special exercises to maintain the quality of life. If breast cancer is detected at stages 1-2, do not delay treatment. There are many cases when on time treated cancer patients for early stage managed to get pregnant and give birth to completely healthy babies.