Age; Recurrence; Whole Body Evaluations

What was your age at diagnosis?

In general, the personalities of breast cancers that occur in women under age 40 tend to be more aggressive than those that occur most often in women over 40. But while age has some influence, it is not a major predictor of how serious any individual case of breast cancer will be.

Is this a recurrence of breast cancer?

If your doctor finds cancer in a part of your breast or in tissues of your chest wall entirely separate from where the initial cancer was located, it's likely that this cancer is new and not a recurrence of the old cancer. This is especially true if it's been more than five years since your first diagnosis. Developing a new cancer is generally, but not always, more favorable than having a recurrent cancer. If your doctor tells you that you have a local or regional recurrence, the doctor will evaluate your situation based on all of the factors discussed here, as well as other considerations.

What do "whole body" evaluations such as X-rays, blood work, and bone scans show?

How thoroughly your doctor checks for signs of trouble throughout your body depends on your risk of having cancer elsewhere. If you have a non-invasive breast cancer, no "whole body" checks are necessary, because you don't have the kind of breast cancer likely to spread (metastasize) to other parts of your body. If you are at even minimal risk for metastasis, your doctor will do at least routine blood work to get a general sense of your liver, bone, and kidney health. If you are at high risk of developing metastatic disease, your doctor may choose to do a careful survey of your whole body, including a bone scan, CT scans, and possibly more.