Breast Cancer Survivorship Screening and Testing
Updated on December 2, 2022
Certain breast cancer treatments can increase your risk of developing other types of cancer, including:
salivary gland cancer
lung cancer
esophageal cancer
stomach cancer
colon cancer
uterine cancer
ovarian cancer
thyroid cancer
connective tissue and bone cancer (sarcoma)
skin cancer (melanoma)
acute myeloid leukemia (a type of blood and bone marrow cancer)
Based on the treatments you’ve received, you and your doctor develop a screening plan for other cancers that makes sense for you. For example, after you complete your main breast cancer treatment, your doctor may recommend you have tests such as MRIs or ultrasounds to closely monitor for recurrence. Your doctor also may recommend tests for long-term side effects.
Some of the most commonly recommended tests for breast cancer survivors are listed below.
Breast self-exams
It’s important that everyone continue doing monthly breast self-exams (BSEs) to examine their breasts or skin and chest wall for any new masses or unusual growths once they’ve healed after:
mastectomy or lumpectomy
breast reconstruction surgery
going flat
Scar tissue from surgery can make breast self-exams challenging at first. It can be difficult to tell the difference between normal scar tissue and a bump or growth. As the tissue heals, it should get easier, but talk to your healthcare team about any concerns you may have.
Mammograms
If you’ve had lumpectomy or mastectomy for breast cancer or breast reconstruction surgery, you probably don’t have the same mammogram screening recommendations as someone with no history of breast cancer.
Pelvic exams
Tamoxifen or Fareston (chemical name: toremifene) — treatments for hormone receptor-positive breast cancer — can increase the risk of uterine and endometrial cancer. If you take either tamoxifen or Fareston and still have your uterus, it’s important to have a pelvic exam at least once every year. The risk is highest in post-menopausal women.
Bone density testing
Certain breast cancer treatments, including aromatase inhibitors, can contribute to bone loss and put you at higher risk of breaking a bone. The most common bone density test is a DEXA scan. If you’re currently taking an aromatase inhibitor, you can expect to have a bone density test at least every two years.
Heart health screenings
To assess your heart health, doctors measure your:
blood pressure
cholesterol levels, including LDL (low-density lipoprotein), HDL (high-density lipoprotein), and triglycerides
blood glucose levels
body mass index (BMI), a weight-to-height ratio
Colonoscopy
Doctors recommend screening for colorectal cancer with a colonoscopy starting at age 45.
PSA blood test
Men who’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer have a higher risk of developing prostate cancer, even if they don’t have a BRCA1 or BRCA2 genetic mutation. It’s important to ask your doctor how frequently you should have a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test. It’s also important for transgender women and nonbinary people assigned male at birth who are diagnosed with breast cancer and who have prostate glands to speak with their doctors about prostate cancer screening.