If your breast cancer comes back

About recurrent or relapsed breast cancer

Breast cancer can come back in:

• the same breast

• areas close to the breast such as the ​lymph nodes​ or chest wall 

Breast cancer can also spread to other parts of the body. This is secondary or advanced breast cancer. The most common places for secondary breast cancer to spread to is the bones, liver, lungs or brain.

Find out more about secondary breast cancer

Breast cancer that has come back in the same breast

If breast cancer comes back in the same area, it is called a local recurrence. The cancer might be picked up at one of your follow up scans or appointments. Or you might notice that your breast or scar looks or feels different.

Breast cancer that has spread beyond the breast area

A locally advanced recurrence means that the breast cancer has spread beyond the breast to areas near or around the breast. But has not spread to distant parts of the body.

A locally advanced cancer might come back in one or more of the following:

• the chest wall

• lymph nodes under the breastbone or between the ribs

• the nodes above the collarbone (supra clavicular nodes)

• lymph nodes around the neck

Symptoms

Symptoms of recurrent breast cancer include:

• a lump called a nodule in the breast or scar

• change in shape or size of the breast 

• swelling in the lymph nodes above and below the collarbone, the neck, and around the breastbone

• changes in the shape or position of the nipple

• redness or a skin rash around the breast 

Let your healthcare team know straight away if you notice any changes.

Tests to check if the cancer has come back

You have tests to check if the cancer has come back. These include:

• a mammogram

• an ultrasound scan

• taking a sample of tissue (biopsy) 

Your doctor may suggest you have other tests such as a CT scan to check if the cancer has spread to other parts of the body.

Find out more about tests for breast cancer

Treatment

The treatment for recurrent breast cancer depends on the treatment you had before. It also depends on where the cancer has come back. 

You might have one or more of the following treatments:

• surgery

• radiotherapy

• chemotherapy

• hormone therapy

• immunotherapy or targeted cancer drugs

• bone strengthening drugs

They will discuss your treatment options and what they involve. They will explain more about the aim of treatment and help you make decisions.

Read more about these treatments

Getting support and information

It can be very difficult to cope with the news that your cancer has come back. At first, you are likely to feel shocked, upset, frightened and confused. Or you may feel that things are out of your control.

Talk to your doctor or specialist nurse to understand:

• what your diagnosis means

• what treatment is available

• how treatment can help you

• what the side effects of the treatment are

You might feel that you don’t want to know much information straight away. Tell your doctor or nurse. You will always be able to ask for more information when you are ready.

Everyone is different and there is no right way to feel.

It can help to talk to family and friends about how you feel.

You can also contact one of the breast cancer organisations. They have free factsheets and booklets they can send to you. They might also be able to put you in touch with a support group.

Find breast cancer organisations and other resources