Breast cancer recurrence statistics have evolved over time. In the 1980s and the 1990s, the local breast cancer recurrence statistics  rate were reported to be 8 to 19% in the 10 years following the initial diagnosis and treatment. In the early 21st century, the 10-year rates of breast cancer recurrence statistics are often reported to be between 2 and 7%, which is consistent with recent improvement in the treatment of breast cancer. For women who have been through breast cancer treatment, this is usually the hard question. During treatment, women often feel empowered, cared for, well-monitored, and protected by the treatment regimen they are following. But after completing treatment, it can feel like you are flying without a compass. And this can cause real fear and anxiety.

Breast cancer recurrence is categorized according to its relative location to the original tumor. If the breast cancer recurrence statistics occur at or close to the original site, it is often classified as true recurrence or marginal miss recurrence, respectively. If the recurrent tumor is located within the same breast but at a distinct site, it is often referred to as “elsewhere in the breast” and represents a new primary site. Breast cancer recurrence statistics can also occur in the other breast and other organs and is often referred to as metastasis. The risk of the breast cancer recurrence statistics depends on the hormone receptor status of the cancer .Roughly 20% of breast cancer survivors who have finished five years of additional cancer treatment after their initial therapy will have a recurrence within 10 years of their treatment, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS).

Overall, 11% of women will suffer a recurrence at five years and 20 percent at 10 years. According to the ACS, the five-year breast cancer recurrence statistics for women with hormone receptor-positive tumors is twice as high as that of those with hormone receptor-negative tumors. Patients with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation have a 26% chance of developing contra lateral breast cancer, compared to 3% in those who do not have mutation. A woman’s risk of developing breast cancer is significantly increased if she inherits mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. The five-year recurrence risk in patients with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) ranges from 12 to 15%.

Tamoxifen and additional chemotherapy have been shown to reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence statistics by 40 to 50%. Several genetic tests exist that enable identification of women who would benefit from tamoxifen or additional chemotherapy. There’s always a progress concerning the treatments which could make the decreasing number of breast cancer recurrence statistics.

SABCS 2009: Alcohol Increases Risk of Breast Cancer Recurrence Statistics