Breast Cancer Recurrence Risk Calculator

Welcome to the Omni breast cancer recurrence risk calculator, a simple tool that helps you determine the likelihood of breast cancer recurrence, specifically, local recurrence. If you have been wondering, "will my breast cancer come back?" then read on; some of the critical questions you will get answers to are:

• What is the likelihood of breast cancer recurrence?
• What are the risk factors that contribute to breast cancer coming back?
• What helps to prevent breast cancer recurrence?
• What does local recurrence of breast cancer mean?
• How does the breast cancer recurrence risk calculator work?

Breast cancer is a malignant tumor that develops in the breast tissue. Malignant tumors have cancer cells that invade surrounding tissues or spread (metastasize) to other areas within the body. There are several types of breast cancer, and most are found in women, although men can get it too.

Unfortunately, breast cancer can reoccur after the initial treatment. Cancer recurrence can be:

• Local – within the original area;
• Regional – near the primary site; or
• Distant – spreading to distant organs or tissues, such as lungs. To learn more about lung cancer, visit Omni lung cancer risk calculator.

The Omni breast cancer recurrence risk calculator accounts for local breast cancer recurrence, which is usually diagnosed through a physical exam and mammogram.

Many factors contribute to whether breast cancer will recur. According to the study by O'Rourke and colleagues (1994), some risk factors that can predict local recurrence rate include:

• Grade of tumor – The cell appearance in tumors.
• Lymph node status – Whether lymph nodes contain cancer cells or not; when lymph nodes contain cancer cells, it is reported as node-positive. When cancer cells have not spread to the lymph nodes, it is said to be node-negative.
• Lymphatic or vascular invasion – Cancer cells moving into lymphatic or blood vessels.

Usually, a higher grade tumor, node-positive lymph node status, and presence of lymphatic or vascular invasion are associated with the higher risks of local recurrence. On the other hand, a first-grade tumor, with node-negative lymph node status, with the absence of lymphatic or vascular invasion, is associated with lower risks of local recurrence.

According to your data input, the Omni breast cancer recurrence rate calculator determines the likelihood of breast cancer recurrence. Keep reading to learn how to use the breast cancer recurrence risk calculator, and visit Omni breast cancer risk calculator to explore the risk factors for breast cancer development.

The breast cancer recurrence risk calculator is relatively straightforward to use. All you need to do is indicate:

• Grade of tumor;
• Lymph node status (positive or negative); and
• Whether lymphatic or vascular invasion is present or not.

After inputting all your data, the breast cancer recurrence rate calculator will tell you the chances of breast cancer returning, specifically, the local recurrence.

If you have been asking yourself, "will my breast cancer come back?" you probably wonder what helps prevent breast cancer recurrence. Studies emphasize several factors that play a significant role in decreasing the chance of breast cancer returning:

• Weight management and high-quality diet. Avoiding excess consumption of certain nutrients, such as carbohydrates, saturated fat, and red and processed meats, is crucial. These nutrients are associated with increased pro-inflammatory cytokines (regulators of inflammation) and endogenous estrogen (associated with postmenopausal growth-hormone secretion). Several studies also report that drinking green tea is linked with a decreased rate of breast cancer recurrence, specifically in patients with early-stage disease.
• Moderate exercise is associated with increased immune response, an essential factor during or after anticancer therapy. Strengthening the immune system is likely to help decrease breast cancer recurrence risk.
• Avoiding alcohol. Consumption of three to four alcoholic drinks or more per week is associated with breast cancer recurrence. Want to assess your drinking patterns? Visit Omni AUDIT score calculator.
• Avoiding smoking. Those who have been smoking longer and have smoked more packs are at higher risk of breast cancer recurrence; in general, smokers have a 41% higher probability of breast cancer recurrence.
• Your doctor may advise selective estrogen receptor modulators, such as Tamoxifen if dealing with estrogen-related breast cancer.
• Chemotherapy decreases the chances of breast cancer recurring. Although, those with a low risk of recurrence are usually not recommended to have chemotherapy.
• Radiation therapy decreases the risk of local recurrence of breast cancer after breast-conserving surgery.

The prognosis for grade 2 breast cancer local recurrence depends on several factors. For instance:

• For node-positive patients with lymphatic or vascular invasion present, the breast cancer recurrence risk is 33%.
• For node-negative with lymphatic or vascular invasion present, the breast cancer recurrence risk is 10%.

Several risk factors contribute to increased chances of breast cancer returning, including but not limited to:

• Large tumor size;
• The higher grade of tumor;
• Axillary (the armpit) lymph node involvement;
• Estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer;
• Obesity;
• High blood sugar; and
• Young age (under 35).

Local breast cancer recurrence refers to cancer recurring in the same area as the original cancer. Prominent risk factors for local recurrence of breast cancer are young age and premenopausal status – having no symptoms of perimenopause or menopause; in other words, no changes in menstrual frequency for the past 12 months.

Regional recurrence in breast cancer refers to cancer returning in the lymph nodes near the original cancer site. A regional recurrence of breast cancer is associated with higher risks of metastases and is often considered stage III breast cancer.

Follow these lifestyle changes to help avoid a local recurrence of breast cancer:

1. Lose excess weight and eat a high-nutrition diet.
2. Excercise to help improve your immune system.
3. Don't drink too much alcohol (less than three drinks a week).
4. If you are a smoker, try to give up. It's the number one thing you can do for your health.