Recurrent breast cancer is breast cancer that comes back after initial treatment. Although the initial treatment is aimed at eliminating all cancer cells, a few may have evaded treatment and survived. These undetected cancer cells multiply, becoming recurrent breast cancer maybe months or years after your initial treatment.
During surgery to remove an original diagnosis of breast cancer (lumpectomy or mastectomy), the surgeon removes all the cancer that can be seen and felt. But tests for cancer aren’t sensitive enough to detect tiny groups of cancer cells that may be left over after surgery. It is possible for isolated groups of cells to survive radiation therapy and chemotherapy intended to reduce the risk of recurrence. Even a single cell that escaped treatment may be able to multiply and grow into a tumor.
In this situation supporting treatment is very beneficial which is applied to many cancer patient to slow the advancement down or increase the life quality.