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Recurrence within a few months?

Mk2615
Mk2615 Member Posts: 6

I just finished my last Herceptin/Perjeta infusion 3 weeks ago, marking the end of my active treatment. I completed TCHP in September (just continued the HP part of it to carry out the full year for HER+), and completed radiation in February. I had a bad scan 2 weeks ago, which I thought couldn’t possibly be anything considering how recently I completed treatment. Unfortunately, I was wrong. Luckily, it seems that we caught it early and they are saying it is only DCIS. Has anyone else had a recurrence this quickly? Or would this maybe be considered a new primary (it is several cm away from the previous site in the same breast)? Any insight into how this could possibly be here when I literally just finished treatment a few weeks ago? This area was caught after an MRI, and it did not show up on my original MRI a year ago, or my post treatment/pre-surgery MRI 6 mos ago. I have a lot of questions on what could be going on that is making this come back so quickly?

Comments

  • parakeetsrule
    parakeetsrule Member Posts: 605
    edited May 2022
    Breast cancer is very unpredictable. It can come back right after treatment, get worse despite being on treatment, or come back 20 years later. Luckily yours is only DCIS! Do you have a treatment plan yet?
  • Mk2615
    Mk2615 Member Posts: 6
    edited May 2022

    i don’t have anything firm yet, but my oncologist wants me to start with surgery so I am waiting to meet with a few surgeons now. I found out today that these two areas are ER - and PR -. My original cancer was triple positive. From my research it sounds like hormone status can change over time- does that sound right? Also, I know they usually wouldn’t do the full body scans for just DCIS, but so you think they will since this is a recurrence? I’m so thankful that we caught this so early!

  • parakeetsrule
    parakeetsrule Member Posts: 605
    edited May 2022
    Yes, the hormone status can change. It's possible this is just an entirely new cancer too. Not sure if they will want to scan your whole body or not, I don't know what the protocol is but you can ask! If you are having any symptoms that could indicate metastatic spread they will definitely scan you though.