If someone had breast cancer and went into remission for two years, then found out she had cancer in her lymph nodes...
What are the chances that this cancer is the same strain as the previous cancer? Also what are the possibilities that it is a completely different strain? What tends to be the case in most patients?
2007-08-22 13:08:48 · 3 answers · asked by who_me 2 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Cancer
If we are talking about the lymph nodes nearest the previous cancer site, then this is probably a spread of the original cancer.
If elsewhere, then it could be either.
If she has had chemo and radiation this makes it more likely to be a new cancer for 2 reasons.
Firstly the chemo and radiation should have killed any remaining tracees and secondly because both chemo and radiation can be carcinogens (cancer causing).
Generally it needs to be at least 5 years before a cancer in the same general region is suspected of being a 'new' cancer.
Biopy results will give a clearer picture.
2007-08-22 16:08:57 · answer #1 · answered by Tarkarri 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What do you mean "strain"? Cancer isn't some foreign bacteria or virus. Cancer is your own cells mutated. As time goes by and more cancer cells have been replicated, the more like the cancer cells will mutate more (dedifferentiation caused by genetic instability).
If someone previously in remission for a certain cancer has detected cancer again, the first thing to suspect is a recurrence of the same cancer type.
2007-08-22 23:29:31 · answer #2 · answered by oncogenomics 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Its most likely reoccurring
2007-08-22 20:16:02 · answer #3 · answered by Mopar Muscle Gal 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋