Signs of Recurrent Breast Cancer You Might Not Realize

Living with breast cancer isn’t easy. If you’ve made it to remission, you have a lot to be proud of. But it’s also important to remember that breast cancer can come back (or "recur"). Normal signs include swollen lymph nodes, lumps in the same or other places in your body, and nipple discharge. But there can be other signs, too. Keep an eye out for these unusual signs of recurrent breast cancer.

This is a rare sign of local recurrence. If you have itchy breasts, it’s worth mentioning to your doctor at your next visit.

“Scars usually stay stable after healing,” says Ilana Schlam Camhi, MD, MPH, a breast medical oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. “New thickening, redness, or swelling could be a sign of recurrence or scar tissue changes, so it should be checked.”

If one of your arms or shoulders is painful, numb, swollen, or heavy, it could be early lymphedema. This is a condition where your lymph nodes aren’t working right, so fluid begins to pool in certain body parts. It can happen after breast cancer surgery. But it also could be a sign of a regional recurrence. Ask your surgeon to take a look at your arm.

A lot of things, including breast cancer recurrence, can cause you to feel tired. If the fatigue doesn’t go away, talk to your primary care provider.

Trouble breathing, either during exercise or at rest, could be from a cancer recurrence in your lungs. But it also could be a sign of other problems, so check with your primary care provider.

Sometimes you can get a cough after catching a cold. But a persistent, dry cough can be a sign that your cancer has spread to the lungs. If it doesn’t go away, talk to your primary care provider.

If your back hurts but you didn’t injure it, it could be a sign of a few different problems, including a metastatic recurrence. If the pain doesn’t go away and you don’t know what caused it, it’s worth getting checked out.

Severe headaches could be a sign that your cancer has spread, but it could also be a sign of other problems. If you’re suddenly getting headaches for no obvious reason, call your doctor right away.

Don’t ignore changes in vision. These can suggest problems like a metastatic recurrence in the brain. Get help right away for any new, unexplained changes in vision.

If you feel sick to your stomach (and you don’t have a stomach bug), it could be a result of a few different things. In some cases, it could signal that breast cancer has spread to your liver, brain, or other body parts. If the nausea doesn’t go away and doesn’t have a clear cause, talk to your doctor.

Not feeling hungry? This could be a sign of many different things, including that breast cancer has spread to the liver. If your appetite doesn’t come back, talk to your doctor.

If you’ve lost weight without trying, talk to your doctor. This could be a sign of many problems, including cancer recurrence in the liver or other part of your body.

Pain or discomfort in the abdomen could be caused by many things, including a metastatic recurrence in the liver. If your stomach feels uncomfortable and you don’t know why, it’s worth talking with your doctor.

Jaundice is when your skin or the whites of your eyes turn yellowish. It can be a sign of liver problems, including metastatic cancer. Talk to your doctor.

If you’re feeling dizzy or unsteady on your feet, it’s possible that you’re having neurological problems or that breast cancer has spread to the brain. Get medical help immediately.

You should see your doctor regularly for follow-up care and mammograms. Remember, mammograms can detect breast cancer before it starts causing symptoms. Tell your doctor about any new or unexplained symptoms you have, especially if they don’t go away.