RESOURCE GUIDE / 2009

Features

About Cancer: What is Cancer?Understanding cancer means knowing it's more than one disease 

About Cancer: Cancer TherapiesAn easy-to-understand explanation of the various types of cancer treatment 

About Cancer: Pathology & StagingHow much, what it looks like, and where it is guide diagnosis and treatment 

At Diagnosis: Dealing With EmotionsHow to recognize normal reactions at diagnosis and when you need help 

At Diagnosis: Special Issues by AgeWhether you're diagnosed in your 30s or your 60s, age impacts what you do next 

Before Treatment: Medical DecisionsSix steps for handling the stress of choosing treatment 

Before Treatment: Seeking a Second OpinionWhy and how to get another opinion about your diagnosis or treatment 

Before Treatment: Understanding Clinical TrialsWhat you need to know to decide if a clinical trial is right for you 

Before Treatment: Insurance IssuesStrategies to make sure you're getting the most out of your insurance plan 

During Treatment: Side Effects of TherapyToxic effects caused by treatment have their own management strategies

During Treatment: Nutrition FactsAnswers to important questions about nutrition and diet 

During Treatment: Financial MattersOrganization and help are crucial in managing your finances during treatment 

After Treatment: A Post-Treatment PrescriptionPatients are no longer on their own when treatment ends 

After Treatment: Exercise & RecoveryPhysical activity can help improve mental and physical functioning after cancer treatment 

After Treatment: Back to 'Normal'Strategies help patients adjust to life after treatment 

For the Caregiver: A New RoleNavigating the challenging territory of caregiving 

For the Caregiver: Taking Care of YourselfHow and why caregivers should care for themselves 

Predicting Recurrence

Your doctor can’t precisely predict if your cancer will recur, but depending on your type of cancer, stage, and other factors, a strategy for monitoring for recurrence can be put in place after treatment.

Typically, patients who had complete surgical removal of their tumor or those with early-stage, non-aggressive tumors are less likely to have their cancer recur. For most cancers, the risk of recurrence declines over time, but every cancer type has a different pattern. Certain types of acute leukemias and lymphomas are usually considered cured if no recurrence has been found after five years, whereas melanoma can recur 10 or 20 years after surgery. Certain cancers, such as lung, pancreas, or bladder, are more likely to recur than others.

Adjuvant therapy usually refers to hormone therapy, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or immunotherapy added after surgery to increase the chances of curing the disease or to reduce the risk of recurrence. While surgery may remove the tumor, undetected cancer cells may remain, so the goal of adjuvant therapy is to kill or disable them. In addition, a healthy diet of fruits and vegetables and frequent exercise may help lower recurrence risk in many cancers.

Oncotype DX is a test that can be used to help doctors decide whether to give adjuvant chemotherapy to women with hormone receptor-positive invasive breast cancer. Testing for the function of 21 specific genes within a woman’s breast cancer can predict the risk of recurrence, as well as the expected benefit from chemotherapy.

MammaPrint, a 70-gene assay used in women with early-stage breast cancer, can also help determine the risk of recurrence after surgery and radiation. If this profile signature shows that a woman has a high risk of recurrence, chemotherapy is recommended. Women at low risk, on the other hand, can be spared chemotherapy and its side effects.

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