Metastatic Breast Cancer Recurrence Table

Breast or chest wall

• Lump or thickening in the breast or under the arm
• Changes in size or shape of the breast
• Changes in the skin of the breast or chest wall
• Chest wall pain
• Discharge from the nipple

• Surgery to treat a local recurrence to the breast, under the arm, or on the chest wall
• Hormone therapy, such as tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor for cancers that are fed by estrogen (ER+)
• Chemotherapy, such as doxorubicin or cyclophosphamide
• Radiation treatments

Bones, especially the back, hips, or sternum

• Pain
• Fractures
• Constipation
• Fatigue
• Decreased alertness from high calcium levels

• Radiation treatment to reduce bone pain, fractures, and spinal cord compression
• Hormone therapy, such as tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor for cancers that are fed by estrogen (ER+)
• Chemotherapy, such as paclitaxel or vinorelbine
• Bisphosphonates, such as pamidronate or zoledronic acid

Lungs

• Shortness of breath, difficulty breathing
• Cough
• Chest wall pain
• Extreme fatigue

• Hormone therapy, such as tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor for cancers that are fed by estrogen (ER+)
• Chemotherapy, such as paclitaxel or vinorelbine

Liver

• Nausea
• Extreme fatigue
• Increased abdominal girth
• Fluid collection (edema) in the feet and legs
• Yellowing or itching of the skin

• Hormone therapy, such as tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor for cancers that are fed by estrogen (ER+)
• Chemotherapy, such as paclitaxel or vinorelbine

Brain and spinal cord

• Pain
• Confusion
• Memory loss
• Headache
• Blurred or double vision
• Change in how the skin senses touch, pain, or any other physical feeling
• Trouble speaking or understanding speech
• Trouble standing, moving, or walking
• Seizures

• Radiation treatments to the brain or spinal cord
• Chemotherapy delivered directly into the spinal fluid (intrathecal chemotherapy)
• Corticosteroids, such as dexamethasone, to reduce swelling in the brain and spinal cord
• Surgery to remove pressure on the spinal cord