What are the recurrence risks and considerations for someone with estrogen-positive breast cancer who has completed chemo, radiation, and a lumpectomy?
Given the strong estrogen-positive status (98%), recurrence is something worth staying informed about. The good news is that ER-positive breast cancer tends to respond well Show Full Answer
What are the recurrence risks and considerations for someone with estrogen-positive breast cancer who has completed chemo, radiation, and a lumpectomy?
Given the strong estrogen-positive status (98%), recurrence is something worth staying informed about. The good news is that ER-positive breast cancer tends to respond well to hormone-blocking therapy, which you've already done for 4 years.
A few things worth knowing about recurrence risk with ER-positive breast cancer:
- ER-positive breast cancer can recur later — sometimes 10 or more years after treatment
- Having had a lumpectomy with radiation reduces recurrence risk significantly compared to lumpectomy alone
- Continuing to exercise (which you're already doing!) is one of the best things to help lower recurrence risk
- Maintaining a healthy weight also plays a role in reducing risk
It's worth discussing with your oncologist whether continuing hormone-blocking therapy beyond 4 years makes sense for your situation, as some people benefit from extending it to 5+ years. Regarding the brain fog and low motivation — these are very commonly reported after breast cancer treatment. Many MyBCTeam members describe the same experience. Hormone-blocking therapy in particular is known to contribute to these symptoms, and they can linger even after stopping.
Some things that may help:
- Regular exercise — already doing this, great work!
- Sleep hygiene — poor sleep worsens cognitive fog
- Talking to your oncologist — they can check for any treatable contributing factors
- Cognitive exercises — puzzles, reading, or brain-training apps
Bring up the brain fog and low motivation at your next appointment — there may be options to help manage these symptoms more effectively.
May 11
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