In the modern world, there is a disease that is not so easy to defeat, especially if it is not detected at the initial stage - this is cancer. It is treated in many ways, one of which is surgery. And when it seems that the disease is gone, and everything is behind, it suddenly returns. Why cancer recurs after surgery, what are the symptoms and how to prevent the return of the disease, we will talk further.
What is cancer recurrence
Relapse of cancer is the return of a malignant disease after a period of remission.
It is customary to distinguish between the recurrence of the entire oncological disease and the tumor.
The reason for the recurrence of a neoplasm may be the activation of cancer cells that remained after treatment and surgery and were inactive for some time. This can be quite a long period of time.
It is believed that the disease again made itself felt if metastases appear after a certain period of time after the tumor has been removed. They can be found not only in the tumor area, but also in tissues, distant organs, and lymph nodes.
Whatrelapse will not happen after recovery, no one can guarantee. But there are factors that can help the doctor determine the likelihood of a return of the disease and inform the patient about this.
Relapse factors
Let's highlight several factors that will determine the occurrence of a repeated malignant process:
- Where the tumor is located. If it is skin cancer in the first stage, then the recurrence of the disease is almost impossible, but the recurrence of breast cancer of the inner quadrant or rectal cancer is more likely.
- At what stage is the disease. So, in the early stages of the disease, when malignant cells have not penetrated the tissue barrier and have not spread through the circulatory and lymphatic systems, a complete cure is possible without recurrence of the disease.
- What is the histological structure of the neoplasm. Superficial tumors, as a rule, do not form a repeated malignant formation. And infiltrative cancer often recurs even after surgery.
- What method and amount of treatment was used. The most effective is the combined method of therapy. It gives a higher cure rate.
- What is the age of the patient. It is known that the recurrence of cancer at a young age is a very rare phenomenon, which cannot be said about people of an older age category. Secondary cancer is also known to grow very rapidly and aggressively.
Causes of cancer recurrenceafter surgery
One of the methods of cancer treatment is surgical removal of a malignant tumor. However, even after such an intervention and a course of chemotherapy, a relapse of the pathology is possible. The reasons for the return of the disease can be listed as follows:
- One of the reasons is not completely removed cancer cells during surgery. This is possible due to the fact that they began to form not in one, but in several places of the affected organ.
- Providing inadequate treatment or using ineffective methods.
- Heavy physical activity.
- Injuries to the operated part of the body.
- Use of drugs, smoking and addiction to strong alcoholic beverages.
- Chronic pathologies.
- Infectious diseases.
- Disruptions in the endocrine system.
Relapse at the initial stage is almost asymptomatic, but one of the manifestations is the definition of nodular formations of pathological tissues at the site of surgical intervention. Therefore, it is necessary to undergo regular examinations, as symptoms are minimal at an early stage.
Diagnosis of relapse
In order to determine how much pathological formations have increased, doctors may prescribe the following tests:
- X-ray examination.
- Ultrasound examination.
- Laboratory tests.
- Biopsy of pathological tissues.
Where relapse can occur
Recurrence of a malignant neoplasm does not always occur in the place where it was first detected and removed.
Where is tumor recurrence most often found:
- Local recurrence. Cancer appears in the same tissues or very close to them. At the same time, the process did not spread to nearby organs and tissues.
- Regional relapse. Malignant cells were found in lymph nodes and tissues near the site of removal of the cancer.
- Remote relapse. Pathological changes found in remote areas from the underlying primary cancer.
Consider the symptoms of cancer recurrence in some diseases.
Symptoms of returned ovarian cancer
Even a 100% cure does not guarantee that the disease will never return. If you have surgery for ovarian cancer, there is some chance that ovarian cancer may recur.
For timely detection, you should pay attention to the following symptoms:
- Sickness and weakness appear more and more often.
- There is a feeling of pain and heaviness in the lower abdomen.
- Rapid fatigue.
- There is a violation of the menstrual cycle.
- There are malfunctions in the functioning of the pelvic organs.
- Impaired urination and defecation.
- Metastatic pleurisy or ascites appears.
Symptoms of cancer recurrenceuterus
As mentioned earlier, the first symptoms of the recurrence of the disease are so insignificant that you can not even pay attention to it. However, you need to know what the symptoms might be if this is a recurrence of uterine cancer:
- Prostration, apathy.
- Dizziness.
- Dyspeptic disorders.
- Increase in body temperature to 38 degrees and above.
- Periodic low back and pelvic pain worse at night.
- Bleaching or watery discharge.
Common symptoms of re-oncology after surgery
Let's highlight a few common signs that are characteristic of the recurrence of cancer:
- Permanent feeling of tiredness.
- Headaches, dizziness.
- Disorder of the digestive system.
- Impaired bowel and bladder function.
- Indurations or neoplasms in any part of the body.
- Unusual discharge or bleeding.
- Frequent pains.
- Changing the size and nature of moles, birthmarks.
- Persistent cough or hoarseness.
I would like to note once again that most often recurrences of cancer in the initial stages are not very noticeable for patients. Therefore, it is necessary to regularly see specialists and take tests for cancer cells.
How is a returned disease treated after surgery
Currently, medicine is successfully fighting cancer in the early stages, and the treatment of recurrence at the initial stage can givethe person is more likely to recover.
Relapse after cancer removal can be early or late. Early recurrence occurs 2-4 months after surgery, and late - after 2-4 years or more.
Scientists have found that after surgery, cancer cells begin to actively progress after 4-6 months, so it is advisable to carry out specific therapy as soon as the primary signs of oncology were detected in the operated organ.
What is anti-cancer therapy:
- Surgery. Excision of a malignant tumor if the tumor cells have not invaded other tissues.
- Radiation therapy.
- Chemotherapy.
- Treatment with immunotherapy.
- According to the type and stage of cancer, radiofrequency ablation, cryosurgery or hormone therapy is performed.
As a rule, not one method of treatment is used, but several, which gives good results. Chemotherapy is often used along with radiation therapy.
It should be noted that cancer recurrence usually cannot be treated with the same methods and drugs that were used in the treatment of primary education. Malignant cells may be resistant to chemotherapy, so it can no longer be used in a relapse.
Radiotherapy is used when the tumor cannot be removed surgically and metastases have already formed. And also this type of treatment is additional to chemotherapy.
Ways to prevent relapse
In order to avoid a relapse after cancer, several recommendations must be followed:
- Constantly see an oncologist. At least 2 times a year undergo a medical examination. Conduct laboratory tests, monitor the condition of the lymph nodes, and also examine for the presence of seals, neoplasms.
- Stay he althy. Do not smoke, do not abuse hard liquor.
- Eat right food. The diet should be rich and balanced.
- Vitamins and nutritional supplements are recommended, but only after consulting a doctor.
- Recommended moderate exercise, sports. Proper alternation of work and rest, active lifestyle.
As you know, cancer recurrences occur in a more aggressive and transient form. To prevent this, it is necessary to follow the advice of doctors, lead a he althy lifestyle, and if the fear of the return of the disease still visits, seek psychological help.
