Why does breast cancer often recur at the 10 year mark?

Planolucy asked...

I had breast cancer 71/2 years ago. I understand there is a very high propensity of cancer recurring around the 10 year mark. Why is this?

Expert Answer

Harvey Gilbert, MD, is a radiation oncologist with more than 35 years of professional experience in the medical field, working with cancer patients. He has edited 14 medical textbooks and coauthored 40 papers in the field of oncology. Dr. Gilbert is the medical director of the Ben Schaffer Cancer Institute in Lodi, California.

The breast cancer recurrence at the 10 year mark is no more critical than any other mark. The one thing to know about breast cancer is that it can occur for many years into the future, far beyond the 10 year mark. But, it is also fair to say that the recurrence rates continue to decrease over time, with some patients experiencing recurrences for up to 20+ years after treatment. In addition the new treatments for breast cancer have both increased the permanent cure rates, but in many cases have just delayed the recurrence rates to a later time period than they would have without treatment.