In the UK one in 7 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime.
When Ispy was diagnosed in 2018 that statistic was 1:8. Let that sink in …
The national incidence in the UK for women being diagnosed with a primary breast cancer is going up year on year. At the same time diagnosis and treatment is improving. Recurrence and secondary breast cancer are reducing.
A woman successfully treated for breast cancer still has the 1:7 risk of new cancer developing. As well as that, there is the increased risk, dependent on the type of cancer, the stage it was at at diagnosis and how quickly and effectively treatment was administered, of the cancer recurring.
Recurrence means a new disease in the breast tissue of the same cancer as the primary, like a seed that lay dormant. Secondary breast cancer is when a growth occurs outside the breast that is related to the primary cancer. This can be in other area’s of the body and is like a seed has travelled from the original tumour to a new location.
Once anyone has had a cancer diagnosis, no matter how treatable, at what stage or at what age it was diagnosed, there is the risk of the cancer ‘coming back’. The fear of cancer coming back is one of the most significant long term effects of a diagnosis on a person affected by cancer.
To a certain extent, one can push this to the back of ones mind. Live a normal life and function effectively. Sometimes the fear is paralysing though. Sometimes the fear is very real and very present.
IspyDystopia 