Once your doctor has determined your specific type and stage of breast cancer, you can begin to plan for your treatment and recovery. How fast the cancer is growing. Special lab tests on the tissue can measure how fast the cancer cells are dividing and how different they are compared to normal breast cells. Your general state of health. Your chance of surviving breast cancer will also depend upon your risk for return of cancer after treatment is completed.
Some women are at higher risk for the spread or return of breast cancer.
In many cases, doctors can't explain why one patient stays well and another does not. Remember, the risk factors for recurrence are complex. They are not absolute predictions of your future health. The smaller your tumor, the lower the risk. The fewer underarm lymph nodes that have cancer, the lower your risk.