The risk of a second cancer in women who survived early breast cancer turned out to be significantly lower than previously assumed.
The study included nearly half a million women in England aged 20 to 75 with early-stage breast cancer. Researchers followed their health for up to 20 years after diagnosis. They found that the risk of developing a second tumor was only slightly higher than in the general population: 2.1% for other types of cancer and 3.1% for cancer in the other breast.
The study also showed that age at diagnosis had little effect on the likelihood of a second disease. Treatment methods slightly increased the risk of a second cancer. However, these effects account for only about 7% of new second-cancer cases, and, as the authors stress, the benefit of treatment far outweighs the potential harm.
This is the world’s largest study of secondary cancers in women who have gone through early breast cancer. In effect, most women with this diagnosis have a risk of a second cancer comparable to that of everyone else. And that really changes the game: less anxiety, more confidence, and a more balanced approach to treatment.
