Breast cancer survivors are at greater risk for new tumors than people who have never had the disease
- Genetics influences the risk of tumors, but also of smoking, alcohol and obesity
Research shows that breast cancer survivors are significantly more likely to develop a new form of cancer than people who have never had the disease.
The effect was seen strongest in women diagnosed before the age of 50, who are almost twice as likely to develop the disease elsewhere.
The study also found that the most common site for new tumors to appear in these patients was the uterus, followed by the blood and ovaries.
Experts say genetics are partly to blame. About one in ten breast cancer patients carry the inherited genetic mutations BRCA1 and BRCA2, which increase the risk of that cancer and of other forms of the disease.
The University of Cambridge researchers also pointed to lifestyle factors such as smoking, excessive alcohol consumption and obesity as reasons why breast cancer patients were so susceptible to new tumors.
Male breast cancer patients – who represent about one percent of cases – are also 58 percent more likely to develop prostate cancer than the general male population.
Research has found that breast cancer survivors are significantly more likely to develop a new form of cancer than people who have never had the disease (Stock Photo)
The effect was most strongly seen in women diagnosed before age 50, who are almost twice as likely to develop the disease elsewhere (Stock Photo)
Around 55,000 women and 400 men are diagnosed with breast cancer in the UK every year. Advances in treatment over the past decade mean that almost nine out of ten patients are still alive five years after diagnosis.
The new study looked at the health records of more than 580,000 women and 3,500 men diagnosed with the disease between 1995 and 2019. Experts said the findings suggest breast cancer survivors may need regular checkups to look for other tumors. Dr. Simon Vincent, director of research, support and advocacy at the charity Breast Cancer Now, said more research was needed “to determine what follow-up would be appropriate for people who have completed treatment.”
Last month, The Mail on Sunday revealed the ‘extremely rare’ case of 38-year-old Jess Parsons, who was completely clear of a rare form of breast cancer, but weeks later was told she had developed a new form in the other breast and needed further treatment.