Can you survive breast cancer three times (sister)?

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My beautiful sister (58) was told last week that she has breast cancer again for the third time.

Two months ago she noticed a small brown lump on the outside of one of her reconstructed breasts, and it turns out it's the early stages of breast cancer again and has spread so far to her lymph nodes.

She has a meeting with her oncologist on Monday and will start chemotherapy and another treatment very soon. We're devastated.

What is a huge worry to me is the effect the chemotherapy will have. She's one of these driven people who never stops - she over-exercises and under-eats, and painted her flat in London (in days) during her last chemotherapy.
During that time she was hospitalised with a really bad chest infection and we were very worried for her.

She's also always had a difficult relationship with food and has been painfully thin since our parents died last year (although otherwise coping and assuring me she's eating well).

These factors are making me so worried and I wondered if anyone had any insight, anecdotes or even reassurance they could pass on.

Ok, so I can't say it's breast cancer three times but my aunt has survived cancer twice.

She had breast cancer first. She had to have a mastectomy. Then a few years later she got bowel cancer. This combination of cancers meant that they warned her that she was certain to get another cancer. She had all her womb etc removed and has been cancer free for 5 years.

You can survive it, but I think it will depend on your sister taking care of herself too. I think my aunt is resigned to getting cancer again someday but she just lives her life.

Sending love to you and good wishes for your sister

@ToodlePipWeeee my close relative has just been diagnosed with bowel cancer and has had breast cancer. Do you have any information about why this combination might mean future issues with another cancer please?

Glad your sister is doing well.

My mother had breast cancer 3 times and sadly didn't make it as the third time it came back as secondary cancer in her liver and stomach. But this was a long time ago and treatment has massively improved since then.

However, I would be very concerned that your sister doesn't seem to take good care of herself. This is even more important when you're a cancer survivor. It sounds like the root cause is her mental health so I'd try and encourage to talk to a good psychologist on a regular basis asap.

So sorry for your sister, how awful to have it for the third time but if it's early stage rather than reoccurrence at stage 4 you do hear of people surviving it multiple times though it's incredibly tough re treatment mentally and physically and there is some cumulative effect. Exercise is strongly recommended so I wouldn't worry about that and painting her flat sounds great for a distraction and again wouldn't be discouraged unless making her ill. Under eating is not encouraged during treatment as you need all your strength for treatment. Losing weight though can also be the cancer in some cases, not normally with breast cancer. I have had 2 breast cancers though both at same time but done one lot of 2 surgeries, chemo, radio, Tamoxifen and 2 surgeries to come. There's a cancer support thread on here under general health your sister could join. Sadly people go to stage 4 however good care they take of themselves. Things like if you do X you will survive tends to be something people without cancer say to reassure themselves but they can be hurtful to people with cancer so take care with phrasing even though it's well intended it implies the person can stop their cancer. The best people in terms of support are people who ask you how you are feeling and listen and are there throughout and if in doubt ask what would be helpful, it will vary from person to person. If there's an eating disorder that may need support though getting through cancer treatment takes all your mental energy and the key thing here is to get through that. Weight is monitored throughout treatment so they should pick that up anyway esp in chemo. My husband made my meals in chemo, that was really helpful but would check with sister first if offering something like that, you also often don't know until the day what you may feel like eating. Iron can go low so high in iron foods can help with the weakness feeling. Anti sickness treatment is very good now though. I am very sorry for you losing your parents and your sister with cancer for third time. Sending you all a big hug.

I have seen women survive breast cancers that recurred twice but it depends on the type of cancer and also is rare because many women opt for full mastectomy the first time the cancer returns. Also it depends whether they continue to take hormone blockers etc, which many don't because of the side effects.

This lady here was a breast surgeon and has breast cancer a third time now, she has published books and has a Twitter. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-66468548 Some people with cancer follow her. I don't particularly as don't want to think about getting it three times.

I had the hormone tablets, they are only given afaik for hormone positive breast cancer but they do improve chances though sadly some women take everything and still get it back. In my case they add about 10% chance to being alive in 15 years but when you get another breast cancer it can be hormone positive first time and hormone negative second time. But generally follow oncologist advice, treatment is the best hope for this. New treatment is coming out all the time.

I had a mastectomy first time but then it can come back in chest wall amongst other places though there was chemo and radio to try and stop that.

I can't open the link to the breast surgeon but I'm hoping it's Liz O'Riordan she's just been diagnosed herself for a third time and has some amazing advice.