Recurrent cancer

Recurrent cancer is any form of cancer that has returned or recurred when a fraction of primary tumor cells evade the effects of treatment and survive in small spaces that are undetectable by diagnostic tests. The initial tumor may become the site of cancer’s return or it may spread to another part of the body.[1] These surviving cells accumulate various genetic changes over time, eventually producing a new tumor cell. It can take up to weeks, months, or even years for cancer to return. Following surgery and/or chemotherapy or radiotherapy, certain tumor cells may persist and develop resistance to treatment and eventually develop into new tumors. Age, sex, cancer type, treatment duration, stage of advancement, grade of original tumor, and cancer-specific risk factors are some of the factors that determine the rate of cancer recurrence.[2][3][4] If recurrent cancer has already moved to other body parts or has developed chemo-resistance then it may be more aggressive than original cancer. In general, the severity of cancer increases with a shorter duration of time between initial treatment and its return.[3]

Cancers with the highest recurrence rates include Glioblastoma with a recurrence rate of almost 100%,[5]  Epithelial ovarian cancer with a recurrence rate of 85%,[6] and Bladder cancer with a recurrence rate of 30-54%[7]

  1. ^ "https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/recurrent-cancer". www.cancer.gov. 2011-02-02. Retrieved 2022-10-07. {{cite web}}: External link in |title= (help)
  2. ^ Baker, Frank; Denniston, Maxine; Smith, Tenbroeck; West, Michele M. (2005). "Adult cancer survivors: How are they faring?". Cancer. 104 (S11): 2565–2576. doi:10.1002/cncr.21488. ISSN 0008-543X. PMID 16258929. S2CID 37025588.
  3. ^ a b "Cancer Recurrence - Why Does Cancer Come Back". Cancer Treatment Centers of America. 2021-07-15. Retrieved 2022-10-07.
  4. ^ Doroudian, Sepehr; Osterman, Erik; Glimelius, Bengt (2024-06-09). "Risk Factors for Recurrence After Surgery for Rectal Cancer in a Modern, Nationwide Population-Based Cohort". Annals of Surgical Oncology. doi:10.1245/s10434-024-15552-x. ISSN 1068-9265. PMC 11300512.
  5. ^ van Linde, Myra E.; Brahm, Cyrillo G.; de Witt Hamer, Philip C.; Reijneveld, Jaap C.; Bruynzeel, Anna M. E.; Vandertop, W. Peter; van de Ven, Peter M.; Wagemakers, Michiel; van der Weide, Hiske L.; Enting, Roelien H.; Walenkamp, Annemiek M. E.; Verheul, Henk M. W. (2017-10-01). "Treatment outcome of patients with recurrent glioblastoma multiforme: a retrospective multicenter analysis". Journal of Neuro-Oncology. 135 (1): 183–192. doi:10.1007/s11060-017-2564-z. ISSN 1573-7373. PMC 5658463. PMID 28730289.
  6. ^ Corrado, Giacomo; Salutari, Vanda; Palluzzi, Eleonora; Distefano, Maria Grazia; Scambia, Giovanni; Ferrandina, Gabriella (2017-12-02). "Optimizing treatment in recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer". Expert Review of Anticancer Therapy. 17 (12): 1147–1158. doi:10.1080/14737140.2017.1398088. ISSN 1473-7140. PMID 29086618. S2CID 4715924.
  7. ^ Mari, Andrea; Campi, Riccardo; Tellini, Riccardo; Gandaglia, Giorgio; Albisinni, Simone; Abufaraj, Mohammad; Hatzichristodoulou, Georgios; Montorsi, Francesco; van Velthoven, Roland; Carini, Marco; Minervini, Andrea; Shariat, Shahrokh F. (2018-02-01). "Patterns and predictors of recurrence after open radical cystectomy for bladder cancer: a comprehensive review of the literature". World Journal of Urology. 36 (2): 157–170. doi:10.1007/s00345-017-2115-4. ISSN 1433-8726. PMC 5799348. PMID 29147759.