If breast cancer comes back in the same breast after surgery and radiotherapy then the usual recommendation would be to have a mastectomy. Other operations have been tried, such as a further wide local excision, but a mastectomy appears to be the best way of reducing the risk of any further problems and improving survival. Occasionally women who are at a high risk of another recurrence of their breast cancer, even after a second operation, will be offered additional treatment to reduce their risk, which is usually either chemotherapy or hormonal therapy.

As well as having a tumour in the breast, if there is also an indication that there is cancer in the lymph nodes in your underarm (axilla), you may also have these removed at the same time as your mastectomy. 

Sometimes when breast cancer comes back a second operation isn’t possible. This may be because of the size or position of the tumour, or because of the general health of the woman. In these situations it may be possible to treat the cancer with chemotherapy or hormonal therapy.

Because you have already had radiotherapy to your breast it is unlikely that you will be able to have any more. There is a maximum amount of radiotherapy that each part of the body can receive before it starts to cause permanent damage.

Your specialist and breast care nurse will explain the treatment options to you. They should also answer any questions you have about the treatment.