Breast Cancer Recurrence Risk Calculator

Breast cancer recurrence means cancer returns after initial treatment, either near the original breast or regional lymph nodes or at a distant site. Risk is not determined by one measurement. Tumor biology, stage, pathology, treatment response, genomic information, age, other health conditions, and the length of follow-up all contribute. A five-year estimate describes a group probability and cannot predict what will happen to one person. Tumor size and involved lymph nodes reflect anatomic disease burden. Histologic grade describes how different tumor cells appear from normal breast cells and how actively they are likely to behave. Hormone receptor status indicates whether estrogen or progesterone signaling may drive growth and whether endocrine therapy may help. HER2-positive cancers have distinct biology and can respond to HER2-targeted treatments. Modern therapy can substantially change prognosis, which is why untreated historical risk and risk after a recommended treatment plan are not interchangeable. This calculator uses a transparent educational point estimate. It starts with a baseline, adds weight for tumor size, higher grade, positive lymph nodes, hormone receptor negativity, and HER2 positivity, then limits extreme output. It does not implement Oncotype DX, MammaPrint, PREDICT, CTS5, or another validated clinical algorithm. Those tools have specific eligibility criteria, input definitions, treatment assumptions, endpoints, and validation populations that cannot be recreated by a generic score. A pathology report may contain more detail than these fields, including exact receptor percentages, Ki-67, lymphovascular invasion, margins, molecular subtype, nodal burden, and treatment response. Recurrence can also be reported as local, regional, distant, invasive, or disease-free survival, so percentages from different sources may answer different questions. Always compare the time horizon and endpoint before comparing numbers. Use the result to understand the direction in which common factors can influence risk, not as medical advice. An oncologist can integrate pathology, imaging, surgery, radiation, systemic therapy, genetics, menopausal status, and patient priorities. New symptoms or concerns after breast cancer treatment should be discussed with the treating team rather than interpreted through an online calculator.