Opting out of Adjunt Therapy for Stage 1 Breast Cancer
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Sal, the benefit you get from Tamoxifen is specific to you and your diagnosis. On average it reduces local recurrence risk by approx. 45% and metastatic recurrence risk by 1/3.
If you have an aggressive tumor and your metastatic recurrence risk is 24%, Tamoxifen would be able to reduce your risk to 16%, an 8% risk reduction benefit. But if you have a small indolent tumor and your metastatic recurrence risk is only 6%, Tamoxifen would reduce your risk to 4%, only a 2% risk reduction benefit. In both cases the risk reduction is 1/3, but the absolute amount of benefit depends on what your risk is to begin with, before taking the Tamoxifen.
What is your diagnosis? Do you have an Oncotype score? That would help determine the benefit your would receive from Tamoxifen.
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Bessie - If someone has a 6% recurrence score with an AI on Oncotype that score is based strictly on the tumor pathology --- isn't it?? If someone has other risk factors the 6% figure should go up ---- like I also have LCIS. Do the Onco people know that? I still haven't taken an AI, but as I think about it I do have other risk factors so my recurrence chance should be greater ---- am I thinking correctly? P.S -- somehow at my age I doubt I'm going to start exercising as I should -- nor am I going to lose weight - at least not as much as I should. Thank goodness I quit drinking my wine in the evenings 3 years ago.
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I am also new to breast cancer. I was diagnosed with a grade 1 stage 1, with no invasion of lymph nodes. I have had lumpectomy and am now deciding further treatment if any. I have decided that I will not take the hormone drugs but may consider radiation. I am 72, have struggled with fibromyalgia for years and feel I will have a very hard time tolerating side effects of these drugs. I very well may choose no treatment, as quality of life is important at my age. Has anyone tried alternative medicine!!
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Hi tmckenna- my stats/age same/similar as
you- I have been on tamoxifin for 1 year and
no side effects yet-if they suggest it
you could always try it ( or not)- i
stayed away from letrozole due to its
bone loss side effect/
hope this helps
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Tmckenna --- I decided against the drugs, but did do radiation.. The radiation is very important since it kills the tiny cells missed by the lumpectomy. In fact there are some studies that have determined a lumpectomy with radiation has a little better prognosis than a mastectomy. Radiation is not hard to get though - no pain -- just get tired by the end.
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