I am 33 years old and my sister was diagnosed with breast cancer 3 years ago at the age of 32. Apparently it was hormone-based as opposed to hormone-receptive breast cancer and I am pleased to say she is now doing very well.
Can anyone tell me the difference as I am getting conflicting advice about whether or not I am allowed to use certain contraceptives due to their hormone-content as I am considered to be in a high risk group.
My tumour was hormone based as the onchologist believed my 10yrs of HRT treatment for an early menopause had caused it. However, after my lumpectomy when I had my results I was told the tumour which had probably started out hormonal was now triple negative.
Josie x
I’ve been advised that the contraceptive pill is a no-no for me because of its oestrogen content and links to breast cancer. So I asked about the mini-pill as they are progesterone-only, only to be given the same advice that anything “hormone-based” isn’t a good idea.
If my sister had hormone based BC, is there a genetic link which means I am pre-disposed or more likely to get hormone-based BC and therefore I shouldn’t put any hormones into my system that might increase my risk??
I was on HRT for about ten years as well and my tumour was strongly hormone receptive. The surgeon thought the HRT was probably the cause but as my mother had bc as well and she never took HRT, I am not so sure. Maybe yours didn’t change, Josie. Maybe it was always triple negative. Who knows the cause?
red76, I suggest you get your sister to ask her breast care nurse what ‘hormone based’ means.
Breastcancer doesn’t run in my family. I had all my children young, fully breastfed them all etc. When first diagnosed I was told that I had a 1cm, very slow growing tumour which had been there for a long time. However after the op three weeks later it had grown to 2.4cm and was grade3+. The consultant onchologist told me himself that he beleaved it had started out as hormonal and had been caused by HRT which I was put on at 35 for an early menopause.
Why it had suddenly gone balistic I do not know but I have my suspicions that it was because of the first biopsy, and really do think that once a biopsy is done on a tumour no time should be wasted before removing it!
Josie x
Wow agree with previous poster re the biopsy possibly disturbing a ‘happy’ tumour and sending it ballistic. Mine went from 2.5cm to 5cm in the space of three weeks waiting for surgery.
The tumour and breast tissue is obviously swollen, bruised and painful after a core biopsy - which is like being shot - so it must get the immune system sending healing cells there - which may feed it - i don’t know, this is all theory and not scientific - just how it felt to me at the time - I could not wait for it to be cut out. Surgeon said it had ‘legs’ which were hidden on the mammogram and the ultrasound!!! Scares me when I am due for follow ups as 18 months before 5cm tumour I was told small calcifications which were normal for me and no further concern. Lyn x
My bc was lobular and so I had an MRI scan to check the extent. I was originally told it was 1.4cms from the mammogram/ultrasound/core biopsy, then 2.2cms from the MRI - and it turned out to be 1.5cms plus ‘satellites’ totalling 1.9cms in all. They said that none of the equipment gives an accurate size, they just have to see when they remove it. It was many weeks wait between the original tests and surgery, as I had a further core biopsy after the MRI scan, and I was worried about this, but it appears that nothing much changed. I was grade 2.
hi red,
i was diagnosed aged 35 in april 09 with invasive cancer and DCIS 7/8 ER and PR+. My sister is 38 and went through early menopause age 21 but was only diagnosed aged 30 and has since been on HRT. She went to the breast clinic as a result of my diagnosis and is in the medium risk group as there is no other family history apart from me, but HRT is a strong contributer. She must now make the decision whether to continue with HRT which has made her life so much easier or stop and risk further damage to her bones (she already has onset oesteoporosis).
She is finding it a very hard decision to make as there is no evidence to suggest just because i got it so young that she would too.
Is there any other BC in your family? Do you know if your sister has to take hormone therapy such as tomaxofin?
I only took the pill for a total of 3 yrs as it didnt agree with me aged 17-20. i don’t know if this made any difference, perhaps if i had taken it for longer my prognosis would have been much worse…perhaps not.
I suggest you discuss this with your gp or ask to be referred to a breast clinic if you havent already to assess your risk, and if you are concerned try an alternative such as copper coil - i use this and apart from initial discomfort (sort of like having a bit of a nasty smear test) i’ve had no other problems and am allowed to continue with it as it is not hormone based like the mirena coil.
Hope this helps.
pix.x
re the size of tumours the mammo and U/S just give an rough size… my tumour was measured as 1cm on U/S but i had surgery the very next day less than 24 hours later and the tumour was 1.9cm extending to 2.5cm including areas of DCIS.
iv had two different cancers the first was a grade 1 strongly oestrogen receptor positive tumour 7/8 and then 3 years later in May 09 in the other breast i got a grade 3 triple negative tumour.
i actually got the mirena coil put in after i was diagnosed with the hormone receptive tumour, but it has preventative effects on the endometrium which can be caused by tamoxifen… still got my mirena and im keeping it LOL