Hello everyone, been looking on here since being diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma stage 1, her+. I have just started radiation after lumpectomy surgery. I am 69. Had non hodgkins lymphoma 2 years ago and had just gotten my" your good!"2 year checkup with oncologist when i found that i have breast cancer. Doc says no connection. I have done much research and am really digging my heals in on the hormone treatment when i am finished with my 20 radiation treatments. I am curious if anyone else on here has researched eliminating estrogen in your body through diet? I just did the Dutch urine test to see where i am with all hormone levels. I am petrified of doing the hormones because of all of the horrendous side effects. So many brave strong women on here and i am grateful i have found you!!!
Hi sorry you are having to go on the cancer treatment merry-go-round again after only 2 years clear. Its good you are stage one, however. What grade are you? I’m guessing low as you don’t mention a need of herceptin as part of treatment. If that’s so, that puts you in a rare category of BC, like me.
I was grade 1, stage 1 her2+, er +. No chemo or herceptin offered, just radio and tamoxifen. Tried tamoxifen but ditched it after 3 month’s due to side-effects. Not sure what AI’s would of been like as still premenopausal although 53.
I doubt there is any food that lowers estrogen, but as you are past menopause, lowering body fat through diet and exercise will reduce oestrogen as its made in fat cells post menopause.
Good luck with the radiotherapy, bear in mind that cording can happen months down the line after it, so regular execise and stretches in the area for a long time after radio is important.
I note you say you are her2+, if not ER+ too, then oestrogen blockers won’t be needed. Have your Dr’s said about taking hormone blockers? They would usually have already given you some to take by the time you get to doing radiotherapy if they were required, so it looks like you don’t need them, so don’t worry about it.
Hi @marishka welcome to the forum, I’m glad that you are finding support here. It seems so unfair that you’re having to face another cancer challenge so soon after the last. I’m sure you’ll face it with the same fortitude and success.
Have you definitely been told that you will be on endocrine treatment? I am 69, diagnosed at 66 with er+ HER2- IDC S1 G1. I was prescribed Letrozole and have had very few side effects on it. Dismissing it out of hand is bold as you do not know if you’ll be one of the women who get SE or not. There are many women who are devastated about having to stop endocrine treatment at the end of their course because of the security it gives them so not everyone’s reaction to the drug is the same. There is no such thing as a low oestrogen diet and even if there was, it would not have the same strength of impact as the drug. If there was a simple, effective and “cost-free to the NHS” solution, I’m sure they would adopt it but there isn’t. I urge you to watch Dr Liz O’Riordan’s YouTube channel on this subject. She is a BC surgeon who has had BC three times and speaks with authority on subjects such as these. No-one can force you to take endocrine treatment, and there are many people who don’t, but you must be prepared to take the risk of spread which would involve more challenging treatment permanently. Before refusing it, if you do, please discuss with your oncologist as (s)he should have various results such as NPI, Oncotype (if you had one) and Predict scores to hand to guide you in your decision. Good luck.
Thank you for your response! I apologize, I am not Her+ but I am Er+. I have already been given script to start hormone blocker but not start until after completion of Radiation. My oncologist and I have a strong bond as I have been with him for quite some time due to Lymphoma. He understands my concern but of course strongly encouraging me to take the blocker. I have done much research and am seeing a functional medicine practioner to determine where my body is with estrogen through specific urine testing. I did have oncotype test, i scored 13 so no chemo, thank goodness, i have had a full hysterectomy. I am eating all foods that fight estrogen and walking briskly for an hour everyday. Yoga stretches. I am seeing functional medicine today after Radi to see my results from Dutch test on what all my levels are for hormones. I know I cant be ignorant about what I may face if I decline the blocker . I appreciate any and all guidance. One day at a time!! I know so many of you have or are facing bigger battles than I. Thank you for being here. Hope today brings you some “Sunshine”! Thank you both for your compassion and suggestions. I also read a book just after my diagnosis that was recommended to me by my NP… Breasts- Owners Manual. By Dr. Kristi Funk who is also a Breast Cancer surgeon . It was this book that opened my eyes to what and how diet and exercise affect the estrogen in our bodies. There is a lot of valuable information in this book although overwhelming. I tend to be a naturopathic person. Sometimes to a fault I suppose. Thank you again and I hope you have a wonderful day! 🩷
Hi @marishka there are many studies whose results prove that a good diet and a regular mix of aerobic exercise with strength and conditioning exercise can help prevent recurrence by 40-50%. You have discussed this with your oncologist, who you trust, and you seem to accept that there is an element of risk to your refusal of endocrine treatment. I, therefore, wish you every success in your choices and your bespoke cancer treatment programme and I hope you live a long and cancer-free life.
Tigress,
Thank you for your kind reply. I have not 100% declined hormone therapy. I am exploring my options and am meeting with a certified holistic breast cancer oncologist to determine with all of my pathology results and testing results that I may be eligible to eliminate that part of my treatment plan. I reached out on here to see if anyone else had questioned the need. This is a very scary process to navigate. I appreciate all input as this is very new and a much different plan than I had for lymphoma. Thank you again.