Just stopped 6 months of chemo and switched to tamoxifen, with zometa as bone strengthener for my bone metz.
Anyone had a similar experience and would like to comment on how effective this is? (maybe compare to chemo)
I’ve raised the question to my onc about whether this would be enough. (I don’t think tamoxifen is as a “strong” drug as chemo, even though it’s kinder for my body.) My onc said that because my bc is ER+ & PR+, tamoxifen should be very effective. Anyone had similar treatment would like to confirm this?
Following treatment for primaries: 4 months chemo(FEC & Docetaxol)which ended August, surgery in Sept & radiotherapy which ended week before Xmas I’ve also been on Tamoxifen since late September and started on a bisposhonate in November (part of trial comparing Zometa with Bondronat)for bone secondaries. Also have small lung secs.
I too am wondering about the efficacy of Tamoxifen comapared with say, Arimidex because the base-line xrays taken for the bisphoshonates trial show that the pain in my hip is due to pelvis mets spreading since the scan following chemo. Having scans before next onc appointment on Jan 25th to see if spread is localised or not & to review Tamoxifen/adjuvant(?)radiotherapy if appropriate.
Will let you know what onc says & if anyone out there has any suggestions about what else I should ask to progress m1yu’s & my question, please let me know!
hi
Think all meds work differently from person to person. I was diagnosed in may 07, after chemo, surgery and radio i was put on arimadex. After only being on this for just a year my cancer came back in spine and right hip, i was immediately changed to tamoxifen along side zometa. 6 months on and these still haun’t worked for me, more spread in spine and probable Spot found in liver and so now being changed to docetaxol with herceptin. Hopefully 3rd time lucky and this lot will work.
Hi,
karenr. Thanks for info. My onc told me that herceptin won’t work for me. And he’s not too sure about me having surgery either. But he’ll organize a scan for me after 3 months of tam & zometa. So, hopeful, if it doesn’t work, it’ll be caught early and change the treatment.