Confused.Tamoxifen

[Kess]

Kim, - if you are on Tamoxifen you dont need necessarily your ovaries removed, it doesnt work like the AIs.

Walkabout it really does depend on your recurrence chance. if its fairly low then they may only suggest you take the hormone therapy for a shorter period. And my onc told me that people generally are more likely to have worse SE from an AI thank Tamoxifen (although clearly some people get on fine with them). Although your onc did seem a bit dismissive about a recurrence which would have annoyed me!!

[Jobey68]

They were very excited that I was an 8/8 so would get maximum benefit from it apparently, they have said they are trialing 10 years so I may be on it that long, I asked straight away about at least having Overies removed but they said would make no difference, I'm going to keep pushing for a Hysterectomy as a preventative measure, I have got private health care through work so as long as I can get my GP to approve it I can have it done that way, I'm being treated on the NHS at the minute as have found them excellent and felt no need to go down the private route but I will do of its the only way I can get what I want xx

[walkabout]

Jo

Thanks for your reply. Clearly your team must have thought there was benefit to you of taking the tamoxifen.I really don't know what I am going to do now. I think certainly for now and until I have the hysteroscopy on 18 May I will carry on taking it. My gynae team have said a definite no so far to a hysterectomy . Good luck with your rads.

[Jobey68]

Hiya, I've been diagnosed this year with 8/8 ER + 4mm Tubular cancer with clear nodes and am currently on Tamoxifen with Rads to start in just over a week, I was told I'd be on it for a minimum of 5 years and yes was told it is the wonder drug for ladies in our situation, I'm already thinking of having a full hysterectomy next year due to the chance of having issues like your having in years to come, I wouldn't feel happy stopping taking tamoxifen although my oncologist has reassured me that Tubular cancer is very early and low grade stuff and unlikely to come back,I still want to do everything I can to boost that chance xx Jo

[walkabout]

Saw the oncologist today. I had gone to discuss possibly changing from Tamoxifen to an AI as I am having some endometrial issues . I am 50 and have been on tamoxifen for 2 years after a 7mm tubular breast cancer ( no node involvement ) treated with surgery and rads - 8/8 ER positive. He surprised me - he said he would not prescribe an AI as it would makle me feel 60 and he didn't want that . He then said he would be happy for me to stop the tamoxifen and actually seemed to have a preference for me to do that whether or not these latest round of gynae tests do show I have a problem. He said the difference the tamoxifen would make to my SURVIVAL rate at 5 or 10 years was negligible and if I got a recurrence or a new cancer they would deal with it !!!!!! I haven't made up my mind yet what I am going to do but I am quite surprised by his attitude. I thought tamox was the wonder drug for all us ER + ladies. What do you all think ?