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Breast Cancer (Expert Forum)
Breast Cancer after Hodgkins
Questions posted in the Breast Cancer Forum are answered by medical professionals from The Cleveland Clinic. Topics include Breast Biopsy, Chemotherapy, Hormone Therapy, Lumps, Lumpectomy, Lymph node dissection, Lymphedema, Mammograms, Mastectomy, Radiation Therapy, Reconstruction, Self Breast Exam, and Surgery.
Breast Cancer after Hodgkins
by innakap, Mar 09, 2004 12:00AM
Hello. I really need your opinion. I’m almost 34 years old. 20 years ago I had Hodgkin’s disease and was treated with the radiation to my chest and chemo. After two years of treatment I went on remission. About 6 years ago I was diagnosed with the thyroid cancer and 1 ½ ago with the breast cancer in my left breast (DCIS:0.8 cm, no lymph nodes). My doctors said these were the results of the radiation therapy I had 20 years ago. For the breast cancer I had the left breast mastectomy and prescribed Tamoxifen. After 1 year of taking it I developed bad side effects and had to stop taking it in December of last year. My dilemma now is whether to remove my other breast since due to the radiation it also could develop cancer and the breast is very dense so it’s hard to completely rely on the mammogram and US, OR leave it intact and start taking Arimidex to protect it OR I am open to any other options. My BRCA1 and 2 are negative. I've heard about PTEN genetic test... don't know if it applies to me and I need to have it checked. Please help!
Doctor's Answer
by CCF-RN,MSN-rf, Mar 09, 2004 12:00AM
Dear innakap: Radiation therapy to the chest for Hodgkin desease has been associated with increased risk of breast cancer in women. It would not affect the BRCA1 or 2 and another genetic test will probably not shed any light on your probability of a second breast cancer. Essentially, you have 2 options, since you weren't able to tolerate tamoxifen. One is to watch and wait with careful surveillance. The other is to do a preventive mastectomy. The mastectomy is an aggressive approach but probably the only way to ensure that breast cancer does not occur. Arimidex is for postmenopausal women who have ER/PR positive tumors. It is not approved for prevention as yet.
Member Comments (1)
by chemo62, Feb 02, 2009 10:13PM
A related discussion, hodgkins and breast cancer was started.
