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Breast Cancer (Expert Forum)
Tamoxifin
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.
Tamoxifin
by tg409, Feb 18, 2004 12:00AM
I was dx after a needle loc. biopsy (calcification seen on mammo) with ADH along with one blunt duct bordering DCIS. Re-excision showed ADH with NO DCIS found. Follow-up 6 mos. mammo was clear. I am 38 years and my mother had bc. Should I be taking tamoxifin (tamoxifen) for 5 years? What are the chances this will turn malignant? Is there any other treatment besides tamoxifin (tamoxifen) and if I do take this does it only reduce my odds of malignancy during the 5 year period or does it continue through my lifetime? And my last question is are the odds of bc increased over those first five years after dx of ADH and decrease afterwards? I am really confused about this diagnosis and would appreciate your help. Thanks.
Doctor's Answer
by CCF-RN,MSN-JS, Feb 18, 2004 12:00AM
Dear tg409, Atypical hyperplasia is not cancer or precancer but it may indicate a higher risk of getting cancer. Questions remain as to what the best course to follow in terms of what to do about this condition. At this time most surgeons would agree that the best program is close follow-up, to find a cancer in its early stages. This would include physical exam by a doctor every six months and yearly mammograms. Another option might be monitoring using a procedure called ductal lavage. Treatment options might be looked at in terms of chemoprevention with a medication like tamoxifen, the risks and benefits of such an approach would need to be thoroughly discussed. In studies using tamoxifen for prevention, women with atypical ductal hyperplasia who took tamoxifen for five years had an 86 percent reduction in their chances of developing breast cancer compared with similar women treated with placebo. On the risk side are side effects of tamoxifen hot flashes etc, the risks of endometrial cancer and blood clots are rare, but these risks increase in women over the age of 55.
The risk associated with ADH does not change over time.
The best person to make recommendations for your individual situation might be either a medical breast specialist or a genetic counselor who can look at all of your risk factors and determine the best plan of surveillance for you, and whether taking a chemoprevention approach would be recommended.
The risk associated with ADH does not change over time.
The best person to make recommendations for your individual situation might be either a medical breast specialist or a genetic counselor who can look at all of your risk factors and determine the best plan of surveillance for you, and whether taking a chemoprevention approach would be recommended.
Member Comments (2)
by cow chaser, Feb 26, 2004 12:00AM
To: tg409
Please look into IP6 on the internet.. God bless you!
