refusing hormonal therapy

[katehudson25]

I have a 4 mm idc tumor. I need re-excision surgery to clear margins and a snb. My cancer is well differentiated and grade 1. Assuming I don't have lymph node involvement I am considering refusing hormonal therapy. The side effects will be unbearable for me. I would like to hear from other women who have idc, and refused hormonal therapy. Please let me know how you are doing.

[katehudson25]

Hi Patsy,

It is good to know that you are not having side effects. Which pill are you taking and how long have you been taking it?

[Patsy3033]

Not everyone gets side effects from hormone therapy. I'm taking it and have not had a problem with it.  My suggestion is not to refuse it but to try it.  It can always be stopped at any time but at least give yourself a chance to benefit from it before you discard the chance for it to work for you.

[katehudson25]

Hi Sue, I did not think that you recommended that I have a mastectomy. I am sorry if you got that idea. No my onc did not recommend refusing ht. I am going to get a second opinion from another medical oncologist. I am just thinking that because my tumor is so small 4mm that I can get away without ht. Thank you for your post.

[SueYoung55]

Kate,

Did your doctor recommend you should refuse hormone therapy (ie: estrogen blocker)? I don't think so. I didn't recommend you have a mastectomy. I said if you're going to throw conventional breast cancer treatment to the wind by ignoring treatment to block what FED your cancer in the first place you might want to consider removing the tissue your cancer fed upon. I did recommend that you be happy with whatever choice you make as you will be the only one living with your choice. Regards..

[katehudson25]

I am sorry about starting another thread. It won't happen again.

[katehudson25]

Hi Sue,

Yes I am er and pr positive. My doctor does not recommend a mastectomy in my case. Thank you for your input.

[ncmichigan]

Hi, again, Kate,
I mentioned previously that you really should keep all your posts on one thread because it's very confusing for those answering you to follow up. When a new thread shows up we don't know who it's from until we click on it. Some of us may skip over some threads and answer others due to time constraints, so you might not get everyone's input. Just wanted to mention this again as you now have at least four threads and possibly others I don't even know about.
I really can't add to this thread but you are in excellent hands with Sue Young and blue butterfly!
All the best,
Norah

[bluebutterfly2222]

See my response at the bottom of this thread:

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Breast-Cancer/Pathology-report-approaching-dcis/show/1535268

(I didn't know you had started this new one).

bb

[SueYoung55]

I take it your pathology showed you were ER positive? Hormonal therapy blocks estrogen in your system. As long as you have breast tissue and have estrogen you run a very high risk for breast cancer returning. If it returned it could be a whole new type of cancer or it could be a recurrence of the type you have now. So, if you're seriously considering keeping the breasts as they are now and refusing hormonal therapy then you are putting yourself out there like dry timber with a matchbook close by. You could reduce your odds tremendously by having bilateral mastectomies with immediate reconstruction thereby removing most of your breast tissue and most of your risk. Just something to consider because if breast cancer comes back and it's a recurrence it won't matter if it's caught early or late.

Do lots of research and then when you're done with that, if this is still your decision then move forward with it with no regrets. We all have to live happily within our own skin. :)

Best wishes.