Breast cancer prevention

@bepsie

Welcome to Mayo Connect, this is great topic. I recently listen to an oncologist discuss research on predicting who is at higher risk of breast cancer and if at higher risk, then preventing.

If an oncologist recommends AI, do not shy away from taking based on other's experience with side effects. Not everyone has side effects.

About 5–10% of breast cancer cases are hereditary, meaning they are caused by gene mutations passed down from a parent.

Have you had genetic testing to determine if have genetic predisposition to breast cancer?

Thank you so much for your reply. I’ve had genetic testing performed three times as the test has improved . I don’t have the BRAC A gene or any other gene that is a cancer marker.

One of my friends had a daughter who went to the Mayo Clinic because many in her family (including her mother) had breast cancer. They identified her as higher risk than others and had her take Tamoxifen as a "preventative."
Everyone responds differently to any medication, but I should never have been put on A.I. drugs because of my severe osteo-arthritis, which put me as one of 3,000 subjects, nationwide accepted into the MOST study, after I had fallen from a bicycle in 1997 and severely injured my left knee. (Couldn't put any weight on it for a year). My mom also had arthritis, as many elderly folks do, and was on medication for that in the nursing home.
My friend said her daughter took it, but it was horrible. I took Tamoxifen for 5 months (and Anastrozole for 7 months) and both were awful, but the Tamoxifen was less horrible.

Thank you so much for your honest reply. I’m sorry to hear all you went through. You spoke the way I feel. I have osteoporosis and have been on Prolia , which has done a great job of improving my condition. I also have arthritis in parts of my body including my knees and bone spurs on both knees. I do walk every day and I know that has helped. I hate to ruin it all by taking medicine. You gave me a lot to think about and I’m sorry I’m learning from your pain. I’m so glad I found this board. Thank you.

@bepsie
Myself and two sisters have had breast cancer, two of us had genetic testing and no indication of a gene causing. Asked oncologist about, and he said it could be a hereditary reason that researches have not discovered yet.

I heard the exact same thing. I was told my family probably has a gene not yet discovered.

I was dx with high grade HR+ DCIS back in April. I've had no treatments as of yet. I have NO risk factors. My DCISion results were 9.2 which suggests I would benefit from radiation. The oncologist suggested Tamoxifen due to being HR+. However, I want to avoid both. I did a 48 hour water fast over the weekend and have switched to 90% whole foods/plant based (I will eat grass fed or wild caught on occasion). I have began juicing fruit and veges. I will also add in 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise 5x week along with weigh bearing exercises using weights). These things have shown to help prevent cancer and/or recurrence.
Just know that just because you may carry the genes, does not mean you will get BC. Reducing inflammation is key.

@bepsie just want to make sure you know that Prolia has a very strong rebound when stopped, resulting in bone loss back to where you were before treatment and increase in fracture risk. You have to go on Reclast to address the rebound. If you only do 1-3 Prolia shots, you might be able to do Fosamax. My doctors don't use Prolia because of the rebound risk.

If your osteoporosis was severe, an anabolic medication like Tymlos, Forteo or Evenity might be better but I believe that Tymlos and Forteo, at least, won't work well after Prolia. Not sure about Evenity

I was 68 at diagnosis, now 70. I am on 5 mg tamoxifen. I was at a mild osteoporosis, had been osteopenia for many years.
The oncologist was okay with me taking tamoxifen but I’m a lower risk of DVT and uterine cancer. I wanted to avoid an AI because I’d already had De Quervain’s tenosynovitis twice and plantar fasciitis, along with the osteoporosis. I’m doing Reclast now, after trouble with oral alendronate.

If you can, you might try to find out as much as possible about the pathology of your mother/grandmother’s cancer. Although I guess your doctor has already pursued this. My sister had no information about her DCIS from 22 years ago, because they just didn’t share, or test, like is done today.

I was doing everything that you mentioned. Eating meals made from scratch I grew up in a farm in a different country in where we did not use chemicals. Organic was all we knew. I came to this country and try to eat as close as I did back home. I worked out 5 to 6 times per week weights etc. I think environmental has a huge part and not too many people talks about this. Also life style such as stress. I was doing everything that I though I needed to do to be healthy prior to being diagnosed with breast cancer. I have never smoke. I drank maybe once or twice per year. In my case I was diagnosed 1A no lymphnodes involved. Did Lumpectomy, radiation and the hormone therapy with ovarian suppression. The medications have not given me too much of a side effects. Very little side effects and I think it had to do with the life style I had before I started them. I just started one month ago and so far so good. Remember each story is different and each body is different. You might or might not have side effects