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Anyone had cancer return while taking hormone therapy meds?
Breast Cancer | Last Active: 4 days ago | Replies (240)Comment receiving replies
If the cancer cells use estrogen for fuel then it doesn’t matter which aromatase inhibitors that we take since they all inhibit production of estrogen. I saw this article a way back explaining why cancer cells develop resistance to AI. The article was published in 2017. I wonder if it’s still valid.
https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/177133/breast-cancer-drugs-stop-working-when/#:~:text=These%20women's%20ovaries%20have%20stopped,around%20one%20in%20three%20patients.
@anjalima please come back and share your onco’s opinion on this. I pray that the new drug is working better for you. Thank you
@lifegetting thank you for sharing your finding.
I pray that we all get through this well.
Replies to "If the cancer cells use estrogen for fuel then it doesn’t matter which aromatase inhibitors that..."
I was tested for the ESR-1 mutation which would indicate a resistance to AI. I was negative … no resistance. Still I had a recurrence, albeit smaller and downgraded significantly in % of cell proliferation ( dividing) from 22 to 3%.
That said my onco considers this a failure of AI!
Two things going on here… well, 3.
1- I am starting radiation Monday
Which I declined originally ( and now regret). Still concerned with possible negative side effects but need to kill any other rogue cells if present!
2- my former onco who was on leave for a year is back and I will get her opinion early November.
3- I have a consultation with an MSK NY breast oncologist who is doing cutting edge research and trials on the new meds coming down the pike ( the “ next “ treatment so to speak since Ai came on the scene.
These are oral SERDS ( selective estrogen receptor degrades) which as stated degrade the receptor or dock that estrogen would use to feed an ER+ breast cancer cell. She presented a brilliant paper at ASCO IN June and I happily discovered that she’s in my neighborhood so to speak.
I meet with her tomorrow for another opinion. These drugs are approved in the metastatic setting but making their way down to early breast cancer arena.
This journey is not for the faint of heart. But I am hopeful.
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I read that same article. 1 in 3 on Tamoxifen and 1 in 4 on AIs where the patient makes its own estrogen or aromatase. You just can't win.