Treatment Necessary with Low Oncotype?

@sdbonniea123 I hear you & I think you're missing my point. The "statistics" (5% chance of recurrance, 10% chance...etc) do not take into account each person's lifestyle choices. Oncotype scores don't even consider the size of the tumor! I believe that statistics are parts of the puzzle, sure. But there are so many variables involved (diet, exercise, body mass, etc) that influence outcomes. Statistically-speaking, given my profile (72, vegan, very active, slender, no alcohol/smoking, no family history) I was considered extremely low-risk (0-5%) but I still got stage 1 ILC. I do not base my medical decisions solely on statistics.

@sdbonniea123 My cancer was dealt with 18 months ago and then renal disease popped up. What a surprise. But I went on the renal no sugar, no salt diet and lost 20 pounds in 3 months. I had tried to lose ten pound for years! It wasn't easy at first. It mean cooking more than I"d like and making salads with veggies like chick peas. but I'm really happy with this and my renal numbers are good too right now. My husband and friends have all commented on how good I look. The stomach is another thing, tho. Those little paunches as we age. I might try the Pilates, which was just mentioned. I do walk, ride my bike or work out indoors (especially in this heat. Walking is out.) But Pilates, I've heard, is great for stomachs.

The recurrence rates aren’t guesses. As far as weight loss, there is much written now about the GLP-1 drugs being good for breast cancer survivors. I lost 25 pounds just having the mastectomy and tissue expanders, determined to lose that 30 pounds that my BMI said I should stop carrying. Earlier this year I began taking the lowest dose Wegovy pill, and I am a fan. They really do curb appetite and I’ve had no other side effects with it. Have met my goal and 5 pounds more. Anything to combat the fear of recurrence. Important to keep up with exercise which can also include and in my case, has to be, chair exercises; I currently can’t do a lot of walking because of my knee pain. After the upcoming knee replacement surgery in August, I know I will be exchanging one type of pain for another for a while, but the eventual hope is for being able to ditch the cane and walk more normally in a few months. Will be nice to get back to walking for exercise, as well as having no pain during simple things like grocery shopping. Aging is one “fun” thing after another but so it goes. Being female, and 74, two strikes against me as far as breast cancer, and I want to do whatever I can to deter the recurrence fear.

@sdbonniea123
I had oncotype of 10, refused the AI after radiation, but bc came back in same breast after lumpectomy and now have been on AI (arimidex) for almost 4 yrs with little or no detectable effects. Maybe could have spared myself the recurrence and inevitable mastectomy if I had taken them ...

🙏

It is unfortunate that so many patients believe diet and exercise prevents and/or cures cancer. I have been on a very healthy diet and have. exercised since I was a teenager. Over 50 years of eating right, working out and avoiding carcinogens didn't stop me from getting breast cancer. And those of us who have cancer didn’t get it because we did anything wrong. If cancer was cured by diet and exercise no one would need medical intervention. Yes. A healthy diet is important. But it is not a substitute for treatment. Diet doesn’t stop your body from making estrogen. Menopause doesn’t mean you’re free of all estrogen. The AI drugs really make a significant difference for patients who have a high risk of recurrence. Different diagnoses require different approaches. Only your doctor can determine what is best for you. No one in this group can make that call for you. And no one should have the hubris to try.

You can choose what you want to do. You can reject treatment, change your diet, exercise, whatever. But rejecting proven treatment because there are side effects is a personal choice not a cure.

@marshgirl24
The stomach pouch you speak about isn’t always fat. As we age, our discs in our back deflate making us shorter. That skin can’t retract- we’re old. So you have rolls of loose skin that is just there & you can exercise till the cows come home its not going anywhere unless you have it cut out.

@conchgirl No unnecessary surgery for me! Think of Joan Rivers. 😳

You will hear all manner of opinions about treatment on this site. With so many variables affecting breast cancer treatments, it’s best to ask your questions with your oncologist. If you don’t feel satisfied with the explanations, go ahead and ask to talk with a different oncologist. Some are better than others, to explain things in a way that
will answer your questions. However, BC mostly doesn’t make much sense, and it’s very hard for our brains to process all that we are told. What works for you may not work for me. It’s a combo plate of all of our test results, age, being female, our individual health, on and on. Humans are similar, but we are not identical, in the way that 50 boxes of cereal on a grocery store shelf are. How nice and simple that would be! It’s overwhelming, so don’t discount your emotions about it and never be afraid to keep asking your oncologist to help you with your questions and concerns. Best wishes to all.