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Bilateral mastectomy and aromatose inhibitors or tamoxifen

Posted by sandyjr @sandyjr, Sep 7, 2020

I had DCIS in 2007 in the right breast with lumpectomy and radiation. I then had IDC in 2018 in left breast with lumpectomy and radiation. No lymph node involvement either time. In September 2019 I found I had the CHEK2 genetic mutation and decided to have a bilateral mastectomy which I just had done in July 2020. I am curious about continuing with Anastrozole. I will see my oncologist soon and will speak to him about this, but am curious about what others’ experiences are. Are you still taking AIs? Since I am 70 and my bone health is very important to me, would switching to tamoxifen be beneficial or even an option? AIs can cause bone problems and I do not want to end up taking biophosphates. Does anyone relate to these concerns?

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elizm | @elizm | Sep 8, 2020

@sandyjr
I think that we all relate to those concerns, but our individual circumstances vary. For example, I had a good result on my bone density test in August 2019 (at age 72), so I decided to continue anastrozole another two years, but added 500 mg of calcium/day. If it starts going downhill in 2021, I likely will reassess. I do not have any of the problem genes, so my BC (which was high in hormone receptors) likely was due to having taken hormone replacement therapy in my 40s and 50s. The trade-offs are daunting.

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trixie1313 | @trixie1313 | Sep 8, 2020
In reply to @elizm "@sandyjr I think that we all relate to those concerns, but our individual circumstances vary. For..." + (show)
@elizm

@sandyjr
I think that we all relate to those concerns, but our individual circumstances vary. For example, I had a good result on my bone density test in August 2019 (at age 72), so I decided to continue anastrozole another two years, but added 500 mg of calcium/day. If it starts going downhill in 2021, I likely will reassess. I do not have any of the problem genes, so my BC (which was high in hormone receptors) likely was due to having taken hormone replacement therapy in my 40s and 50s. The trade-offs are daunting.

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@elizm
Very interesting - I, too, took hormone replacement in my mid-40s due to surgical menopause and my estrogen and progesterone receptors were extremely high, although my bone density showed osteopenia/osteoporosis. I'm 1 year down and 9 years to go on exemestane!

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