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Aromatase Inhibitors: Did you decide to go on them or not?
Breast Cancer | Last Active: May 12, 2023 | Replies (1190)Comment receiving replies
For what it's worth, i looked at my OncotypeDX report and the risk isn't half of the score. The Recurrence Score (RX) Result is 9. And the Distant Recurrence Risk at 9 Years is 3% [if I take Tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor]. The oncologists I saw say that the current thinking is that the meds can reduce the recurrence rate, all other things being equal, by about 42%. That would make the 3% risk a 5% risk if I do not take Tamoxifen or AIs. Nothing about this BC journey is certain but I'm hoping Oncotype is correct or errs to the conservative on this.
Replies to "For what it's worth, i looked at my OncotypeDX report and the risk isn't half of..."
Great information. Aromatase treatment is for 5 years; however, is there no benefit after 2, 3 or 4 years. Many stop treatment early because of side affects. Does that mean they have gained nothing. Others do the full 5 and end up with serious health issues. I myself would not have known the internal side effects if I hadn’t started having fainting issues. Though informed of my family history, the oncologist did not do any testing either before or after to note changes, such weight gain, hi BP, cholesterol etc. Now it very tough to pin down the cause. Try though I may, I have not found numbers in percentages of benefit of the drug at year 2, 3 etc. It seems at the 5-year mark the benefits arrive, not before. After 3 years, why isn’t a patient told you have gotten some
benefit or is there none until 5 years?
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You are right: I was at best being approximate. The score can be 8, the risk can be 6 without meds, and the risk with meds can be 3, for instance. The Oncotpye gives score and risk and % risk reduction, which is approximately 50% of the stated risk, not 50% of the score (as I implied).
Other tests consider 5% "high risk." t is counterintuitive perhaps, but that is the case. In a room of 20, one person.
It is also good to distinguish between local recurrence and distant spread. Does Oncotype now do that?