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What problems have you had with Tamoxifen?

Breast Cancer | Last Active: Jan 25, 2023 | Replies (67)
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@callalloo

If you didn't get genetic testing using the excised tissue, it's likely not too late. I had the OncotypeDX test (of 21 genes) and the result was a 3% 'risk of loco-regional recurrence within 9 years' if I took an aromatase inhibitor or tamoxifen. That translates to a 5% risk if I do not using the current thinking about estrogen-positive breast cancer that adjuvant therapy can reduce the risk of recurrence by about 42%. In a case, I didn't think that the risk of faster bone loss or possible change to endothelial was worth the 2 percentage point reduction in risk. But that's a very personal quality of life decision as I'm older and not from a family of people who routinely lived into their 90s. And most died of heart disease so elevating cholesterol when mine cannot be controlled by statins got my attention.

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Replies to "If you didn't get genetic testing using the excised tissue, it's likely not too late. I..."
jaynep | @jaynep | Apr 8, 2022

Thank you so much for this information. I have read about the oncotype testing and plan to ask my surgeon on Monday when I go for my follow-up. I appreciate you sharing your perspective. I, too, am older and while I want to live a long life, I don’t want it to be a miserable life, either. Thank you again

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shortie0650 | @shortie0650 | Apr 8, 2022

I am going to be 72 this coming June. My sister just died last Friday of triple negative breast cancer. Monday would be the one year anniversary of when she was diagnosed. My mom died of breast cancer at the age of 77. My sister was 77. If I am only slated to live another 5 years, which would make me 77, I don't want to spend my time in pain and being a sick person trying to fight side effects from drugs. So, I will likely take the radiation, but I am going to probably skip the Anastrozole or the Tamoxifen because I don't need to be fighting against the side effects. I am still thinking about, and am going to explore Artemisinin to see if it has less side effects. I don't really care if it is not yet proven by a whole pile of studies - at some point Tamoxifen and all the AI's were in the testing phase also. I guess my outlook is different than a lot of younger people - If I were 20 years younger I might feel differently.

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