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Aromatase Inhibitors: Did you decide to go on them or not?

Breast Cancer | Last Active: May 12, 2023 | Replies (1190)
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@windyshores

The Breast Cancer Index and Prosigna Assay consider 5% to be "high risk." The Oncotype considers it low risk. So even at this basic level, decisions are confusing. It is good to remember that with hormonal cancers, risk continues to increase over the years. @jaynep my score was 8, and I did 5 years of Femara, with few problems. Someone else might make a different decision. My own view is that it is good to try a med before declining, because many do not have side effects that are troublesome.

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Replies to "The Breast Cancer Index and Prosigna Assay consider 5% to be "high risk." The Oncotype considers..."
jaynep | @jaynep | Apr 23, 2022

Thanks so much for your feedback. It really helps. At this moment(my opinion varies minute by minute it seems) I do plan to try anti hormone therapy but I’m pretty sure I won’t continue if it’s misery. I’m glad you did well and hope you continue to do so. Thanks again…it means so much!

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callalloo | @callalloo | Apr 23, 2022

I'm confused by those tests risk evaluation. I'm not familiar with the tests as I only had the OncotypeDX. Is their (not low) 5% a risk of loco-regional recurrence? If so for what time span? If they are analogous to the OncotypeDX risk analysis, what do they consider a low recurrence risk?

A 1% or 2% would be lower than the average risk of recurrence for estrogen positive cancers IF one threw every possible treatment at it, including radiation, chemo and adjuvant anti-hormone therapy. So do those tests have no low risk at all or only the narrow 3-4%? That seems to be threading the needle so carefully. Or are they of more value in estimating the higher risk levels?

Conceptually, it's hard to get a risk much lower than 5% as cancers have recurred in people who did everything to prevent them. To the tune of 3%-4% if my oncologist is right. At any rate, just curious, but do you know what risk estimate is considered low for those firms' testing protocol?

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