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

Discussion
Comment receiving replies
@windyshores

I will dig out my records. For one of those, I think it was close at 4.5% for the low risk cutoff. but I don't want to rely on memory. I did these tests at the 5 year point of AI treatment. Breast Cancer Index tells you benefit of continuing on anti-estrogen meds, since many now do 7-10 years. It gives risk of distant recurrence for years 5-10.
Prosigna Assay, also known as PAM50, also measures risk of distant recurrence in years 0-10 for those treated or going to be treated with anti-hormone meds.

You mentioned "throwing everything at" a cancer, including chemo. That concept went out the window with genomic testing. According to the Oncotype, there is no change in risk by not doing chemo for those with scores indicating no benefit. In fact, chemo may do more harm than good.

I will dig out my scores. I was shocked that with my Oncotype of 8, these other tests had me at high risk. Oncotype basically told me that chemo was not of benefit. But with grade 3 and LVI I had my doubts about low risk. Nevertheless I am 7 years out, knock on wood!

Jump to this post


Replies to "I will dig out my records. For one of those, I think it was close at..."

Thanks. So in a sense the tests are measuring different things as well. Or different things at different stages.

For what it's worth, I would likely have done what you did because of the LVI.

I do think it's interesting that Oncotype's website gives examples of scores which purely clinical evaluation might have seen differently. The patient with a large, stage 4 tumor and lymph involvement and low risk according to the test at least. And a patient with a grade 0, clean lymph biopsy but a risk for recurrence of 50+% according to the test.

That certainly seems counter-intuitive and, for the grade 0 patient, might have yielded a more-attentive post-surgical follow-through since some doctors are considering grade 0 almost a pre-cancer.

For what it's worth, the science guy I talked to at Oncotype said that, from what they see, the grade 0 specimens being submitted to them 'are definitely cancer' and his inference was that the medical community might be underestimating their seriousness.