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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
@callalloo DCIS is non-invasive/pre-invasive so did you also have invasive cancer? What do you mean by "I had DCIS invasive?"
I think it is reasonable to avoid meds with DCIS but that reluctance should not necessarily be relevant for those who actually have invasive cancer.
The Oncotype Dx is also used for those with 1-3 lymph nodes so not just stage 0 or 1.
Reduction from a risk of 8 to 4% is significant.
I took letrozole for 5 years with very few side effects, and none of my friends had side effects from AI's, other than bone loss of course, which can be addressed.
I just want to put a positive word in for these medications. I miss being on it because I felt protected. Forums tend to be negative and then everyone is too scared to take meds. Try them!
Replies to "@callalloo DCIS is non-invasive/pre-invasive so did you also have invasive cancer? What do you mean by..."
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The only thing that matters is if a person's decision makes sense to that person, though. Mine does for me. I'll never know if it was 'right.' Even I get a recurrence of cancer, taking the AI would have still given me a 3% chance of recurrence so I wouldn't know if the AIs would have prevented it anyway. And I prefer to skip the joint pains, and limp, that anastrozole caused in two different attempts. Not to mention the risk of accelerated osteoporosis. But again I'd have 3% odds of recurrence even if I took the drugs. For me, it's worth an added 2% risk and avoiding AI side effects.
PS I was thinking that the OncotypeDX was for early-state cancers but, you're correct, a newly-caught tumor can be a higher stage. Apples and oranges
confusion on my part ;-).