I know a woman who had local recurrence 4 years after lumpectomy, but no radiation or AI. Her bilateral mastectomy pathology showed more than one new primary. From what I understand, women who have experienced BC are at twice the risk of more BC than women who have not had it. The AI is to lower the estrogen positive environment, the terrain so to speak, that nutured the original cancer. It is all a question of benefit vs risk, taking into consideration one's diagnosis and age, and the realization that even with low risk, some women have to be those who are on the lousy side of risk. Sorry it was you, and the two women I know who have gone through this more than once. They are both on estrogen blockers now, one on Tamoxifen due to osteopenia and the other trying Aromasin after poor SEs with Letrozole. Neither wants to take them, and I don’t either.

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