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Diagnosed with DCIS: How do I decide on treatment?
Breast Cancer | Last Active: Mar 20 10:00am | Replies (345)Comment receiving replies
I am your age. My tumor was ER positive, caught early, small (< one centimeter) & not invasive. I did radiation, but refused the suggested Tamoxifen because of the possible side effects & because of other medical problems I have. I am very comfortable with my decision. The majority of the doctors I saw (PCP, Gynecologist, surgeon & oncology radiologist) we’re pushing the drug. My oncologist agreed with my decision to not take it! Weighing the option of having to worry with or about the side effects for 5 years (as opposed to not) made me choose to not take the drug. I hope you can find peace of mind in your decision.
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I had a similar situation. A Stage 1A E+, P+, HER2- tumor. Smaller than 1 cm including clean margins. Sentinel node biopsy showed no cancer cells. I declined radiation after OncotypeDX showed a low risk of recurrence 'within 9 years' of under 6%. So also no chemo. To put the 6% in perspective, 1 in 8 women in the US are predicted, based on statistics, to get cancer sometime over a lifetime. That means 12.5% of women in America have a cancer occurrence risk, which is astounding honestly.
I declined atomatase inhibitors at the suggestion of one oncologist and the concurrence of another. If cancer recurs, I'll never know if it would have anyway as the AIs would have still left me with a 3% risk. And the guaranteed side effects of the AIs. Everyone's journey is personal though.