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How do I make sense of my biopsy results?

Breast Cancer | Last Active: Sep 26, 2022 | Replies (33)
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@leighsmith10

Hi, I had surgery to remove ALH, radial scar and other non cancerous cells. My surgeon suggests I take the estrogen blocker but I am sensitive to hormone changes. I did/do not have cancer and don’t really want to take the drug. I’ll be 63 in February. Your input is welcome.

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Replies to "Hi, I had surgery to remove ALH, radial scar and other non cancerous cells. My surgeon..."
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Sep 25, 2022

Hi @leighsmith10, Whether to take an estrogen blocker or not is a very personal decision. Did you and your oncologist discuss the pros and cons, the different drug options and/or dosing options? What did you decide?

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windyshores | @windyshores | Sep 26, 2022

@leighsmith10 this is a complicated question. Some people with ALH don't have surgery and some don't take meds. Is there a reason surgery and meds were suggested for you? Do you have a grade, or other pathology, or was any genomic testing done? (I guess Oncotype isn't done on ALH, is that right?)

Are they suggesting tamoxifen, or Evista, or an aromatase inhibitor?

How are your bones? AI's would affect bone density.

Were margins clear? Does your doc think it is possible there is more pre-cancer not yet found?

I would get a second or even third opinion. I would also ask how effective frequent monitoring might be with ALH, particularly if it should turn into LCIS or lobular invasive cancer, which are harder to detect.

I am only writing as a fellow cancer patient (almost 8 years out) and do not have medical training! I had a double mastectomy, with cancer in one breast, but ALH was found in the second one so I was glad it was taken out!

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