@roroj

I tried to use the hormones but I wasn't able to, due to side effects. I tried Letrozole, Arimidex, and one other (whose name escapes me now). All of them caused me severe depression and joint pain. After I failed all three.....I requested a hormone blood work up for my estrogen and progesterone and testosterone. I had literally none of any of them (I had been severely limited on progesterone my whole life but didn't know until I had breast cancer at the age of 53 and was post menopausal)....so my breast cancer was estrogen positive 99%. The hormone imbalance, in hindsight, was obvious to me once I had the testing done. I was grateful for the testing because it helped me to see what had been going on for me my whole life. I periodically request the hormone tests to see my status and it's remained....none of those little buggers exist anymore, just traces. So, it's difficult for the breast cancer to grow in those circumstances, but again, I am now post menopausal and that makes a huge difference. Also, I'm not sure my situation is common, where the hormone balance is so bad in general. It has been nine years since my Stage 0 diagnosis and seven since my Stage 1 diagnosis and bi lateral mastectomy, no recurrance so far (thank goodness). I 'think', had I chosen lumpectomy I would have had to try and tolerate the AI's perhaps, but I don't know. Many women I know personally used the AI drugs successfully with lumpectomy and mastectomy.....so it's always worth a try. I tried and failed, but that's just me. Hope this helps. Hugs.