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Early 40s trying to decide if hormone therapy is worth it

Posted by mozzilla @mozzilla, May 25, 2023

Hi. I am trying to figure out a hard decision - thought I would maybe have kids later in life and then I got breast cancer. 9mm, stage 1, invasive, intermediate grade, slow growing, node negative. I had lumpectomy and will start radiation now on my right side in a week for 4wks. I am considering not taking tamoxifen after and try to have a family...and possibly go on it in 2-3yrs....my onc says the delay doesn't pose a huge risk...anyone have similar experience? In general i'd love to hear if any younger patients have a similar diagnosis and have gone through something like this life decision wise.

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Rom828 | @jgallagher04921 | May 26, 2023

I came here seeking advice on Tamoxifen too. Onc is recommending Tamoxifen for 10 years and a shot in my ovaries every month for 5 years, both to ensure no hormones can feed any lingering cancer cells or fuure cancer. I had a double mastectomy. Neg nodes. OncoDX Test came back that I do not need chemo. Not sure the shot and med is necessary since both breasts are gone and cancer was not found in nodes.

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msseamo | @msseamo | May 27, 2023

I will tell my story. I was 60 years old. I had Stage 1 breast cancer in 2018 and had a lumpectomy and started on Anastrazole in February of 2019, which is similar to Tamoxifen. I went through radiation, but chose not to go through chemo as the surgeon said he got a wide margin and the cancer did not get out to the lymph nodes. In March of 2022 I started having pain in my hip. I have leg issues from another problem and use a cane. Having said that, I thought this was more of the same so I started down a path for that problem. Finally, in July my doctor tells me that I should have an MRI of my hip because what she is seeing on the x-ray has nothing to do with my previous problems.

I was diagnosed with Metastatic Breast Cancer in August of 2022. I had 12 radiation sessions and have started Verzenio and Fluvestrant since last September. I guess I'm telling you this because I thought I was all good with my cancer circumstances. Now I'm living with terminal cancer. If anything, get another opinion.

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2 replies
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mozzilla | @mozzilla | May 27, 2023
In reply to @msseamo "I will tell my story. I was 60 years old. I had Stage 1 breast cancer..." + (show)
Profile picture for msseamo @msseamo

I will tell my story. I was 60 years old. I had Stage 1 breast cancer in 2018 and had a lumpectomy and started on Anastrazole in February of 2019, which is similar to Tamoxifen. I went through radiation, but chose not to go through chemo as the surgeon said he got a wide margin and the cancer did not get out to the lymph nodes. In March of 2022 I started having pain in my hip. I have leg issues from another problem and use a cane. Having said that, I thought this was more of the same so I started down a path for that problem. Finally, in July my doctor tells me that I should have an MRI of my hip because what she is seeing on the x-ray has nothing to do with my previous problems.

I was diagnosed with Metastatic Breast Cancer in August of 2022. I had 12 radiation sessions and have started Verzenio and Fluvestrant since last September. I guess I'm telling you this because I thought I was all good with my cancer circumstances. Now I'm living with terminal cancer. If anything, get another opinion.

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what was your breast cancer type? other than stage 1?

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Rom828 | @jgallagher04921 | May 28, 2023
In reply to @msseamo "I will tell my story. I was 60 years old. I had Stage 1 breast cancer..." + (show)
Profile picture for msseamo @msseamo

I will tell my story. I was 60 years old. I had Stage 1 breast cancer in 2018 and had a lumpectomy and started on Anastrazole in February of 2019, which is similar to Tamoxifen. I went through radiation, but chose not to go through chemo as the surgeon said he got a wide margin and the cancer did not get out to the lymph nodes. In March of 2022 I started having pain in my hip. I have leg issues from another problem and use a cane. Having said that, I thought this was more of the same so I started down a path for that problem. Finally, in July my doctor tells me that I should have an MRI of my hip because what she is seeing on the x-ray has nothing to do with my previous problems.

I was diagnosed with Metastatic Breast Cancer in August of 2022. I had 12 radiation sessions and have started Verzenio and Fluvestrant since last September. I guess I'm telling you this because I thought I was all good with my cancer circumstances. Now I'm living with terminal cancer. If anything, get another opinion.

Jump to this post

So sorry to read this! Thank you for sharing.

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msseamo | @msseamo | May 28, 2023
In reply to @mozzilla "what was your breast cancer type? other than stage 1?" + (show)
Profile picture for mozzilla @mozzilla

what was your breast cancer type? other than stage 1?

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I don't remember.

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Ingegerd Enscoe, Alumni Mentor | @astaingegerdm | May 29, 2023

@mozzilla
My personal history is 31 years old. However, treatment might still be similar today. I had IDC, hormone receptor negative. I was recommended mastectomy and chemo. I was 48 at the time and I had 3 young children, also starting late.
My thought then and it would be the same now was that I wanted to prevent cancer recurrence.
Are you able to freeze eggs if you want future children?
In my mind there is no hoping and guessing -I would still choose the same treatment to give me the best chance of not having a recurrence.

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