Who Skips Endocrine Therapy After Cancer Treatment?

I'm thinking of not doing endocrine therapy. Aromatherapy inhibitors degrade the bones, and I already have ostepenia. Tamoxifen can lead to endometrial cancer, and I have some issues there. The endocrine therapies only improve my recurrence score by 7%...not sure the toxicity is worth the benefit. I may try a holistic approach. Looking at natural aromas inhibitors and removing exestrogens in my home environment.

I really struggled with making the choice. I’m 3 months out from my exchange surgery so I decided to give it a try. I’m on 10 mg of tam but started with 5 because i know how sensitive i can be. So far , mild increased depression ( although the state of the world is also not helping with that) low grade headache but that’s all (so far) biggest thing for me is that my partner and i have been trying for a pregnancy. I’m 39 so i do not have 2 years to wait which is the recommended time for endocrine therapy + pregnancies. Tamoxifen is androgenic and toxic to a developing fetus. If i were to become pregnant while taking it, the fetus would be damaged. Luckily i live in Washington state so I’d have options but makes me saddened and sickened for other women in my position in other parts of this country. I think RFJ said sunshine can cure our cancer so i guess we can all rest easy now. Jk

Hi Lindi I started it but I’m thinking of stopping (been on it for two months) I just got diagnosed with severe osteoporosis so I’m thinking of taking my chances and hope surgery and radiation took care of it (stage one). I haven’t heard about anti-parasitics!

Maryann S, your diagnosis sounds similar to mine. I was stage 1 also. I had a lumpectomy and radiation only. I took Anastrozole for a couple months but I quit and I’m thinking of trying a clean diet. I’m almost a year out from my diagnosis.

I stopped letrazole due to hypertension. Now I'm to monitor BP for a week then start anastrazole. Stop it if hypertension comes back. The Anastrazole has less side-effects supposedly

Sending warm wishes to you both! Even though there are established protocols for breast cancer, it is still so individual!

After doing a lot of research and talking with my husband and daughters, I decided not to do hormone therapy. I also have fibromyalgia and osteopenia and am sensitive to everything. I had surgery March 1 for a 2.6 cm tumor and a second smaller tumor found during surgery and they were HR+ HER2-, no lymph node involvement. I had reconstruction (had previous lumpectomy on other breast previously that was negative) and reduction at the same time. My mammoprint came back as ultra low risk and the oncologist said that wasn’t seen very often and wasn’t sure how effective hormone therapy would be in my situation, so would only have me do it for a couple of years after radiation was completed. After talking to my breast surgeon again and the oncologist, they both told me they wouldn’t lose any sleep over me deciding not to take it in my situation. I am 79 and the doubt of how effective it would be for me and the possible side effects was enough to convince me not to take them, but every case is different and we each have different perspectives on our treatments. I want to enjoy my life. I just had my first mammogram since surgery and radiation and was quite nervous about what they might find, but, thankfully, all was good. I will have regular follow ups with my radiation oncologist, medical oncologist, breast surgeon and plastic surgeon. Prayers for each of us to help us in our journeys.

Great news about your mammogram Juanita! 💛

Making treatment decisions can feel overwhelming, especially when weighing the benefits and potential side effects of different options. Many patients in this community have shared similar concerns about endocrine therapy and have found it helpful to discuss their questions and research with their oncology team. Consider bringing the studies you've found to your doctor so you can have an informed conversation about what treatment approach might work best for your specific situation.