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Hormonal Therapy Questions about Hormonal Therapy. |
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| 2/13/2006 | My friend is 55 years old and was diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer in her left breast 10 years ago. She was treated successfully (mastectomy, followed by a bone marrow transplant and radiation) and has until last month been cancer free. However, a recent mammogram of her right breast revealed a 1 1/4" tumor. The biopsy showed that it is HER2 negative, it is estrogen and progesterone receptor positive, and it is not inflammatory. She is about to have a mastectomy of her right breast (surgery is tomorrow) and we will then know how many nodes are involved, etc. Her ongologist has recommended Taxol, followed most likely by radiation. He also recommends that she takes an aromotase inhibitor (Arimidex) for the next 5 years since she is post-menopausal. Our question is: Since both breasts have been removed, why does she still need to take the aromotase inhibitor? We thought that the aromotase inhibitor will mainly prevent a reoccurance of cancer in the breast. Are there other places in the body an estrogen receptor positive cancer can occur, and if so, where would those be? What is the probability of such an occurance? Are there any alternatives to taking the aromotase inhibitor that could have less side effects? | ||
| Replied | JHU's Breast Center Reply | ||
| 2/14/2006 | its for local recurrence in the remaining breast tissue (some tissue still remains after a mastectomy) and also for prevention of distant recurrence. her body still produces estrogen from the adrenal glands... and the distant mets would happen possibly in the liver, bone or lungs. | ||
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