Tomoxofin after Masectomy?

B123

I am a Stage 1 ER/PR+ HER-2 BRACH neg, MRI no spreading, why would I need to take Tomoxofin after having a BMX?  Is it really necessary, or can you take shots/pills to control the estrogen levels in your body instead? 

jan508

B123:

Tamoxifen is an anti hormone pill used, which if there are any cancer cells, it acts like a 'shield' so it cannot be fed by estrogen, thus it dies.  You do not want estrogen put into your body if your BC was estrogen positive. That means the cancer is being 'fed' by estrogen.  I've been on Tamoxifen for 10 months, only SE is some hot flashes...not bad pill to take on my part. I had a DMX last September with TE's at time of surgery. If you go to 'treatments and side effects' tab above it will explain Tamoxifen and how it works.

Best of luck

Jan

Beeb75

Breast cancer of any stage may have already started spreading to other parts of your body, like the bones, lungs, liver or brain. Current medical technology cannot detect tiny metastases, but we know they are sometimes there, because recurrences happen many years down the line. The job of tamoxifen is to block the body's estrogen from attaching to the receptors in any stray breast cancer cells and preventing them from growing.



You could use medicine (lupron) or surgery (ovary removal) to stop estrogen production in your body, but those tactics have severe side effects:menopausal hot flashes, loss of libido, weight gain, bone loss, and heart issues. So why would you want to? tamoxifen offers the same cancer-preventive effects without so many side effects. In fact, premenopausal women on tamoxifen get heart and bone benefits.

B123

Thank you for explaining that ladies, it makes more sense.  Did either of you have to use chemo or rads?  I see you both had 2cm, mine is 1.7cm.  What is Lupron?  Beeb75, did you have a MX?

Thanks for sharing!!!