Help: Rads or not? Does Tamoxifen work on benign tumors?

katcar0001

Hoping to get some opinions from folks with similar experiences (two questions for you):

1) Stats: Stage 1, Grade 2, 1.5cm, node negative, with Oncotype 17, UMX left side, decent margins (4-5mm from chest wall). Three docs said no chemo. Regarding radiation, met with RO, and he said most of my prognostics were favorable except Grade 2 and LVI. He did not make a distinction between extensiveness of LVI (the tumor had focal LVI), and he said it was not a good thing to have and he recommended rads. He did review my case with a tumor board who came up with the same recommendation but they are all at the same hospital. To do rads or not? Note that 2 MOs and OS did not recommend it.

2) Had a benign tumor removed from right breast last week. While benign, it was comprised of all kinds of junk that could have been a problem in the future, including ductal hyperplasia (not atypical), dystrophic calcifications, multifocal sclerosing adenosis, apocrine metaplasia and ductal ectasia, and interstitial stromal fibrosis (phew, what a mouthful). From what I have read, this tumor was probably estrogen driven. I have been on Tamoxifen since early Jan. Should there have been some shrinkage? It appeared to be the same size as when first seen on ultrasound in Nov. I am concerned about whether Tamoxifen is working for me or not.

I appreciate your feedback.