The Estrogen Puzzle

stephaniebc

i am sure there is a simple explanation for this completely perplexing situation:

an acquaintance of mine - in her mid 40s, like me - just tested positive for the BRCA2 mutation - cumulative risk estimate for developing breast cancer over a lifetime: 70% - and two different doctors have recommended a prophylactic double mastectomy and oophorectomy and... HRT. i couldn't believe it but they want to give her estrogen. meanwhile, my cumulated risk for recurrence over a lifetime must be something like 30%, and i am not even allowed to produce my own estrogen. does anyone understand anything about any of this?

CindyNY

stephaniebc- I'm guessing you'd have to do some research. Because you (and I) already had bc with ER+ & PR+ responding tumors, we don't want any estrogen to feed another tumor growth. But with your friend not having any tumor, getting precautionary surgery to avoid a tumor... I don't have the answer. There must be a reason if 2 separate Drs recommend it. UNLESS she misunderstood HT vs HRT. Best wishes to her.

dtad

stepheniebc...are you sure your friend didn't confuse HRT with anti hormone therapy? Just a thought.

farmerlucy

I’m not sure, but aren’t many Brca tumors Er/Pr negative? Maybe that is why it is being considered.

Lula73

I just looked up recommended prophylactic treatment for BRCA+ to be sure:

PBM, Oophorectomy with salpingectomy, and anti-hormone therapy.

Betting the docs said ‘hormone therapy’ and the assumption was HRT.

stephaniebc

she is positive they offered HRT to alleviate the sudden menopause brought on by the oophorectomy.

thanks ladies for your input.

gb2115

Maybe they give a really low dose of estrogen to lessen the effects of the ovaries being taken out? It's not like tamoxifen lowers your estrogen anyway, it just blocks the receptors.