Tamoxifen - huh?

Tamoxifen doesn't just stop cancer from growing at primary sight, it blocks estrogen (I am assuming her cancer is estrogen fed)- and stops cancer from growing in your whole body.  There are some side effects, but many women have them and handle them just fine- I am one of them. It is all overwhelming- my doc recommended that I do radiation and then start tamox- one thing at a time... I have been taking tamox and doing fine.  I think she should at least try it, if she can't handle the se's then she can always quit.  Peace to you, Tami

I took Tamoxifen for 5years and the only problem I experienced was difficulty in getting off to sleep.I could always sleep when it was time to get up.I am post menopausal so did not get any of the hot flashes.Unfortunately when I had my 5 year mammogram another cancer was found in my other breast,so this Wednesday I am having a bilateral mastectomy.This tumour is only slightly ER+ so did the Tamoxifen work for me ,who knows.One could argue that I did not get another cancer for five years on the other hand one could say it didn't work,but at least I gave it a shot,and really had no side effects from taking it.My advice ,you have nothing to lose and maybe a lot to gain.

I finished my 5 years of tamoxifen last fall--my SEs were minimal, mainly hot flashes which were annoying, but manageable. My mom took it and is now a survivor of over 22 years without a recurrence.

Anne

I had IDC, 2cm, Stage 1, Grade 1, 0/3 nodes, ER+PR+ HER2-, and my oncologist told me, the Tamoxifen/AI Inhibitors will do nothing, for you.

But primarily, because I blew off, the Whole Breast Radiation.

According to the Breast Medical Industrial Complex the "Big Guns" are in the Whole Breast Radiation. Because according to their stats, if you have the Whole Breast Radiation you have a 40% lesser chance, of recurrence. Well, that's what I was told. I found, other studies, that said WAY less, but we're talking about the "standard of care."

And so, since I blew that off, my oncologist said, don't even bother. It's not worth the side effects. Some 5% better off, no recurrence.  

That's the bottom line, for me. In reference to the "standard of care," I was willing to risk a 40% chance of recurrence. By refusing the Whole Breast Radiation. So what is this ... "other" 5%. It was nothing, to me. Or to my oncologist. 

Smart Lady.  

Of course, I'm alone, here. EVERYONE on this board gets ALL of these treatments.  Which I don't get, at all. I don't understand it.

Although, I think maybe it's because I already had that other cancer. The Leiomyosarcoma.  It seems, here, that women think that if they do their ALL to prevent breast cancer, they will live, forever. And suffer ANYTHING, for ANY breast cancer treatment. Even when the up side is 5%, as it is with the Tamoxifen. 

When the fact is, you could get ANY other cancer at ANY time. On another thread on this board, I talked about a colleagues wife where I work that just died of Leiomyosarcoma, at the age of 42. And another woman, associated with my workplace, now recovering from throat cancer. Non-smoker.  Age 54. 

I realize that this is a breast cancer discussion board, yet that provides the wonder, to me. WHY are you all so OBSESSED about breast cancer? And I mean, you women, with the Stage 1 and Stage O breast cancers?

The women with stage 2-4 cancers. They have REAL CONCERNS. Those others, including me, do NOT.

Maybe this is just a new thread on some other board.  Or the moderators should just delete it, altogether. 

I had a really nothing, breast cancer. Hello, 2cm is LESS than 1/2 inch. And I have 36DD breasts. And that cancer was cut out, with huge margins.

Sorry, I'm done. With the Breast Medical Industrial Complex. I don't need their "other" treatments, that just have their own side effects. 

And especially when I know that the body organs where I can get cancer, is endless.

This "breast cancer industry" boggles, my mind. I really don't even get it.  

I've taken other steps, for myself. And if you're interested you can read all about those on the Alternative thread on this board.  

Budwig Diet/Flax Oil are in the subject header.  

The Best of Luck, to all of you.  

Just as a clarification -- this has been bothering me all weekend & I really need to make sure I'm not misunderstood here -- tubular carcinoma is an unusual subset of invasive/infiltrating ductal carcinoma.  It sounds like you're reading off a final pathology report & that you know for sure that it's tubular.  But I know that until a few weeks ago, tubular and ductal would have sounded equivalent to me, so I just want to emphasize that tubular carcinoma is specifically what I mean here.  The prognosis for tubular carcinoma is spectacularly excellent and, as I say, my oncologist is on board with me declining tamoxifen given my diagnosis.