If you have no ovaries, do you take tamoxifen?

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rianne2580
rianne2580 Member Posts: 191
edited June 2014 in DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma In Situ)

My DCIS is est. positive and I have no ovaries, would I take tamoxifen? Is the goal of the treatment not to have estrogen at all? If this is the case and you need radiation, how are your bones protected? All this treatment seems good in some ways, bad in others.

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  • lago
    lago Member Posts: 17,186
    edited November 2010

    You can be perscribed tamaxifin or an aromatase inhibitor. Both have thier SE. aromatase inhibitors are only given to post menopausal women. That would also include you since you have no ovaries. aromatase inhibitor are supposed to work a little better statistically than tamaxofin.

    Yes you still produce estrogen after menopause just from a different gland is my understanding.

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  • Jelson
    Jelson Member Posts: 1,535
    edited November 2010

    tamoxifen is prescribed for er+ DCIS, not AIs regardless of menopause status, though I believe studies are underway regarding AIs for DCIS. Iago is right, estrogen is produced other places in our bodies, not just the ovaries.Tamoxifen does not weaken the bones like AIs do. Tamoxifen does not stop the production of estrogen, it blocks its being absorbed by breast tissue. The goal of theboth kinds of hormone treatment is to cut off the supply of estrogen to those pesky breast cancer cells in ER + BC  that feed on estrogen.

    Julie E

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited November 2010

    rhianne------I lost my ovaries due to ovarian rupture and still continued to stay on tamoxifen for another 3.5 years (for prevention of invasive bc---I'm high risk due to LCIS and family history of bc--mom had ILC) as estrogen is still produced in  the adrenal glands, skin and fat even after the ovaries are gone.  So far, the AIs are not recommended for DCIS (or LCIS), although I think there are studies underway. The AIs actually reduce estrogen production, whereas tamox does not--it just blocks estrogen from binding with the receptors in the breast tissue. Now I take evista, which actually is an osteoporosis medication, but is now also used to prevent an invasive bc--so it's good for my osteopenia as well.

    Anne

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  • dsj
    dsj Member Posts: 277
    edited November 2010

    I take tamoxifen and have no ovaries.  I had a hysterectomy 12 years ago (when I was 50).  However, my body is nevertheless still producing estrogen because since starting the tamoxifen I have had very intense hot flashes.  My oncologist said that if you have hot flashes on  tamoxifen, it's generally a sign that it's working on the estrogen  He says that hot flashes are even more accurate than some kind of test that measure something about the enzyme or whatever.  I just know that my husband is happy whenever I tell him I am having a hot flash because of what the oncologist said.  

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