More obsessing about ADH

momoschki------i can't give you any data, but I can relate my experience. I was diagnosed with LCIS (a step further along the bc spectrum with double the risk of ADH) and my risk is further elevated by family history of bc (mom had ILC). I have been doing high risk surveillance for nearly 8 years now and taking preventative meds---5 years tamoxifen and now evista for over 2 years, and haven't needed any further biopsies.  Tamoxifen can decrease your risk up to 45 to 50%. Feel free to PM me if you'd like to talk more.

Anne 

I just returned home from seeing my oncologist. First visit, not the last but it is about preventing BC. As she kept reminding me, I DO NOT HAVE CANCER. I do however have ADH, which was removed June 6. This puts me at a higher risk for developing BC along with other factors. The subject of Tamoxifen was brought up, I was told to take a few months and think about it. As it would decrease my risk of developing cancer by 50%. I have a 27% chance of developing BC in my lifetime at this stage. So that would bring me down to a 13% chance. I believe the average is 11 or 12% for the general population, therefore leaving me at a higher risk anyway. The risks of tamoxifen include Deep Vein Thrombosis (blood clots), pulmonary embolisism, a list of other side effects. With the ADH before the excisional biopsy my risk of it being cancer was 30%. It came back B9... So here is my thought, do I take a medication that could cause me to have a stroke in order to decrease my chances of developing cancer, or do I take my chances? 

I flat out side to the doctor that the test results for the benefits of Tamoxifen are great, however, she was telling me that my 27% risk doesn't mean I will get cancer in my lifetime, so how do you know that the women who were in the Tamoxifen study would have developed cancer? Based on risk I could have been a part of the study so.... What do you do? You make the best decision for yourself and hope that you never get cancer. There is no guarantee that Tamoxifen will prevent me from getting cancer. There is no guarantee that if I don't take it, I will get cancer. I am thinking right now, I will take my chances and not add any extra drugs to my system.

Sorry I am rambling, you are right there is no way to know if you will develop ADH again, but ADH isn't cancer. They aren't even sure (yes, I asked the oncologist this today) if develops into cancer, only that it is a warning sign your cells are doing something funky and to watch. They remove ADH to be sure there isn't DCIS around it or worse. But it isn't cancer. Yes, you may someday have to go through another biopsy, but honestly to me the ADH means they will watch me more closely and I don't think that is a bad thing. I am scheduled for a baseline MRI in August due to the ADH and "extremely" dense breasts. She told me I didn't need to do it right away, and wanted me to get over my other surgeries, I want it done and over with and then I am done with appointments til Novemeber!! YIPPEE