<5mm, t1a; no chemo/Herceptin benefit...BUT WHY Arimadex?

Since you are waiting for a second opinion, definitely get one about the arimadex. How much of a risk reduction are you going to get? 1% might not be worth it. 3%??

Your diagnosis looks similar to mine but I went the Taxol/Herceptin/radiation/tamoxifen route.  (I was premenopausal at diagnosis and think I am now in menopause brought on by the Taxol.)  The tamoxifen will slightly reduce my recurrence rate (I was not strongly ER+) but also is supposed to help prevent or at least slow down the development of something (a DCIS or new primary BC) in the other breast. 

BTW get the second oncologist opinion.  Her2+ usually pushes you into chemo (I had a 4 mm IDC with a 3 cm DCIS) but your age and grade are factored in too.   I was 44 and grade 2/3.  If you can track down the postings by Dancetrance on here you'll see she went from no treatment advised at one place to doing TCH which she just started this month.

My oncologist said that some cancers have more or less of the HER2+++  You might ask if it is moderate high or extremly high. Mine her2+++ was extremly high along with a high proferation rate, grade 3.

If your HER2+++ is high then you might consider a second opinion. I wouldn't take anything with harsh side effects if you didn't have to. You have to compare risk to risk such as if I take herceptin/chemo what are my risk for a heart attack or lung problems or another cancer? What are my risk if I don't... Compare risk factors. My cardio said those taking herceptin risk is 12% for heart problems (we need a good heart) and I was told that I'm at least 25% for a cancer recurrence. So I'm more likely to have cancer than a heart attack according to satistics so I'm taking herceptin. BUT, I'm having serious heart issues so the 4th herceptin treatments might be my last infusion for awhile. I happen to fall in the 12% risk for heart issues. Hopefully I won't fall into the 25% for a cancer recurrence.

Personally, I think the whole early staging thing sucks. They don't consider HER 2+++ when staging. They don't consider grades when staging. It is mostly size, or if it is found in a node then you are stage 2. If it is larger than 2 C you are stage 2 or 3 (depending). They don't consider that once IDC biopsy cut into the tumor that it could be spread vasuclar. And very tiny IDC with the HER2+++ can be as dangerous as a large tumor with a node infected. You don't know what these strange unpredictable cells will do. I think any IDC with HER2+++ should be treated.

BTW...I am also stage 1a . My biopsy tumor was 2 C her2+. My surgical path report was 1.8 C idc, grade 3 .  Since the node showed no cancer I am no greater stage than you. They pushed me to do treatment and not you? Doesn't matter how small the idc her2+ beast is it is still the same idc her2 + beast.