AI after oophorectomy

I started on AI's 3 weeks post chemo....had a shot of Lupron and couple months later had an ooph.....took AI's for 3 1/2 years....I'm now 5 years from Dx.....According to my onc, the AI's had a strong benefit fro me......

I was also very hesitant to take Femara after my Ooph. and I felt so great being drug free. I told my onc how I felt and she said she completely understood. She told me that I really needed to think hard about my decision because if it does come back, I would beat myself up because I did not take Femara. I looked at her and said I would do ANYTHING to prevent it coming back, and she said well I think you just made up your mind. I started taking Femara a few days later and have had very minimal side effects. A couple weeks later my dear friend that I met in chemo (who was Stage 2 also) was diagnosed stage 4. I can't say that Femara will stop that from ever happening to me, but at least I know I am doing everything I possibly can.

Good luck with your decision.

Take care, 

I am with you Fearless - I had ooperectomy prior to my DX. My onc insists that I need to be on AI.  He has me on Arimidex.  He told me that my body is still producing Estrogen and I need to block it.

I had a double mastectomy, an oophorectomy, AND am taking Arimidex. If there are any cancer cells left in my body, I'm gonna starve those suckers!

I have been interested in the question of how much an AI or tamoxifen adds to ovarian ablation if you have pre-menopausal bc. There was one study presented at the San Antonio meeting last year showing that tamoxifen doesn't add anything. I also ran across a study that showed that an AI did add to the risk reduction, but I can't find it right now. My onco and I have gone around on this -- but she's holding to the party line that for node-positive bc 2 years of an AI sometime in your hormonal treatment is important -- no matter how much Tamoxifen you've been on or whether or not you have had ovarian ablation. And much that I've read seems to agree with her, I've just been trying to find tha data behind the guidelines. It seems that those of us who have pre-menopausal bc and then are put into chemopause or have ovaries taken out are such a small subgroup that there isn't a lot of data on just us.

I had a bi-lateral, chemo, rads, oophorectomy and will be on an AI (Femara) five years in July.  I asked my oncologist if I could stay on longer than five and he said yes so I plan to stay on an AI longer than 5 years.  I'm definately of the mindset to do whatever I can to keep those little buggers from coming back.

had ooph at 38, arimidex 5 years...clinical trial for past two taking either femara or placebo.

I have recently developed heart issue at 46 but have been clear of breast cancer since 2003 so I don't know what I should have done.

I am interested in this topic even though it’s an older one as I am seeing a gynaecologist next week re ovary removal.  My onc has suggested that it would be prudent due to strong family history (even though no BRCA) to have them out.  I am 41 and was still having periods regularly during chemo but they stopped after my second last round.  I am now on Tamoxifen.  I have a friend who had an oophorectomy and she takes Femera (she is BRCA +).  When I asked my onc about Femera, she seemed surprised and said something like “let’s just wait and see how you cope with the oophorectomy before we add anything else into the mix”.  Conflicting treatment approaches are doing my head in.  I want to be sure I throw all guns at BC but also don’t want to be a nervous Nelly and be OTT in my treatment approach.  Does anyone know of any recent studies re AI’s after oophorectomy?  Thanks heaps! 

I understand your confusion about oophorectomy and Adjuvant online. I found Adjuvant online to be a rather limited calculation. I didn't see it as any replacement for the very thorough opinion of a highly reputable oncologist who had reviewed my entire medical history and BC dx and treatment ... or even second or third oncology opinions if one is confused.



I had a lumpectomy, radiation and have been on Femara (briefly) then Arimidex for nearly 3 years. Chemo was deemed to be of very negligible benefit versus risks and was not recommended for me. I thought the AI would be a simple pill to pop for 5 years. Even after I knew of the SE's, I didn't give it much thought at first, as I was so grateful to be ER+ and take something that may help me.



I've had many annoying side effects (loss in bone density, shoulder tendinitis that took several months to heal, now trigger thumb and, on the opposite arm, elbow bursitis) as well as depression (previous history), fatigue, everyday aches and pains. I have regular discussions with my onc team about whether I need to take it. They're always very supportive either way, but their opinion is the body produces enough estrogen through the adrenals and adipose tissue that, although I have no ovaries, I still produce estrogen. Not to mention all the "synthetic" estrogens in our food supply. Educating myself about those is an ongoing process, as is eating organic and healthy and maintaining my weight.



I've been told there are no guarantees it's even working for me specifically, but that the statistics are there, and I know I'll always blame myself if I stop and then have a recurrence.



I believe it's a very individual decision you make after an initial, then multiple ongoing discussions with your oncologist(s). IMHO, Adjuvant online can't replace my oncology team's personal review of my health and their individual recommendation. I wish I could rely on Adjuvant online because I could stop Arimidex now. It's not an easy decision. I wish it was.



Happy weekend to all my BC sisters.

Bumping.  Just wondering if there are any new thoughts on this topic?  Anyone have a recent conversation with an MO about this?  

SOFT test results are out....

http://www.cancer.gov/newscenter/newsfromnci/2014/...

I am about to start Femera after talking it through with my ONC. 

11 months after oophorectomy and I am osteopenic (whilst on Tamoxifen) so this is likely to worsen but the stats on recurrence make switching from Tamox to an AI worth it for me.

jubby...those results were the VERY preliminary results.  We are waiting for more results that are expected at this year's San Antonio conference...or early next year's ASCO.  Stay tuned!