stage I and looking for advice for treatment...

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papayahead
papayahead Member Posts: 4
edited September 2017 in Hormonal Therapy - Before, During, and After

Hi, my mom (79 years old) was diagnosed with breast cancer last week, I think it's stage I (less than 2cm in size, and lymph nodes are fine, whole body ultrasound scan + lung/head CT are also fine). here is her report:

ER + 90%; PR + 40%; AR + 70%; C-erbB-2 ++ (waiting for FISH results); P53 -; Ki-67 + 20%; CK5/6 -; E-cad +; EGFR weak +

Doctor has prescribed letrozole (mainly because of her age).

I'm thinking surgery might be a better option. any advice?

Thank you!

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  • muska
    muska Member Posts: 1,195
    edited September 2017

    Hi papayahead, I am sorry your mother was diagnosed. How do you know the lymph nodes are fine if she didn't have any surgery? Does she have any other serious health issues? Has she seen a breast surgeon?

    I would say she will certainly have to stay on letrozole or another AI but she could probably have a lumpectomy or mastectomy to remove the tumor if she is in relatively good health.

    Best to you and your Mom,

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  • papayahead
    papayahead Member Posts: 4
    edited September 2017

    Thank you so much for the response, muska! and I hope you are doing well!


    They did whole body ultrasound, especially lymph nodes under her arms, around her neck, they also scanned the thyroid, kidney, etc, didn't find anything. Cancer markers in the blood test is also clear...


    She lives in China, has been seeing a specialist who is also a surgeon. She has been having Hepatitis C Infection (from a blood transfusion when she lost a baby) for years and recently cured by the latest medicine. She is still recovering from many years of HCV treatment (interferon, etc before the new medicine) and I'm concerned that her immune system may not be strong enough to go through all these... She also has glaucoma which she complains about the side effects of her eye drops all the time, which tells me she is very sensitive to medications... but I'm also afraid surgery would also damage some part of her body system... hard decision to make...


    she started her first letrozole today and we'll see how it goes while we are waiting for FISH... she already has osteoporosis, she was afraid it's going to get worse... if FISH result comes back positive, I read Herceptin treatment is going to interfere with AI... in that case, surgery might be the only option...?

    as I read through some of the posts here, someone recommended SIM/I3C for AI alternative, not sure it would help...

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  • muska
    muska Member Posts: 1,195
    edited September 2017

    I wouldn't leave the tumor in the breast if it can be excised. Lumpectomy is an easy procedure, mastectomy is not a complicated surgery either if no reconstruction is done. Ask why they are not considering surgery.

    Letrozole is not a replacement to surgery.

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  • papayahead
    papayahead Member Posts: 4
    edited September 2017

    Hi, KB870,

    that's awesome to hear!

    thanks for the information!

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  • papayahead
    papayahead Member Posts: 4
    edited September 2017

    I agree totally... we were just shocked by the diagnose, and was thinking that taking hormone pills to make the tumor shrink over time might be the least damaging treatment for older patient. but now we understand medication might have some side effects to some people, and its damage could be bigger but invisible...


    waiting for FISH, if it's positive, I'd definitely suggest mom to go with surgery...


    thank you, muska! hope all is well!

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  • muska
    muska Member Posts: 1,195
    edited September 2017

    Letrozole is a great medication, it might shrink her tumor. You shouldn't be afraid of side effects. All I am saying the tumor probably needs to come out

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