Radiation + endocrine therapy VS endocrine therapy alone

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Lew
Lew Member Posts: 5
edited April 2018 in DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma In Situ)

I had a lumpectomy for DCIS, which turned out to be 2mm (plus another 2mm in the core biopsy). My DCIS is estrogen and progesterone positive. Post surgery treatment options explained to me are adjuvant radiation therapy and adjuvant endocrine therapy. Using the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center's "Breast Cancer Nomogram for DCIS," my score comes up as:

6% possibility of reoccurrence in 5 years and 10% in 10 years if Iuse endocrine treatment alone, after lumpectomy. If I have radiation and endocrine treatment, those probabilities are cut in half.

Have any of you had to face the decision of radiation + endocrine treatment vs endocrine treatment alone?

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  • Meow13
    Meow13 Member Posts: 4,859
    edited April 2018

    My situation was different I had idc and ilc tumors 2 in total but each 1cm. My risk was 23% in 10 years with endocrine treatment specifically tamoxifen not AI drugs. It would have gone down to 12% with chemo but I didn't do that. No radiation for me I had a mastectomy with diep reconstruction. After, seeing the dangers with radiation I am glad I didn't have the lumpectomies.

    Your numbers and reduced probabilities are even less impressive to me. You need to decide for yourself but if I had your situation I would just do endocrine therapy, AI drugs if you are post menopausal.

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  • Ingerp
    Ingerp Member Posts: 2,624
    edited April 2018

    Lew—I am also cautious/conservative with treatment, and it’s good to do your research and make a decision you will not second guess. I had to be talked into rads two years ago but when I heard it would cut the recurrence probability in half it was an easy decision for me. Every month there is a new “Starting rads. . .” thread with lots of hand-holding and good advice. Not fun while it’s going on but also not bad and the whole process quickly left my brain space. It’s the one part of what I know will be my suggested tx this time around that I am completely on board with.

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  • Lew
    Lew Member Posts: 5
    edited April 2018

    Meow13, thank you so much for sharing your perspective

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  • Lew
    Lew Member Posts: 5
    edited April 2018

    Ingerp, thank you also for your perspective. It is helpful to hear from you all about your experiences and decisions.

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