Risk of Coronavirus 2 years after all clear

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Jonesbec35
Jonesbec35 Member Posts: 1

Hi my mum was cleared of breast cancer 2 years ago, she takes letrozole now and she thinks she is at high risk of getting Coronavirus, I am certain she is not but can someone please confirm

Th

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited March 2020

    Hi Jonesbec35, and welcome to Breastcancer.org,

    We're so glad you've found our Community and posted a question for your mom's safety.

    You may be interested in checking out our main Breastcancer.org site's coverage of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) on our constantly updated page Coronavirus (COVID-19): What People With Breast Cancer Need to Know; specifically the section Who is at risk for getting COVID-19?

    We hope this helps and that you and your mom stay safe and healthy!

    --The Mods

  • Beesie
    Beesie Member Posts: 12,240
    edited March 2020

    The link from the Mods is interesting but doesn't appear to specifically address what you are asking about. I think are two questions related to your mother's situation.

    First, if someone is otherwise healthy and is two years out from active breast cancer treatment, are they at higher risk of either catching the disease or becoming seriously ill should they catch the disease?

    Second, does Letrozole (and other AIs and Tamoxifen) affect the immune system in a way that could increase risk?

    I may be wrong, but to my understanding, Letrozole is not considered "active treatment" and does not affect the immune system. Therefore on it's own, I don't believe that it would increase your mother's risk to catch COVID-19 or put her at higher risk of serious illness should she acquire the disease.

    Did you mother have chemo and radiation? Those two treatments could reduce the ability of the immune system to react to an illness, but if your mother had few problems and has recovered well, I don't know if there would be any lingering impact on the immune system two years later,

    How old is your mother? Being older does mean that one is at higher risk of becoming more seriously ill should you catch the disease.

  • ang7894
    ang7894 Member Posts: 540
    edited March 2020

    I was gonna ask the same thing I'm almost 8 years out. had chemo and radiation. but are we always gonna have a weaker immune system ? is there anything we can do to Boost the immune system ? to try besides washing hands and staying away from others etc.

  • Ingerp
    Ingerp Member Posts: 2,624
    edited March 2020

    Pretty sure there are no lasting impacts on immune system that far out of active treatment. The best we can do is follow the recommendations in the Moderator thread linked elsewhere (good diet, exercise, sleep, de-stress).

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