Hormone suppression in elderly breast cancer patients

Hi eholbrook, and welcome to our community. Not sure if this is helpful, but you could take a look at this section on hormonal therapy, if you haven't already: Hormonal Therapy. It is indeed such a personal decision, weighing your personal experiences with medications, your age, side effects, etc. Hoping that some others chime in. And please keep us posted!

Hi eholbrook, my grandmother is 99 and has been on tamoxifen, letrozole and now faslodex. She handles them all just fine. A few years ago she discovered a tumor but due to her age (and other health reasons) her primary doctor did not think she should have surgery to remove it. So, she takes the hormonal therapy to keep things stable. Good luck to you with your decision

Due to my age (76) and low risk status of the IDC, the RO did not recommend RT with the understanding that i would take HR. I was happy with this because it was in my left breast and I would rather take a whole body HT. Also because I had uterine cancer diagnosis, also stage 1A , 9 months previously followed by a hysterotomy, the whole body HR seemed to be the best for me. My genetic test was negative. My MO listened to my reservations about the HR, mostly the side effects that are also what old age brings and my concerns about a double dose of fatigue, joint pains, weight gain, bone loss, risk of stroke, etc. Also discussed my quality of life for the next 5+ years since my husband is 81 with afib and reduced lung capacity.

Since AIs are contraindicated due to pending dental surgery and some osteopenia, I have been taking a reduced dose of Tamoxifen every other day for 6 weeks. The first 4 wks were the hardest with some side effects: a few hot flashes, irritability, weight gain and felt like I was operating at a 50% energy level so less activity. Now I still am operating at a lower activity level, have less will power when it comes to eating carbs and am slightly less irritable. After my appt with the MO, I have agreed to take this same dose for another 3 months. Will go back to a WW plan to lose the weight I gained in the last 15 months after maintaining my 35 lbs loss 3 years ago for 2 years. Hope to curb the irritability as well. I do not know if I will ever agree to a stronger dose of this HR or if I will continue this low dose HR for 5 years.

My MO thinks getting me to take the equivalent of 5 mg of Tamo/day is better than taking none. Maybe you can start with a low dose.

What you are doing with taking a reduced amount of HT sounds like maybe a good idea for me. I just got diagnosed with mucinous cancer, state 1A, low proliferation rate, low grade. After the operation they informed me that I will probably not need to receive radiation or chemotherapy, I think because of my age. But they want me to do the HT, and because of osteoporosis, theyhave mentioned some osteoporosis drugs, which I am dead set against. I was thinking about no treatment at all but maybe somehow just a little HT.