For those on the fence about tamoxifen and ER+....please read

CypressCynthia
CypressCynthia Member Posts: 4,014 Member
in Breast Cancer #1
The latest article in The Lancet legitimizes what I have been preaching about tamoxifen being the main reason why I have survived so long. My prognosis was poor back in 1987 without tamoxifen. Tamoxifen was the new kid on the block that ended up saving my life. Now, 24 years later, I am hear to coax you ladies to just do it!

And note that even those with weakly ER positive tumors were helped.

Tamoxifen Wards Off Breast Cancer's Return for More Than a Decade

http://www.emanuelmedicalcenter.org/body.cfm?id=148&action=detail&ref=39679

Comments

  • jphilpo
    jphilpo Member Posts: 177
    #2
    tamoxifen
    I too have read so many articles on the benefits of tamoxifen and I have also read the heartbreaking stories of those who have suffered from side effects. I am on my 2nd year of it. I have had debilitating side effects and will continue to take it for as long as I can. I was switched to it from femara, which was worse. I am doing the best I can.

    I called the American Cancer Society hotline and spoke to a oncology nurse about my pain and frustration with these drugs, that for some women, are terrible. She said that it is one of the top issues that they deal with and that new studies are being done all the time to try and lessen the pain that so many of us endure.

    So, my message is, you must do what you can and not feel pressured or guilty if you can't. We are all so different and some of these drugs are just so hard to take. Please don't think you just have to endure it. Speak to your doctor and maybe something else will help.
  • mamolady
    mamolady Member Posts: 796 Member
    #3
    not on the fence
    I knew I would start either tamoxifen or arimidex. The article is great though.

    Cindy
  • disneyfan2008
    disneyfan2008 Member Posts: 6,583 Member
    #4
    I agree
    Like they tell us benefits out outweigh teh side effects. A friend I considered LIKE A MOM to me had cancer about 25 yrs ago...took tamoxfin-she had few bouts with cancer since but she lived great life until last Aug (about 74 yrs old) she went with me to my appts , surgery etc and agreed I should take it. (i just had hysterctomy due to side effects but no cancer)

    Denise
  • skipper54
    skipper54 Member Posts: 936 Member
    #5
    disneyfan2008 said:

    I agree
    Like they tell us benefits out outweigh teh side effects. A friend I considered LIKE A MOM to me had cancer about 25 yrs ago...took tamoxfin-she had few bouts with cancer since but she lived great life until last Aug (about 74 yrs old) she went with me to my appts , surgery etc and agreed I should take it. (i just had hysterctomy due to side effects but no cancer)

    Denise

    Femara too
    My oncologist told me the new generation, like Femara, is even more effective. Of course everything has side effects so we end up on meds for teh side effects, and then sometimes meds for the side effects from the meds for side effects. But all in all it's worth it for me.
  • robang13
    robang13 Member Posts: 333
    #6
    I guess that says it all and
    I guess that says it all and I must endure. My aunt is on her second go round of this. First time 15 years ago and now a new accurance 2 years ago. I guess if she can plow through the bone pain and hot flashes I can too.

    angela
  • GrandmaJ
    GrandmaJ Member Posts: 209
    #7
    robang13 said:

    I guess that says it all and
    I guess that says it all and I must endure. My aunt is on her second go round of this. First time 15 years ago and now a new accurance 2 years ago. I guess if she can plow through the bone pain and hot flashes I can too.

    angela

    Femara
    Anyone having excessing sweating from Femara? Even if I'm just doing some housework, the sweat is pouring off my forehead and my hair is all wet. Guess I should be happy I don't have bone pain (yet)... but its annoying and ruins your hairdo (with the little bit of hair I have left since Femara) !!!
  • sea60
    sea60 Member Posts: 2,613
    #8
    Thanks Cynthia!
    I appreciate you posting this.

    Hugs,

    Sylvia
  • CypressCynthia
    CypressCynthia Member Posts: 4,014 Member
    #9
    sea60 said:

    Thanks Cynthia!
    I appreciate you posting this.

    Hugs,

    Sylvia

    Bumping up for Ayse
    Bumping up for Ayse
  • skipper54
    skipper54 Member Posts: 936 Member
    #10
    CypressCynthia said:

    Bumping up for Ayse
    Bumping up for Ayse

    Gone nuclear
    I'm not sure about excessive sweating but the hot flashes have gone nuclear! Just get soaking wet, clothes, hair, everything. In the heat wave it's sometimes hard to tell what's from heat and what a hot flash but when you wake up in the middle of the night it's pretty obvious. Also went nuclear inthe middle of my port removal yesterday. Oh well, my yoga instructor says I must be sweating out all the toxins from the chemo so I'll take that.
  • jendrey
    jendrey Member Posts: 377
    #11
    skipper54 said:

    Gone nuclear
    I'm not sure about excessive sweating but the hot flashes have gone nuclear! Just get soaking wet, clothes, hair, everything. In the heat wave it's sometimes hard to tell what's from heat and what a hot flash but when you wake up in the middle of the night it's pretty obvious. Also went nuclear inthe middle of my port removal yesterday. Oh well, my yoga instructor says I must be sweating out all the toxins from the chemo so I'll take that.

    mkay,...
    Yep, I read that too, but from the Lancet website. Hmm, I came away with a whole different perspective from reading that spin/article.
  • CypressCynthia
    CypressCynthia Member Posts: 4,014 Member
    #12
    jendrey said:

    mkay,...
    Yep, I read that too, but from the Lancet website. Hmm, I came away with a whole different perspective from reading that spin/article.

    my opinion
    The proof is in the pudding. My odds were poor in 1987 with a large tumor and 4 nodes. My only new therapy was tamoxifen (still experimental then). I went for it and I am still here. To be a 24 year survivor is not spin.
  • JacquiAL
    JacquiAL Member Posts: 29
    #13
    jendrey said:

    mkay,...
    Yep, I read that too, but from the Lancet website. Hmm, I came away with a whole different perspective from reading that spin/article.

    spin article
    Hi,

    Can you please tell me where I can read the spin article?

    Thank you.

    Jacqui
  • CypressCynthia
    CypressCynthia Member Posts: 4,014 Member
    #14
    JacquiAL said:

    spin article
    Hi,

    Can you please tell me where I can read the spin article?

    Thank you.

    Jacqui

    The summary of the article
    The summary of the article is in my first post. It is easier to understand than the article itself for most. The full article is in The Lancet:

    Relevance of breast cancer hormone receptors and other factors to the efficacy of adjuvant tamoxifen: patient-level meta-analysis of randomised trials

    (or copy and paste the below in your url address window)

    http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(11)60993-8/fulltext

    P.S. My updated antivirus software blocks me when I try to open a link. If you too are having this problem, right click the link with your mouse and select "Open in new window" and voila! you can then get the link.
  • LoveBabyJesus
    LoveBabyJesus Member Posts: 1,679 Member
    #15
    I am one to FEAR Tamoxifen
    I am one to FEAR Tamoxifen since I harvested my eggs and would like to be a mom one day. But I would rather live, of course. I can always adopt, if this is my call as a human - no problem. Thanks for posting this article.
  • JacquiAL
    JacquiAL Member Posts: 29
    #16
    CypressCynthia said:

    The summary of the article
    The summary of the article is in my first post. It is easier to understand than the article itself for most. The full article is in The Lancet:

    Relevance of breast cancer hormone receptors and other factors to the efficacy of adjuvant tamoxifen: patient-level meta-analysis of randomised trials

    (or copy and paste the below in your url address window)

    http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(11)60993-8/fulltext

    P.S. My updated antivirus software blocks me when I try to open a link. If you too are having this problem, right click the link with your mouse and select "Open in new window" and voila! you can then get the link.

    Thank you
    Thanks for the link and tip on opening it.

    Jacqui

Discussion Boards