These drugs that are taken daily for 5 years post treatment work but preventing estrogen from attaching to the cell or known better as blocking receptor sites thus the cells are not stimulated to grow and the tumor stops growing. IT has been know that Tamoxifen taken for fives years has been able to reduce breast cancer recurrence by half and also effective in reducing the development of breast cancer in women who are high risk for the disease.
The new recommendation that was recently published in the JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ONCOLOGY is now to take the pill daily for ten years instead of five for those women that have receptor-positive breast cancer. This is in reference to women who are pre- or perimenopausal. Now there are a few more recommendations including if they become postmenopausal and also those who were postmenopausal at time of diagnosis.
So as a breast cancer survivor, here are some questions to ask your oncologist:
1. What are the side effects of taking this drug?
2. What do I need to help with the side effects?
3. Will there be any sexual/ intimacy issues due to taking this drug?
4. What are the risks and benefits in regards to my breast cancer profile?
5. What if I can't take it for the five or ten years, what does that mean to me?
Well, just a tidbit of info and some questions that could be relevant to you.
AND As ALWAY... make it a great day! S DISCLAIMER
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