Chemo/Radiation before mast? - Cancer: Breast Message Board

twest · 02-02-2007, 08:01 AM

Hi,
My sister-in-law (early 50's) has just been diagnosed with stage 2 in both breasts and lymp nodes. They will do chemo and radiation to see if it shrinks before they will do a mastectomy. The dr said more than likely she'll still have a mastectomy in July or August. They did take her off of the hormone patch to keep it from growing as well. Anyone heard of this treatment? Oh, and 25 years ago she took triple doses of fertility treatment which did result in a child. This is the 2nd person I know that was on fertility drugs and ended up with breast cancer. Just wondering if anyone had any ideas or comments. Thanks.

Tammy

newfie11 · 02-03-2007, 07:59 AM

It is very common to try to shrink the cancer before surgery. She must have an estrogen receptive cancer.
It has been very well known for over 15 years in Europe that ERT can cause breast cancer in some women. It was talked about by Dr. Tabar (one of the giants in the field of Mammography) in his seminars in the early 1990's. Then big pharma was pushing it so much here in the states that none of this information was getting out. Doctors were pushing it thinking they were doing the right thing for their patients.
Now that the information is out and many women are off, the rate of breast cancer is dropping for the first time in decades. I don't think it is a coincidence. Women that need this for quality of life should be given it but at least tell them the whole story and let them make the decision.
Sorry off my soapbox.
Newfie11

twest · 02-05-2007, 11:46 AM

Thanks for the reply. I agree and I'm not sure if her doctors warned her about breast cancer or not, but the damage is done now and we'll just have to do whatever necessary for her treatment. I guess it does make sense to try and shrink it before removing the breast, but I had never heard of that before. Thanks again.