Aromatase inhibitors

AlaskaAngel · Posted: Thu Feb 17, 2005 12:52 pm Post subject: Aromatase inhibitors

I often wonder if waiting to start an AI would be more beneficial for any particular group of women, say starting it at 5 years after finishing treatment rather than immediately after finishing treatment (assuming of course that one makes it to 5 years). The reason I wonder is because when I look at predictors, the percentages of survival and of recurrence drop so much at around 4 or 5 years for those who aren't on hormonal therapy, but are fairly high for the first couple of years after treatment -- and that trend continues to get worse. In other words, does the protective effect of hormonal therapy diminish over time, so it would be better to start later if one has fairly good odds to begin with?
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Dx Dec 2001 at age 50
Lumpectomy Jan 2002, 1.6 cm IDC plus some DCIS
Node neg
ER+, PR+, HER2+++
CAF x 6, 35 rads+boost
NED
Tamoxfen 1 3/4 yrs
In 2 clinical trials
bc for mom and 1 sis and 1 aunt and 1 granny
ovarian cancer for 1 aunt

Muttsmom · Posted: Thu Feb 17, 2005 2:03 pm Post subject: Re: Aromatase inhibitors

What I don't understand is my oncologist and friend's I've talked to about it, their oncologists say the same thing as mine. The longer you go without a reoccurence, the better the chances are you won't. But, if you read some of these sites, they say that our chances of having a reoccurence increase after 5 years. I have faith in my onco and it makes sense that the longer you go without one, the less likely you are to have one because it shows you weren't chemo resistant.
Just one more thing that is there to confuse us and make us go more nuts...... I'm already nuts, so I don't have much farther to go... lol
I know with Tamoxefin, studies showed no benefit to taking it 10 years vs 5 and if I read it right, it was basically saying that after 5 years it's tought, for lack of a better word, your body to do on it's own what it does for you. I could have totally misunderstood that though.
After 6 months of Tamoxefin and more info out on Arimidex, I opted with my onco's blessings to change to Arimidex because it was showing to be superior to Arimidex and since the 5 year study has come out just recently, it's showing that it IS superior in preventing reoccurences.
And they wonder why we are confused........geesh Smile

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Nancy
2/14/02 ILC 43 - 5.5 cm 9+/16 nodes
Stage IIIA er/pr+ Her2-
2/02 MRM
FECx6 radsx33
Tamoxifen - Arimidex (chemo induced menopause)
4/03 SM w/bilat. recon.
9/03 expanders removed
5/04 repair reconst. disaster
10/04 Actonel for bone/joint pain from Arimidex
NED - 5 years
3/07 Diabetes
In memory of Kim 12/1/04

AlaskaAngel · Posted: Thu Feb 17, 2005 2:08 pm Post subject: Hormonal Therapy

How funny you should mention that. In the last week I've had quite a few discussions about the contradictions between earlier and later years, and every conversation has ended up in the same confusion you have. I'd like to hear what the docs have to say about it....

Kristen · Experienced user Joined: 01 Nov 2004 Posts: 60

Hi all,
I just had my oncol visit and asked her the very same thing. I cannot switch to the Arimidex yet because I am pre-menopausal. She feels I am tolerating the tamox just fine so the plan is to remain on it for the full 5 years, at which point then switching to the Arimidex. She also said that this gives me 10 years (crossing fingers) to take advantage of the hormonal therapy. So, unless something changes in the next few years I will take her advice. If I am still pre-menopausal when I complete the tamox (been on it for 16 months) then we will discuss taking the ovaries out and forcing myself into full menopause so I can go on the Arimidex.
I am not sure I am making much sense here...LOL
Kristen

penelopez · Senior User Joined: 11 Oct 2004 Posts: 165

Another question that has been asked before and I've never really seen it answered: If we are "safer" (regarding recurrence) after that magical 5-year mark, why do the recurrence rates continue to increase? Am I missing something on these charts?

Thanks if anyone can answer this. Smile

Hugs,

Margie

leo · Site Admin Joined: 23 Sep 2004 Posts: 1574

Girls,

There is a lot we do not know about this. The reason you use it for 5 years is that this is the length that has been used in clinical trials. It has been shown that there is not benefit beyond 5 years of tamoxifen.

Also, since all the trials are done starting tamoxifen immediatelly, there is no way to know what would happen if someone starts taking it after 5 years.

regards,
Leo
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Disclaimer: this information is for informational purposes only. It is not medical advice.

mbschultzie · New User Joined: 03 Mar 2005 Posts: 1

My mother was on arimidex and seemed to be doing well. at her 12/04 visit they did a cat dcan and blood work and her ca27-29 was elevated and the dr saw a small spot on her liver(she was diagnosed in 2000) she also had 2 spot on a lung but they have been stable. her ca 27-29 jumped from 24 to 45 then again to 56 (1/05). her CAE(?) is stable at 1.8. They switched to once a month faslodex shot and after the second shot she as been experiencing alo of muscle pain to the point that in 3 weeks she has difficulty around the house and is using a walker. She is 82 and up to the change in medication was very active. She her next visit on 3/21 and she refuses to continue that treatment and wonders what are her other choices. We research Femara and aromisin whitch could be used what about going back to tamoxifin since she didn't use it for a full 5 years. ( they change her from that because of Post menapausal bleeding).

She has had a double mastectomy and histerectomy. We are also supplmenting with Garden of life RM-10 (mushrooms)

Thanks for any help and prayers

mary Question

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