Recently had a followup meeting with surgeon to discuss results of breast MRI. I have had amazing tumor shrinkage in both breasts and lymphs with arimidex and zometa only, so no mastectomy in near future. Surgeon thinks I have had the breast cancer for years. I was diagnosed stage IV bilateral bc 8/8/08 at initial diagnosis in spite of yearly mammos and clinical breast exams. The surgeon said something that I had never heard before and wondered if any of you have input re her statement. I took estrogen replacement therapy for 36 yrs (just estrogen, no progesterone). I took heavy doses until the last few yrs when my dose was cut down. She said it is possible that my heavy doses of estrogen in my younger years kept the cancer at bay!!! Comments please. Margery
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estrogen keeps breast cancer at bay?
- By margery
- Posted November 1, 2009 at 4:02 pm · 6 replies
- In Living with cancer
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- By Lukesgrandma
- Posted November 1, 2009 at 5:10 pm
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Margery, I'm happy to hear of your test results! I will be very interested to hear from others on your question about estrogen. I was under the impression that estrogen caused cancer to grow. I know that I have not had any kind of estrogen replacement since my first bout with bc back in 1987. One of my doctors would like me to use the vaginal estrogen cream, but my oncologist says no!
Hope your news continues to be good.
Susan
- By 2xnow
- Posted November 1, 2009 at 5:42 pm
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It's my understanding that estrogen does cause cancer. That's why many women were taken off replacement therapy for menopause. When I was having a problem with dryness in the vaginal area, I was put on Replens, a non estrogen product. I would not use estrogen cream since it absorbs into the body. In alternative medicine progesterone and estrogen products are combined or the use of pregnenlone is recommended even for people who have cancer. I have a friend who practices alternative medicine and she recommends I go on pregnenlone and progest to destroy the cancer cells. I have heard some cancers disappeared with alternative therapy but I think it depends on the type of cancer and location. I read an article the other day where a dr. stated the cancer on a patient disappeared without conventional treatment - apparently they are finding this out with prostrate cancers. Sometimes I wonder if these patients ever had an testing done to determine if in fact it actually was a malignancy.
- By Beachbabe
- Posted November 2, 2009 at 6:39 am
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Wow, there sure is a lot to learn, and lots of info that sounds conflicting. Congrats on finding a treatment that works for YOU. And I think recognizing we are all distinct individuals is important when looking at any treatment plan--past or present.
I, too, have had remarkable success on the current treatment plan, negating the need for a mastectomy at this point (given that it is Stage IV, were it an earlier stage I believe a mastectomy would be protocol). I have heard estrogen feeds cancer, which is why so many of our treatments are starving the body of all signs of estrogen. However, there have been great breakthroughs lately with reintroducing estrogen after it has been gone and having that fight back cancer as well. Perhaps that is akin to what happened with you, your body went through the loss of estrogen attack on the cancer, and then with the reissue of estrogen therapy, it continued to fight back the cancer. Hey, I'm not a doctor and I don't play one on T.V., just thinking...
Whatever happened, things are going well for you--bravo!
- By lauriem
- Posted November 3, 2009 at 2:32 am
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Just some more thoughts to add. Different cancers have different fuels. I am estrogen positive -which means my cancer is fueled by estrogen. I took estrogen blockers for years to hold the cancer at bay - before they quit working. About 10 years ago when I was on progest...before my initial diagnosis - by cancer grew by leaps and bounds. This is just another reminder that, although we share breast cancer, there are different types and fuels for our cancer. Glad to hear your treatments are having a great effect on your cancer cells. Praise the Lord.
- By chloemom
- Posted November 3, 2009 at 7:34 am
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There were earlier discussions about estrogen being used as a treatment for some forms of Metastatic Breast
Cancer and that a form of estrogen is used in Europe as a first line treatment. If you search this site for Estriol you should get a few of the discussions to get started on
research in this area.
- By mrsmas
- Posted November 7, 2009 at 2:31 pm
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My onc told me that my estrogen was the fuel to my cancer car. Well, he didn't say it THAT way, but that is my paraphrased version.
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