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why women give up on AIs and what it means

Reading how many women give up AIs because of side effects, I thought this article would be helpful:

http://annonc.oxfordjournals.org/con...nc.mdt037.full

Re: why women give up on AIs and what it means

makes me feel certain I'll keep on with Femara, even if my first few steps from sitting are as if I'm lifting cement feet. Thank you for posting!

Re: why women give up on AIs and what it means

Read this article a few weeks ago & thought very interesting. Particularly the paragraph on Letrozole. They say that Vit D is important especially with Letrozole. So I have started taking Vit D3. Have started with 1000 Iu tablet daily but think it should be more. Just haven't upped dosage yet! I have also been told Glucosamine good for stiff joints etc. Doctor ok with this. I considered changing from letrozole to another AI but my Nurse was uncomfortable with me "rocking the boat"

Lizz - I know that feeling well!!
Juls

Re: why women give up on AIs and what it means

Sarah, what a GREAT overview article. Thank you for posting it. I don't remember seeing it before (although it's several years old).

I particularly like that it touches (barely) on something I've long wondered about. We know from many studies that AIs offer a small benefit over Tamoxifen in preventing recurrences. However, I have yet to see any of the studies looking at OTC NSAID use (or rx use, for that matter) in women on AIs. Many patients have some degree of "arthralgia", and my sense is that they self medicate with NSAIDs (or even aspirin). We know there is an association between use of NSAIDs/aspirin and cancer incidence and possibly recurrence. I wonder if this could be a big enough confounder to explain, at least partially, the small increased benefit of the AIs. I wonder why no one has included this focus in the many studies that have been done.

I also like that many other ideas to reduce pain are mentioned (including yoga and Vitamin D). As the author notes, more study is needed on all fronts.

I also wish we could figure out why for most, the pain is annoying but tolerable/treatable -- while for a few it is disabling and intolerable.

Thanks again for sharing the article.

Debbie Laxague

Re: why women give up on AIs and what it means

I took it for eight years and only stopped when my Onc said she felt I had all I could. I felt any side effects were worth it and preferable to a recurrance so would have taken it for life if need be!

Re: why women give up on AIs and what it means

Debbie
You mention association between NSAIDs/aspirin & possible recurrence. When I asked my Doctor if I could do anything to help arthralgia, the only suggestion was to take Ibuprofen!
Just a few weeks ago there was an article here suggesting that if you have cancer you should consider taking either ibuprofen or aspirin to help inflammation in the body. I asked my Doctor about this and reply was "there is evidence to support taking aspirin more than Ibu but that side effects of aspirin should be considered".
Now don't know what to think! Will just stick to Vit D at the moment!!
Juls