[AlaskaAngel]

Hi Vic,

I couldn't get the link you posted to work.

Doing a search here using "testosterone" and "trial" brought up most of the past discussions on the topic. Although the clinical trial I participated in did not show a benefit from the use of low-dose testosterone, it did show that low-dose testosterone did not break down into estrogen, as had previously been believed. Take a look at the thread Marjorie posted. That study would indicate that use is still questionable.

To use it, hormone levels would probably need to be periodically measured and tracked, as was done during the clinical trial and recommended.

Because the reason for wanting to use testosterone has been so vastly ignored and avoided as part of informed consent prior to or after cancer treatment, loss of gender and loss of sexuality is in general very poorly recognized or even accepted as human damage, and too easily rationalized away by those virtuous souls who don't suffer from it.

Vaginal atrophy is a physical outcome that can be seen. So some oncs have recognized that it can be real. Thus there are some who will prescribe things for that problem such as the Estring. I hope that even though loss of sexual function is invisible to them and so easy to dismiss, maybe the option of occasional topical use of low-dose testosterone on the cliterois at time of sexual intercourse might become an option, rather than a continuous source such as a testosterone patch. This would not be that much different from the use by men of Viagra, Cialis, etc. I intend to ask for it. I also personally think not prescribing other things that genuinely stand to possibly help enhance sexuality such as marijuana should be medically available to breast cancer patients instead of expecting cancer patients to "do without".

AlaskaAngel