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Becky · 04-18-2008, 08:36 PM

I was not recommended either but did so on my own for a variety of reasons. However, this was before several trials concluded within the last 12-18 months that recommend shutting the ovaries down one way or the other (exactly the ways you said).

These studies conclude that shutting the ovaries down of a premenopausal woman actually works as well as shutting them down and taking an antihormonal.

Since she is only 40, she may want to chemically shut them down with Zoladex or Lupron rather than remove them. She can always remove them at any time (but once done, they can't be put back)!

I was 46 - almost 47 (nearing the natural time) and my paternal grandmother died from ovarian cancer so I had some extra incentives and reasons for oophorectomy.

As for her prognosis - that too should be taken into consideration. She should seek second and maybe third opinions. In the meantime, she can take tamoxifen without ovarian suppression until she is happy and satisified with her path forward.

04-18-2008, 08:36 PM	#2
Becky Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Stockton, NJ Posts: 4,179	I was not recommended either but did so on my own for a variety of reasons. However, this was before several trials concluded within the last 12-18 months that recommend shutting the ovaries down one way or the other (exactly the ways you said). These studies conclude that shutting the ovaries down of a premenopausal woman actually works as well as shutting them down and taking an antihormonal. Since she is only 40, she may want to chemically shut them down with Zoladex or Lupron rather than remove them. She can always remove them at any time (but once done, they can't be put back)! I was 46 - almost 47 (nearing the natural time) and my paternal grandmother died from ovarian cancer so I had some extra incentives and reasons for oophorectomy. As for her prognosis - that too should be taken into consideration. She should seek second and maybe third opinions. In the meantime, she can take tamoxifen without ovarian suppression until she is happy and satisified with her path forward. __________________ Kind regards Becky Found lump via BSE Diagnosed 8/04 at age 45 1.9cm tumor, ER+PR-, Her2 3+(rt side) 2 micromets to sentinel node Stage 2A left 3mm DCIS - low grade ER+PR+Her2 neg lumpectomies 9/7/04 4DD AC followed by 4 DD taxol Used Leukine instead of Neulasta 35 rads on right side only 4/05 started Tamoxifen Started Herceptin 4 months after last Taxol due to trial results and 2005 ASCO meeting & recommendations Oophorectomy 8/05 Started Arimidex 9/05 Finished Herceptin (16 months) 9/06 Arimidex Only Prolia every 6 months for osteopenia NED 18 years! Said Christopher Robin to Pooh: "You must remember this: You're braver than you believe and stronger than you seem and smarter than you think"