[AlaskaAngel]

Brenda,

The original question you raised was about the physical results of therapy, and this turned out to be a very helpful thread for that. I don't want to distract from that discussion, but I have a question related to it that I haven't seen answered anywhere. So if you think my question should go on a different thread I would be glad to do that.

The question I've been wondering about is this:

Are the HR+ people who have more loss of gender and menopausal effects "more" menopausal, and thus more "protected" from recurrence? I ask this because with the recent info presented that indicated extending the use of letrozole after 5 years of tamoxifen was better, it would seem logical. In that regard, DebbieL mentioned that after stopping the AI there was a carryover effect and the adverse dryness, etc. continued. I'm wondering whether the extra 5 years provides the greatest protection to those who are least menopausal (and maybe provides very little benefit to those who are more so, while adding more physical issues to deal with). In addition, from what I understand, those who are HR+ continue to be at significant risk for decades, whereas the risk for HR-'s drops over time.

From the discussion about the physical aspects, it sounds like we are all over the map in terms of what effects each of us has and to what degree.

I have wondered if the younger patients are, the less "menopausal" they are after treatment, and do not have the same degree of loss of gender.

AlaskaAngel