HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - health value of retaining your ovaries--Lani (plagued by computer problems,can'tlogin

AlaskaAngel · 05-05-2009, 12:55 PM

Hi Terry,

Most people think losing hair or being sick is the hard part about chemotherapy. Bad as those things are, the invisible things may be a lot worse than we know. Medical therapy is so fragmented that I'm questioning what the net effect of chemotherapy for early stage bc really is. I very much believe that it is important to put endocrinologists at the center of the decision-making process, rather than leaving them out entirely at that time. Tumor boards are made up of those who know about surgery and radiation and chemotherapy but there is no authority on board at such a crucial time to connect the breasts (endocrine glands) with the rest of the body, which is what endocrinologists should be helping to do for breast cancer patients. At time of diagnosis it is hard to evaluate all the pieces of the picture in the rush to do everything possible to avoid recurrence. But consider some of the pieces that oncologists and PCPs don't discuss with patients, including:

whether the effects of chemo on the ovaries shorten actual lifespan through the loss of ovarian function

the concurrent use of steroids with chemotherapy that more often than not, result in added weight gain that then is much more difficult to lose due to menopause -- given that treatment makes it difficult to keep muscle tone, and the loss of the ability to produce as much testosterone makes it more difficult to rebuild muscle, as well as the steroid effect of muscle breakdown -- and the studies that are indicating that added weight is a risk factor -- another shortening of lifespan for so many that comes with chemotherapy, and that wouldn't be so prevalent without having that treatment.

the concurrent use of blood stimulating drugs in support of intensive chemotherapies -- another shortening of lifespan due to having chemotherapy...

Add to that the issues that are usually discussed, such as the cardiotoxic effects of some cancer regimens...

And the small percentage who will get leukemia...

I just wonder what the actual net effect is considering all the pieces, and whether those wtih early stage bc who are treated with chemotherapy actually have a shorter lifespan because they chose to have it.

05-05-2009, 12:55 PM	#10
AlaskaAngel Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Alaska Posts: 2,018	The big picture Hi Terry, Most people think losing hair or being sick is the hard part about chemotherapy. Bad as those things are, the invisible things may be a lot worse than we know. Medical therapy is so fragmented that I'm questioning what the net effect of chemotherapy for early stage bc really is. I very much believe that it is important to put endocrinologists at the center of the decision-making process, rather than leaving them out entirely at that time. Tumor boards are made up of those who know about surgery and radiation and chemotherapy but there is no authority on board at such a crucial time to connect the breasts (endocrine glands) with the rest of the body, which is what endocrinologists should be helping to do for breast cancer patients. At time of diagnosis it is hard to evaluate all the pieces of the picture in the rush to do everything possible to avoid recurrence. But consider some of the pieces that oncologists and PCPs don't discuss with patients, including: whether the effects of chemo on the ovaries shorten actual lifespan through the loss of ovarian function the concurrent use of steroids with chemotherapy that more often than not, result in added weight gain that then is much more difficult to lose due to menopause -- given that treatment makes it difficult to keep muscle tone, and the loss of the ability to produce as much testosterone makes it more difficult to rebuild muscle, as well as the steroid effect of muscle breakdown -- and the studies that are indicating that added weight is a risk factor -- another shortening of lifespan for so many that comes with chemotherapy, and that wouldn't be so prevalent without having that treatment. the concurrent use of blood stimulating drugs in support of intensive chemotherapies -- another shortening of lifespan due to having chemotherapy... Add to that the issues that are usually discussed, such as the cardiotoxic effects of some cancer regimens... And the small percentage who will get leukemia... I just wonder what the actual net effect is considering all the pieces, and whether those wtih early stage bc who are treated with chemotherapy actually have a shorter lifespan because they chose to have it.