Anyone on the HRT trials?

kristen · 01-02-2011, 05:59 AM

I was wondering if anyone was on the HRT trials because I really want my hormones back...I know that it's supposed to be "bad", my doctors don't recommend it, but QOL is an issue for me.
Are you recieving natural or a synthetic hormone? Is the risk less if you were er/pr neg? Have you seen a difference in your overall QOL with HRT? What kind of statistics did they give you for reoccurance? I am so glad they are doing a study on this topic, I think there is a real need for it at least for me. Thank you.

AlaskaAngel · 01-02-2011, 11:58 AM

I'm not on that trial, but I was a participant in the 2004 low-dose testosterone trial for breast cancer patients. At the time, it was considered equally risky to use testosterone for breast cancer patients, but since then even though that fear still is prevalent, gradually there has been more research done, and more instances that whether or not it is helpful, it may not be harmful. It is still being studied, and as we know, our cancers each have so many variations that it may be true that testosterone is not harmful for most but still may be harmful for some.

I've had no ill effect from it and have continued to use low-dose testosterone from time to time.

I too look forward to the information we gain from participating in genuine research rather than living in ignorance and fear of so many things that haven't been proven to be harmful to us.

Estrogen has gotten a bad rap from having been prescribed so predominantly in a form combined with a progestin rather than being judged by its own merits alone.

AlaskaAngel

kristen · 01-03-2011, 07:16 AM

Alaska Angel, Thank you for that.
So you use it every so often and still feel the benefits? Would you mind telling me what your doc prescribes or the name of the trial and who sponsored it? I would like to discuss it with mine. I'm with you, the more info out there the better.
Thanks again,
Warm Regards,
K

AlaskaAngel · 01-04-2011, 04:33 PM

TESTOSTERONE:

This is the trial itself, with its criteria:

http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00075855

This was the report after the trial was completed:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1...?dopt=Abstract

However... prior to the trial, the popular discussion (such as Oprah) talked about applying the testosterone to the genitals for increased libido, whereas the trial specified that it was to be applied elsewhere, which I think would affect the outcome.

ESTROGEN use:

Oncs often approve the use of vaginal supplemental estrogen, such as with the Estring or Vagifem, mostly for stage 1 patients at the least risk of recurrence.

I don't recall which forums had the info, but if you do searches about estrogen in either the articles forum or the main forum you might find some recent articles indicating that estrogen use may be helpful for some in treating bc or avoiding bc recurrence.

We have been conditioned to reject these ideas, but we need solid research about them since many studies have confused the use of estrogen with the use of estrogen plus other additives, and even possibly distorted our knowledge through the use of high doses versus lower doses.

A.A.

AlaskaAngel · 01-04-2011, 04:41 PM

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20602189

I find it remarkably unpleasant that there is not even an acknowledgement that this ONLY deals with these rotten effects on those who have early bc.... as if it is of little or no consequence that all of those who have other than early bc are also stuck with dealing with these consequences -- and with no way to address them. This is not a just a problem for early stage bc patients.