Vaginal Dryness Meds May Counteract Breast Cancer Drugs

[Unregistered]

Something to maybe be mindful of in the bewilderment of choices.

RB


Vaginal Dryness Meds May Counteract Breast Cancer Drugs

http://www.forbes.com/lifestyle/health/feeds/hscout/2006/01/26/hscout530549.html

ABSTRACT

THURSDAY, Jan. 26 (HealthDay News) -- Estrogen used to combat vaginal dryness and other postmenopausal symptoms may counteract the beneficial effects of new breast cancer drugs called aromatase inhibitors, a new British study finds.

Although the study involved only a small number of women, its authors believe the findings warrant possible treatment changes.

"Women on aromatase inhibitors using this and similar preparations should discuss their situation with their doctor," advised Dr. Anne Kendall, lead author of the study and a clinical research fellow in the breast and biochemistry unit at Royal Marsden Hospital in London. "In the majority of women, we would anticipate that they would stop the vaginal estrogen therapy."

[AlaskaAngel]

What do I think? I think oncologists should be a LOT more honest about the likelihood of severe vaginal dryness with few options BEFORE we do therapy, rather than jumping to deny us any options afterward.

I continue to question whether a possible problem that was identified specifically with Vagifem should also be identified with other choices like the Estring, since the method of dispensing is different even if it is applied in the same location.

This is ONE recent study. Prior to this single study other studies have been done that indicate that there is no systemic effect. That is why many doctors have been willing to prescribe it. They will need to reproduce the same results in a larger study to confirm them before they are any better or even as good as the results of prior studies.

I don't know how old some of you are, or how far out from chemo you are, which can make some difference in your opinion on this. I am 3 1/4 years out from chemo and rads and over time the problem has gotten worse. I am going to be 55 soon. I have been with my partner for 30 years and if I don't use one of these therapies PLUS a ton of lubrication there is no way he can get in there. And as it is I bleed.

I brought the subject up with both my male internist and my male onc and the onc said I could use the Estring. Otherwise there was not so much as a whisper of sympathy.

In this day of modern science I find it appalling that there is such minimal honesty in dealing with this issue.

There is a phase III clinical trial now enrolling participants for a new choice that is being developed that may even help to prevent cancer... BUT... the trial is not enrolling participants with a cancer history that is not at least 10 years NED so it won't tell us whether or not we can use it safely.

I'm sure that eventually it will sell like hotcakes to those with vaginal dryness and no history of cancer, and I am sure many of us will choose to use it, given the impossible situation we are in.

Who do they think the men using all the Viagra are using it with?

AlaskaAngel

[Lyn]

I think we need to get more FEMALE scientists involved in this, lets face it some men find that having a tight one is a turn on for them but excruitiating for the female. We tried to get answers about this once before but we came up against a brick wall in the end and the forum thread died a natural death. I for one love my partner to death and I find it wonderful that I still have him and he feels the same way about me and hasn't turned to other women, not so for some of our other lovely, lonely readers of our forum. I tried a lubricant from the health shop for a while but it is always there for the after thought and not the thought of the moment, a bit like having a condom on hand, especially since we all probaly had a normal response before BC to our partners, they get the erection and we get tense because we no it is going to be somewhat painful hence the term "a fine line between pleasure and pain", it seems that when we get the cure for BC we may get the answer to this problem as well, of little consulation to us now. It isn't a lubricant we need it is a complete sytem treatment to our glands that benefit from eostrogen. I stopped my eostrogen blocker to allow my cancer cells to grow so they can be treated with chem, doesn't sound like a very bright move, the cells grew, but this has not allowed the eostrogen that has been unblocked to make any difference to my system, I stopped in September last year and it is as if my body needs to be retrained to produce the natural release of eostrogen to the body, if that makes sence.


Love & Hugs Lyn