Off Tamoxifen and pre-menopausal

[mts]

I am 2 1/2 yrs out from original Dx of DCIS with some invasion- had lumpectomy, 0 nodes, AC+T+H for a yr, rads and tamox since the radiation... I was only 10%-15% ER positive and PR negative. My onc said OK to taking me off the tamoxifen. I am still pre-menopausal, so no other hormonal is being provided to me. He prefers me to go into menopause "naturally". I personally am relieved to getting off of it, but wonder if anyone else has removed Tamoxifen from their treatment protocol and substituted it for anything else -or nothing at all. I understand that being 10%- 15% ER+ is barely skimming the advantages of taking tamoxifen... skimming is better than nothing, but at this point, does it realy matter ?

Maria (MTS)

[Becky]

It was not a bad decision. There are some "authorities" that would say that 10% + is negative. And you aren't PR+ so tamoxifen rarely does any good in that case even if you weren't Her2+ as well. I wouldn't be upset over this decision in the least. Tamoxifen without Herceptin may have done more harm than good - or perhaps, with so little hormone activity, there was nothing there to really help anyway.

[Rupali]

I am also ER+ 10% and PR+ 10% and my onc has me on tamoxifen and zoladex for 2 years and then he wants to move me to Aromatise inhibitors for 3 more years together with zoladex. I personally feel that with 10% ER+ PR+ this is too much to do. But then he says that I am young (32) and also that he does not want to have this attack line open.

I am also having Indole3Carbinol and EstroDim from my naturopath for better estrogen metabolism.

[cafe1084]

This tamoxifen issue is a concern for me, as well. The onc nurse keeps mentioning that she has my script for it anytime i WANT IT. I can start it in 3 weeks when I finish taxol, but being er<10% and pr - along with research I have found via the helpful women on here, I fear that it poses a greater risk of her2 recurrence. The onc nurse, when I mentioned my concerns, dismissed me as a fool. The her2 scares me sooo much more than the estrogen fueled cells. I feel it will worsen my situation ie; her2 comes back or I develop ovarian cancer, an area where I already have cysts and severe pain.

I am considering taking the same route as Becky-TAH or ovarian ablation/arimidex. I do not have a good feeling regarding the tamoxifen. If anyone has solid research I can present at my next appointment with the onc., I would truly appreciate a link or "referral" as it were :)

Stephanie C