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JessicaV · 01-11-2015, 08:34 PM

Hi Kathy,
If you are wanting to reduce your chances of recurrence of your cancer, and have estrogen-receptor-positive cancer, as you know you need to try to keep estrogens in the body down , because the richer it is in Estrogen, the faster and further your cancer is likely to grow/spread.

Estrogens, and the hormones that become estrogens in the body, are made in the ovaries, in the adrenal glands, and in fatty tissue. So if you are overweight, even if you remove your ovaries you will have quite a good source in the fat in your body unless you exercise and diet it away.

As Sassy says, removing your uterus will not reduce your risk, except incidentally because your ovaries are often removed at the same time.

The other part of the equation is cancer stem-cells. These are found inside tumors, and are shed by tumors, and float around in lymph fluid or blood, and can switch back and forth between the ancient primitive cell-form of breast cancer cells (Mesenchymal), and their natural cell form (Epithelial). If they are not dividing they will not be killed by chemo. They are able to find suitable spots in distant tissue like bone, lungs and liver and brain, and start growing into a new metastatic tumor.

As yet there is not much treatment that effectively hits these cells except if/when they are dividing. Immunotherapies are exploring some possible treatments using this approach. So that risk ie of cancer stem cells causing metastases, is one we currently have to live with, although there is some evidence that some foods including brassica and red cabbage, green tea, tumeric, and soy, and maybe others, do hit several of the pathways by which cancer cells change and grow. Eating these foods is recommended. It is not clear if concentrates of the active ingredients are effective and or/safe, but if you want to take concentrates, check with your oncologist first.
I understand that if your tumor is has receptors to both HER2+ and Estrogen, if there is estrogen around it helps it grow and spread a lot faster. Estrogen is what Tamoxifen and Aromase Inhibitors etc help to block in different ways. Reducing body fat, reducing alcohol intake, exercising more, keeping dietary fat reasonably low, are all meant to help reduce estrogen and prevent relapse.
best wishes
Jessica

01-11-2015, 08:34 PM	#4
JessicaV Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 206	Re: Hysterectomy for triple positive bc Hi Kathy, If you are wanting to reduce your chances of recurrence of your cancer, and have estrogen-receptor-positive cancer, as you know you need to try to keep estrogens in the body down , because the richer it is in Estrogen, the faster and further your cancer is likely to grow/spread. Estrogens, and the hormones that become estrogens in the body, are made in the ovaries, in the adrenal glands, and in fatty tissue. So if you are overweight, even if you remove your ovaries you will have quite a good source in the fat in your body unless you exercise and diet it away. As Sassy says, removing your uterus will not reduce your risk, except incidentally because your ovaries are often removed at the same time. The other part of the equation is cancer stem-cells. These are found inside tumors, and are shed by tumors, and float around in lymph fluid or blood, and can switch back and forth between the ancient primitive cell-form of breast cancer cells (Mesenchymal), and their natural cell form (Epithelial). If they are not dividing they will not be killed by chemo. They are able to find suitable spots in distant tissue like bone, lungs and liver and brain, and start growing into a new metastatic tumor. As yet there is not much treatment that effectively hits these cells except if/when they are dividing. Immunotherapies are exploring some possible treatments using this approach. So that risk ie of cancer stem cells causing metastases, is one we currently have to live with, although there is some evidence that some foods including brassica and red cabbage, green tea, tumeric, and soy, and maybe others, do hit several of the pathways by which cancer cells change and grow. Eating these foods is recommended. It is not clear if concentrates of the active ingredients are effective and or/safe, but if you want to take concentrates, check with your oncologist first. I understand that if your tumor is has receptors to both HER2+ and Estrogen, if there is estrogen around it helps it grow and spread a lot faster. Estrogen is what Tamoxifen and Aromase Inhibitors etc help to block in different ways. Reducing body fat, reducing alcohol intake, exercising more, keeping dietary fat reasonably low, are all meant to help reduce estrogen and prevent relapse. best wishes Jessica __________________ 1997-2004 many cysts, many MG & U/S: polycystic breasts. Sept 2013 found lump,Cyst?? forgot lump. Dec 2013 GP check, Referred for U/S, MG,FNA. 7 Jan 2014 Radiology: Radiologist turned screen away from me. When asked she said "Not a cyst, very suspicious.See your GP asa results avail." Cancelled my psych clients for the week. 8 Jan 14 GP: 2.2cm IDC in 6cm DCIS field. FNA=malignant cells. Referred to Surgeon. Cancelled my psych clients for the month. 13 Jan 14 Surgeon said L mastectomy not lumpectomy, offered neoadjunctive trial, agreed adjunctive chemo after surgery a good choice for me. Booked Body scan and bone scan for staging (both fine) Surgery for16 Jan, 16 Jan 14 Surgeon also agreed in preop meeting to also remove 6cm fatty cyst in job lot. Good job done. 19 Jan 14 discharged home with 1 drain. 22 Jan 14 drain partly pulled out overnight, serious seroma (600 ml reducing removed every 2 days for a month) Serious staph infection because nurse said wait 3 days for yr surgeon appointment. 26Jan 14 pathology: 2.2cm Grade 3(3,3,2)ER-, PgR-, HER2+2 so to be confirmed by Sish test. Node negative. No vascular or lymphatic involvement. No metastases in scans. 30 Jan 14 HER2+ high amplification, 13 gene copies per cell. 21st Feb 14 Began 3wkly TCH adjuvant treatment at The Mount Hospital Perth, with 3monthly MUGA heart tests +Oncologist or Surgeon full physical check-up. Cancelled my psych clients for 6 months. Feb 14 First MUGA test: 71%, First C15.3 test: 20 7th March 14 began Neulasta self-applied injections 24hrs after each TCH treatment. Bonepain helped by spa, heatpacks and Claritin, reflux/indigestion helped by Somac. July 14 completed docetaxol and carboplatin, ongoing herceptin to 12 months. Severe cognitive deficit/fatigue after 1pm daily. Sept 14 Second MUGA test: 69% Cancelled my psych clients for 2014 Dec 14 Third MUGA test: 70% Second C15.3 test : 20 Cognitive fatigue delays return to work. March 2015 Tachycardia pulse 168, night in hospital. Cardiologist says no heart disease, ALIVE ECG attachment for my mobile phone now regular monitoring. July 2015 Worktrial, up to 8hrs per wk. Fatigue ongoing Aug 2015 Heart good, no evidence of cancer, just Fatigue. May 2019 Melanoma 1.5cm Stage 1 by right collarbone(was present as large freckle in 2014 and cut through by breast surgeon to remove fatty cyst at same time as mastectomy.) Melanoma removed leaving scar from shoulder to breastbone. In hospital twice for IV antibiotics. Told catagorically this could not be BC mets. Dec 2019 Still NED, still fatigue in late afternoon, but have my brain back in the early mornings. So most days I watch the sunrise and hear the birds morning chorus in my bush backyard and am glad to be alive and to be me still.