ER/PR +, premenopausal issue

Becky · 04-18-2008, 08:36 PM

I was not recommended either but did so on my own for a variety of reasons. However, this was before several trials concluded within the last 12-18 months that recommend shutting the ovaries down one way or the other (exactly the ways you said).

These studies conclude that shutting the ovaries down of a premenopausal woman actually works as well as shutting them down and taking an antihormonal.

Since she is only 40, she may want to chemically shut them down with Zoladex or Lupron rather than remove them. She can always remove them at any time (but once done, they can't be put back)!

I was 46 - almost 47 (nearing the natural time) and my paternal grandmother died from ovarian cancer so I had some extra incentives and reasons for oophorectomy.

As for her prognosis - that too should be taken into consideration. She should seek second and maybe third opinions. In the meantime, she can take tamoxifen without ovarian suppression until she is happy and satisified with her path forward.

Susan · 04-19-2008, 05:23 AM

HI: I was premenopausal too, and I had faslodex injections, when I had chemo, and temporarily went through chemopause. About a year after my treatments started, and started my periods again, I opted to having my ooph and hyster. done so I could take arimidex. Being I was HER2+, the oncologist wanted me on an AI. In order to take Arimidex, you need to be post menopausal.

I had the surgery done laproscopically and was back to work in a week. It was the easiest part of my cancer treatments!