Letrozole and tumour shrinkage

Dera Mary ( Compassionf6a8e0 

Thanks for getting in touch. I’m Linda one of the nurses from our support line.

This can be such an uncertain and unsettling time, and I hope you are finding the online community a good support. Being in touch with others who have gone or are going through similar times can be invaluable.

For some there will be shrinkage with letrozole before surgery, and for others it may hold the tumour at bay, referred to as stable disease. The benefit of the drug will vary from person to person. Each cancer will be unique and because of this the response to treatment will depend on the make up of the cancer and what is encouraging it to be a cancer. Though hormones can play a vital role in cancer growth there are other factors involved too, but that doesn’t mean the letrozole isn’t helping.

You mention you have contacted a company about repurposed drugs. I’m not sure what they were or who you contacted. I can understand why you would want to reach out to others to look at other options, but we would strongly encourage you to discuss anything like this with your treatment team first. This just to ensure your safety and also the effectiveness of your current treatment.

The thought of having a mastectomy sounds very emotional for you and using the word amputation conveys to us how strong you feel about this. I wonder if this is something that you have been able to have support with, or if you have spoken to your team using the word amputation. If not, it would be a good idea to do this. They understand that surgery like this can be life changing and can cause deep feelings about body image. It’s unlikely they will be surprised to hear this, and they might be able to help with some specialist psychological care if needed.

Speaking with your GP is also an idea, again it’s very unlikely that they will be surprised to hear that you are struggling.

Though no one has said that a mastectomy will definitely be the best option, living with this worry can be tough. But it can help to reach out for support on a one-to-one basis.

If you are able to, you can pick the phone up and call us or even use our live chat, we are here to listen. We can spend some time with you to give you space to let us know how you are feeling. And we can ask a little more of your situation, too, to see how we can best support you.

Please take care for now

Best wishes

Linda (Cancer Information Nurse Specialist)

You can also speak with the Macmillan Support Line team of experts. Phone free on 0808 808 0000 (7 days a week, 8am-8pm) or email us. 

Ref: LM/KHe