HG DCIS & HRT

Hi

I think you should really push for your follow up call (again), and in the meantime visit your GP. Your GP may have information about your pathology. The guidance changes all the time, when I have googled there is detail on cancerresearchuk

Hormone therapy

Hormone therapy is recommended for 5 years if you have breast conserving surgery for DCIS and:

• your cancer calls have oestrogen receptors (oestrogen positive)
• you do not have radiotherapy

Research shows that taking hormone therapy after breast conserving surgery for DCIS reduces the risk of it coming back (recurrence). 

Trials show that hormone therapy can reduce the number of further invasive breast cancers or DCIS. But in these trials, the people taking a hormone therapy tablet called tamoxifen did not live any longer than those who didn't take it

So it is a bit ambiguous? It reads to me that there is no need for hormone therapy if radiotherapy has been given? But I am no expert, but would be surprised if they don't know whether it was ER+ - I know my hospital don't test for HER2+ on Dcis as chemotheraphy is not suitable for Dcis, and chemotheraphy is needed for the treatment for Her2+.

There also seems to be more information now about HRT after you have had breast cancer and whether there is any increased risk of recurrance - I think the Davina MCall documentary talks about this too, but I haven't watched it so can't vouch for it.

Again your GP should be able to advise you, and should take the time to find out if it is suitable or not.

Good luck, there are other options available but your GP should also be able to advise on these too.

Jo x

Agree that you should push for your pathology, otherwise how do you know whether it is safe to take HRT?

If yours was hormone positive then you won't be able to take it. Mine was hormone positive and I was pre-menopausal so I am taking hormone therapy that put me into menopause and switch off all other oestrogen in my body. Unfortunately, there aren't too many remedies out there that for menopause that are safe for someone with a history of hormone positive cancer but I have found things that make things manageable, like a chillmax pillow and taking sage.

Hopefully you will be able to get the answers you need. 

6 years ago o had surgery & radiotherapy for HG DCIS .  I was told on diagnosis that I may require hormone treatment if hormone receptive.  After surgery biopsy I was told just 15 sessions of radiotherapy as it wasn't hormone related.  I then had annual mammogram for 5 years .  

I am through menopause - last period about 10 years ago (I'm 57 now).  Fir 20 years I took Angus castus foe hormonal balance & sailed through menopause,  I stopped taking about 9 years ago.  

Thanks everyone - I’m having my call with the oncologist today.

My hot flushes are insane at the moment so  they might have some advice/allow hrt.