Letrozole and Adcal

Hi, it sounds like your treatment plan is going well, best wishes 

Hello Mettie,

Well done on the shrinkage - to shows the letrozole is working well.

I am glad you are finding letrozole isn't affecting you - I do think its part of our bodies make-up to on how bad we are affected with the reducing amount of oestrogen in our bodies along with the different 'fillers' used in the tablets.  I has never told about the Adcal, and after a few years of letrozole I am finding my wrist feel 'weak' - maybe not weak but I can't seem to put a lot of weight on them in fear my wrist will break - getting in and out of the bath is a classic.   Maybe I would benefit with the Adcal.

My main reason for posting, I had a combined treatment, I had my operation - lumpectomy and directly afterwards I had internal radiotherapy - all done in the 'one operation'.  This treatment is called "TARGIT IORT"  .... (I will attach a link for you to have a look at) - this treatment is available at a few hospitals around UK - most in London. 

TARGIT IORT is 'one-shot' radiation given during surgery done to remove breast cancer.
TARGIT IORT stands for TARGeted Intraoperative radioTherapy.
It is given during a lumpectomy for breast cancer, under the same anaesthetic, and it can replace traditional radiotherapy in suitable patients.It stands for targeted intraoperative radiotherapy treatment given during lumpectomy for breast cancer using INTRABEAM.

I wonder if you would fit the criteria for this type of treatment? Most people are not made aware that this treatment is available on the NHS and many of the Consultants don't seem to tell their patients (although by law, I believe they should tell us 'every type of treatment' available to us).

I am not saying you are suitable for this type of treatment, but, if you don't ask you won't know.  

Here is the link that tells you about the treatment, this way you could ask your consultant if this treatment is an option for you...

https://www.targit.org.uk/intrabeam-targit-iort-information

Thinking of you and sending hugs xx

Hi

Thank you for telling me about this.  I will do some research.  I have one more appt before surgery in January and will ask the consultant about it.

I was put on the Adcal as soon as I was on the Letrozole.  The consultant said its a preventative measure against bone thinning.  I would speak to your consultant.

Keep safe and well.

Hi Mettie, I've also taken Leztrozole and Adcal for months prior to surgery, starting in Feb 2022, which, like yourself I'm tolerating well. By early May there was no evidence on ultrasound that the tumour had shrunk, but then, when it was taken out in surgery on 23rd June, it had definitely shrunk. Not only that but, by accident, the Oncotype DX genomic was done on the tumour taken out in surgery before being done on the original biopsy from January 2021. The result was interesting in the least: a high score on the original biopsy (41) and only intermediate on the tumour taken out in June (23) (...a result which still puts me in the camp of those benefiting from chemo)

Hi Sophie.  Sorry to hear you didn't tolerate chemo well.  My surgeon said Letrozole works well and all the time you are taking it the cancer cannot grow because its blocking the oestrogen.  

In my biopsy I was lucky no signs I'd cancer anywhere.  Jy surgeon offered me maststectomy or I could have reconstruction which apparently is a very long operation and they take fat from yr belly which is quite painful, or wait a year and hope the lump shrinks then I am able to have a lumpecrony.

Thankfully the lump has reduced to only 18x11 and scheduling surgery in January.  Apparently chemo is not in my care plan at the moment but radiotherapy is.  It apparently makes you very tired but I suspect like mist thinks it can differ on different people

Hi Mettie, Thank you so much for the information about intrabeam. I have had surgery (lumpectomy) and would have been eligible for this but it wasn’t offered. I know your message will help others. I am currently waiting for the Oncotype test and - if I don’t need chemo - I will investigate whether I could still be offered intrabeam (even if this meant another operation) as I’m concerned about the effects of radiotherapy to heart and lungs. I’m really cross though that I wasn’t offered this - if it’s in the NICE guidelines I should have been. Thank you again for alerting our community to this. If you don’t mind me asking, which hospital and breast team offered you the intrabeam treatment?  Any thanks 

Ji.  It was in a post from  Whathappened above.  I too will be discussing this with my consultant.  Only thing that concerns me is that I  read is the cancer ir more likely to return in that breast.   If that is the case I'm  not sure I would want t it.  I know it will protect heart and lungs more having the target IORT but is it worth the risk of the cancer returning

Hi WhatHappened, Many thanks for your post (and the link) about intrabeam. I replied to Mettie (rather than to you) about this - apologies and thanks for your response Mettie! If you don’t mind me asking, which hospital and breast team offered you the intrabeam treatment? If there’s a method of radiotherapy that reduces risks to heart and lungs I’m keen to explore it. Finding out this kind of information is very valuable - thanks again and all good wishes.