I started taking tamoxifen in January, 2002. By 2004, my oncologist was mentioning AIs to me; and I switched from tamoxifen to Arimidex in September, 2005. At the time, I asked him how long I’d have to take it. He said he didn’t know, as there just wasn’t the history out there yet on which to base a good decision. AIs seemed more effective than tamoxifen–at the 5-year mark. But the research, at that point, had only gone out those 5 years.

Today, researchers continue to track the effectiveness of AIs. Where are women with their likelihood of recurrence at 7 years? At 10? We don’t know yet. Those of us who take it are an informal work in progress. We’re guinea pigs. No, we’re not furry little animals. But we’re docile and easy to care for. At least in the eyes of the research community and drug manufacturers, which perforce MUST use us, women with breast cancer, to see how their drugs work long-term.

I’m not dissing anyone here. This is how research works; this is how improvements are made, and this is how the cure will finally be found. Thank God for research. And for the drug companies. And for us, their human proving ground.