Does anyone have any statistics on how many women who have a lumpectomy take radiation & chemo
In 2001 I had a lumpectomy and radiation. My oncologiost recommended 3 chemo treatments but I refused based on the fact my margins were clear and there was no cancer in my lymph nodes. In 2003 the cancer came back in the same breast. I had taken estratest in between cancers due to the horrible effects of menapause. Is there any studies about the reoccurrance of breast cancer and radiation & chemo as it relates to a lumpectomy. Or is there any studies that show taking estratest after having breast cancer causes a reoccurance of breast cancer?
Sincerely,
Vickie
Hi Vickie - Having chemo in addition to radiation would statistically have lowered your risk for recurrence - probably not significantly, since your doctor didn't insist on it, but measurably. And taking estrogen (Estratest) if you have ER-positive breast cancer (do you?) would also raise your risk for recurrence. That said, breast cancer is still a pretty random disease... you can do everything possible and still have a recurrence, and do nothing to prevent cancer, aqnd it never comes back... So I hope you're not second-guessing and blaming yourself. Look forward, not backward, and just do your best, OK? Good luck -PJH
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