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Friday, October 17, 2008 R. Rodriguez asks

Q: Is arimidex of any use for non hormone sensitive tumors in the post menopausal patient?

This  post menopausal patient is 6 years post mastectomy for a non hormone sensitive breast cancer.  Patient already has osteopenia.  She has been on arimidex for the past 6 years.  Would stopping arimidex and now starting Tamoxifen be of any value,  and would stopping arimidex before hip fractures occur be better for the patient?

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10/17/08 4:36pm

Hi - Not sure why she's on Arimidex if her cancer is non-ER/PR-receptive, as Arimidex works to stop estrogen formation. Which is why it's bad for the bones. I would ask her doctor why she's on Arimidex. Tamoxifen has some very limited benefit for non-ER/PR-receptive cancers, so yes, she might try that, esp. since it's been shown to have effect even when it's taken many years post-treatment. Good luck - PJH

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