Welcome, Pam! Where are you? I'm in Leeds, Yorkshire.

I'm very surprised that there was an implied delay for an NHS appointment,
there are national guidelines about this in the case of cancer.

As for whether any particular treatment is normal, I doubt that you'll get a
definite answer on this group. We're all different and our cancers are all
different, as are various clinics' approaches to them ... You have to trust
your medics, they know more than most of us.

For instance, I was 59 when I was diagnosed, had a lumpectomy and radiation
but no chemo (I was post menopausal). I don't know what drugs I took for
five years because it was part of a research programme.

I've never heard of lupron either and I've been round here since 1998.
What's more I just looked on the BNF site and it wasn't listed, I suspect
it's an American name.

You'll find that the majority of wonderful people in this ng are American
(there are other nationalities) and that trade names of drugs can be
confusing.

As for knowing nothing, most of us know exactly that when we first come
here. We learn as we go along. There might well be someone who can answer
your questions - especially Tim, he's a fellow Englishman who's made it his
business to know huge amounts about bc. In times to come you might well be
one of the ones who can help other newbies.

So don't go away, your questions might be answered by others. We like to
know how you go on.

Hugs,

Mary

Pam -

I was diagnosed almost eight years ago.  I had MRM followed by chemo and
then I was on tamoxifen for five years.  Everyone is a little different but
you can try and check around and see "what others are doing".  There are
some web sites but I have them bookmarked on AOL and don't know how to get
them over here so you can see.  Anyway, you might google and find
information about this.  Sounds like your doctor is pretty up to speed on
what to do though.  There is a lot of information at the MD Anderson web
site if you don't find it anywhere else.  You can ask him about lupron.

Dorothy

Hi Pam,

I had a lump removed two years ago. I had six months of chemo
scheduled but had to wait an extra week between chemos due to low
white blood cell counts, and then had 16 radiation treatments.
Surgeon was also confident he got all the tumor out, and the chemo was
just a precation.  I'm fine now, and hoping he was right. (g)

I was post-menopausal and am taking a different medication.

Welcome to the group.

Marilyn  

Lupron has run its patent length and there is now a generic version of Lupron
called Eligard. Both Lupron and Eligard are Leuprolide Acetate. Generic drugs
are cheaper so if price is a consideration for you then you might ask your doc
if Eligard is OK. Don't know what Lupron and Eligard are called outside the US.

hi pam-
i'm sorry to have to welcome you here, but this is a great group.  very
knowledgable and supportive crew here...
i'm in usa, so am unfamiliar with nhs - actually i wish we had a system here
for our citizens, but that's another subject.
it sounds like your doc is being very thorough.  when cancer is found in
pre-menopausal women (i'm one of them - i'm just 39 a few months ago), they
are more aggressive with treatment for two reasons - first you are fairly
young.  second, when bc is diagnosed pre-menopause, it CAN be a more
aggressive form warranting more aggressive treatment.
many breast cancers in pre-menopausal women are dependent upon the presence
of estrogen to grow.  your pathology report should indicate whether your
cancer is ER (estrogen) or PR (progesterone) positive.
tamoxifen is a drug that prevents the breast tissue and hormone-dependent
cancer cells from being able to feed off of the estrogen in our bodies.
lupron, which i used to take (i now take the longer-acting form called
zoladex) actually puts a woman into menopause chemically by suppressing
ovary function so that there is less estrogen in the body to start with.  in
addition, i take an aromitase inhibitor called femara which sort of "mops
up" for lack of a better description, excess estrogen that is created in
other parts of the body, i.e. adrenal glands and muscles to name a few.
it's a two-pronged attack on estrogen that has worked for me for a year and
a half so far, thank god.  but i have widespread metastatic disease that is
estrogen and progesterone dependent, so i need to have as close to zero
estogen in all parts of my body.  it would seem to me that in your case with
the cancer removed and no spread of disease, that tamoxifen may be enough to
prevent recurrence.
ask your docs - that's what they are there for.  it sounds like you are in
good hands.  try not to worry too much.  as someone else posted, all of our
cancers are different and are treated differently.  just because one woman
is getting one kind of treatment, it doesn't mean it is for all of us.
good luck, and hang in there.  take care of yourself during and after
treatment.  eat as well as you can and drink plenty of water.  life goes on
even with cancer treatment - all these women here can attest to that.

-christina

Hi, Pam,

Welcome to the group -- sorry you had to join us, but glad to have you
here!

If you decide to do the chemo, you may find -- as many of us do -- that
that will bring on early menopause.  Statistically, such is often the
case with those diagnosed past age 40.  Most experience cessation of
periods during the chemo at that age, and for many at our age, they
never start up again.  Happened for me, after being diagnosed at 45.

If that's the case, Lupron is irrelevant, and one may be prescribed an
aromatase inhibitor (such as Arimidex or Femara) instead of Tamoxifen.

Your treatment plan sounds a lot like mine was, so if you have
questions, please ask.

Best wishes to you,

Ann T.
Remove 'dontsendspam' from address to reply by email