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Bio Identical Hormones & Breast Cancer

I was diagnosed with stage 1 ER/PR+ breast cancer 6 mos ago. I had a lumpectomy and radiation.  I had my ovaries removed 3 mos ago due to cysts and endometriosis resulting in surgical menopause.  I am having severe hot flashes, night sweats, etc.  My oncologist suggested Effexor which has not worked.  She wants me to start Arimidix soon.  I had a bone density scan and it came back -2.1 (osteopenia).  Based on the bone density scan and the hot flashes, I do not want to take Arimidix.  I want to start bio identical hormones.  My onclogist is very much against this decision.  I have looked for clincial trials for BHRT & breast cancer and found nothing.  There seems to be no solution for hot flashes for breast cancer patients.  What do you think about a 48 yr old cured breast cancer patient taking bioiidentical hormones?  Thank you.
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242527 tn?1292449140
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Dear lenore518:  We would recommend against any form of hormone replacement therapy in women with hormone receptor positive cancer.  Bioidentical or synthetic, it is still hormone therapy.  In fact, the purpose of arimidex is to remove any estrogen that may be produced outside the ovaries.  Research has shown that this significantly reduces the risk of recurrence.  There are additional methods that could be tried to reduce hot flushes and you may want to seek out a specialist/oncologist who is familiar with working with women like yourself.  You may want to speak with other breast cancer survivors who have hormone positive disease to get names of people who are helpful.
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