About Breast Cancer: Half of Early-Stage Survivors Don't Finish Therapy

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Breast Cancer Breast Cancer Symptoms / Diagnosis Treatment Daily Life From Pam Stephan, your Guide to Breast Cancer Most breast cancers are fueled by estrogen, so many of us are supposed to take hormone therapy after our primary treatment. But about half of us quit before our 5 years of pills are done. Is it because of the hot flashes - or is something else up here? Don't Quit Hormonal Therapy Early Most of the women who are hormone pill drop-outs are young women. Those are the very people doctors are hoping to save from a recurrence of breast cancer. The pills do have side effects and they aren't free. Researchers would like to understand why women would stop taking a life-saving drug. POLL: Reason you would stop taking hormone therapy Hormonal Therapy Can Greatly Improve Survival Rates When your primary treatment is over, you may be thinking "What's next?" Well, your next goal is to stop breast cancer from returning. That's where hormonal therapy comes in. It doesn't matter if you are female or male - if your breast tumor was estrogen positive, you'll need to take hormonal therapy to prevent a recurrence. Hormone Receptor Status and Diagnosis Not all breast cancers thrive on estrogen, so not everybody needs hormonal therapy. Sometimes other factors may be more critical - like your Progesterone levels or your HER2 status. Results of those tests affects your treatment options. Learn more about your hormone status. Treatment Options for Breast Cancer Breast cancer treatment options beyond surgery are different for everybody. That's why you need to understand your diagnosis and breast cancer treatment options. Discuss your treatment options with your oncologist, and then make a confident decision. Breast Cancer Ads BRCA1 Breast Prostate Therapy Breast Cancer Chemo Chemo Therapy Breast Stage Featured Articles Risk and Prevention Newly Diagnosed - What You Need to Know Before Starting Treatment Is It Breast Cancer? - Diagnosis, Tests, Results Treatment Options for Breast Cancer Support and Resources - During and After Treatment Life During Treatment - Self Care, Side Effects, Reconstruction   More from About.com Plan a Unique Vegas Wedding The minister, music and champagne are just the beginning -- why not get married aboard a helicopter or have a pirate swing in to deliver your rings? Arrrr! More> Join About.com's User Panel! Share your opinions and help us make About.com more relevant, informative and enjoyable to use. More> This newsletter is written by: Pam Stephan Breast Cancer Guide Email Me | My Blog | My Forum   Sign up for more free newsletters on your favorite topics You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About Breast Cancer newsletter. If you wish to change your email address or unsubscribe, please click here. About respects your privacy: Our Privacy Policy Contact Information: 249 West 17th Street New York, NY, 10011 © 2010 About.com   Talking About It Best Ways to Cope With Hot Flashes How To Choose the Perfect Wig Your Greatest Breast Cancer Supporter Advertisement