Is breast cancer curable in a 47-year-old woman?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am 47 and was diagnosed with breast cancer three months ago after finding a lump during self-examination. The biopsy showed invasive ductal carcinoma, and I have already had a lumpectomy on my right breast. My oncologist says the tumor was estrogen receptor positive, and I need to start hormone therapy with Tamoxifen, but I am scared about the side effects I have read about online.

The pathology report showed the cancer was stage 2A with one lymph node involved. I am supposed to start chemotherapy next week, but I am terrified about losing my hair and being sick all the time. My periods have been irregular for the past year, and the oncologist said chemotherapy might put me into early menopause.

I have two teenage daughters, and I am worried about them seeing me go through this treatment. The radiation oncologist wants to do six weeks of radiation after chemotherapy, and I do not know how I will manage work and taking care of my family. My mother had breast cancer at 52, so I know there might be a genetic component. Please let me know the following:

Should I get tested for BRCA mutations?
What are the chances of the cancer coming back?

Please help.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I have gone through your query and understand your concern.

First, I know that you are going through a difficult journey, but I want to reassure you that your cancer is in the early stages, which we can fully control.

The cause is genetic. The treatment plan is chemotherapy, surgery, radiotherapy, and hormonal therapy.

Do not be afraid of chemotherapy (a cancer treatment that uses powerful, specialized drugs to kill rapidly dividing cancer cells throughout the body) side effects because they are all reversible and treatable. Your hair will come back, and your health will be much better.

After surgery, you can go to radiotherapy (a cancer treatment that uses high doses of radiation to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors ) to prevent recurrence of the disease, and you will be able to do your daily activities smoothly. You are hormone positive, which is another good news because you will receive Tamoxifen, which helps in the prevention of recurrence and metastasis (the spread of a pathogenic agent from an initial site to a different site within the body).

I completely advise genetic testing, BRCA1 (breast cancer gene) and BRCA2 tests, as they give us options for the disease if it comes back, such as immunotherapy (treatment that uses your body's own immune system to help fight cancer) or targeted therapy (a type of cancer treatment that targets proteins that control how cancer cells grow, divide, and spread).

If you are positive, we advise that your daughters do it after age 25 to assess their risk and tailor an appropriate plan for them.

I hope you stay strong and hopeful. Please continue your treatment journey. I hope you understand my answer, and I am ready to answer your questions at any time. I wish you good health and wellness.

Do a follow-up after seven days.

I hope I have answered your question.

Let me know if I can assist you further.

Thank you.