Hi all,

I need some help supporting a friend who has recently been diagnosed with breast cancer.  I don’t like to bombard her with questions & she doesn’t seem to want to talk about the clinical side of things so this is all I know.

Having recently found a lump she had tests which confirmed breast cancer - stage 1 grade 3- the type that is hormone related.  She’s had a lumpectomy with no spread via lymph nodes.  Originally, the next steps was a course of radiotherapy which she was pleased about as was dreading chemo.  Now the Consultant believes she needs more than radiotherapy as his job is “to do everything possible to prevent recurrence” & has said she needs chemo & drugs to restrict estrogen (which apparently is what feeds her type of cancer),  She is pre-menopausal- 42 years old.

He said that her quality of life during this treatment will be adversely affected with possible hair loss, tooth loss & all the symptoms associated with menopause & that she will need to continue with the drugs for up yo 10 years with all the side effects they bring.  She is devastated about this negative news.  I don’t know the name of these drugs but was wondering if anyone else has had a similar diagnosis with first hand experience of the side effects?  I really want to give her something positive to cling to as at the moment it all appears to be doom & gloom so any positive stories to balance the bad bits would be greatly appreciated so I can feed back? Thanks for reading.