FAQ on cancer treatment
Q. What if I've had breast cancer? Will bio-identical hormones
help prevent my cancer from recurring?
A. The topic of cancer is enormously complex, and we simply do
not know enough to be able to predict the perfect treatment.
Because most breast cancer cells have receptors for estrogen
and/or progesterone, it is felt that any intake of such
hormones, bio-identical or not, will potentially stimulate the
growth of such tumor cells. Since Dr. Chen is not an oncologist,
she does not feel comfortable treating a breast cancer survivor
with HRT specifically for the hopes of preventing cancer. In
rare cases, Dr. Chen has prescribed HRT for breast cancer
survivors solely for the purpose of increasing quality of life,
but each case with the support of the involved oncologist.
Q. What if I've had prostate cancer and I think my testosterone
is low? Will testosterone replacement help me?
A. Similar to breast cancer, prostate cancer is also an
enormously complex disease. It is currently felt that
testosterone replacement may potentially increase the risk of
prostate cancer recurrence in a patient with a history of
testosterone receptor positive prostate cancer, although the
literature is not definitive. If a man with a personal history
of prostate cancer has documented significantly decreased
quality of life directly related to low testosterone levels, Dr.
Chen will cautiously replace his testosterone if he has a
urologist who is supportive of such treatment, and who is
willing to follow along closely in case of any cancer
recurrence. The follow-ups will obviously include serial lab
draws for PSA value, a marker for prostate cancer.
Q. What if I have a history of other types of cancers? Will HRT
help prevent my cancer?
A. Dr. Chen feels that first and foremost in preventing cancer,
is a healthy lifestyle, including appropriate nutrition and
exercise, sleep, and stress management. Beyond that, whether
there is a role for HRT will depend on a detailed evaluation of
each individual patient. Dr. Chen recommends discussing such
potential decisions thoroughly with your personal oncologist and
obtaining approval from him/her before initiating any HRT
treatment plan.