Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Breast cancer in transsexual patient raises hormone concerns

http://www.6minutes.com.au/news/latest-news/breast-cancer-in-transsexual-patient-raises-hormon (http://www.6minutes.com.au/news/latest-news/breast-cancer-in-transsexual-patient-raises-hormon)
2/21/13
Kate Aubusson

A rare case of breast cancer in a male-to-female transsexual raises serious questions about the scant knowledge surrounding the cancer risks of long-term cross-sex hormones, Australian and New Zealand researchers say.
The 43-year-old patient was diagnosed with aggressive triple negative inflammatory breast cancer 15 years after she started taking cross-sex hormones, reported researchers from the University of Melbourne and the Southern Blood and Cancer Service, Dunedin.

I was made aware before I started that I would be at a higher risk of breast cancer due to HRT.. And I certainly read plenty that supports the increased risk..

Breast cancer isn't exactly rare. Ciswomen have about a 1 in 8 chance of getting it.

Like Kelly I was informed at the time my risk o breast cancer. My Mum and one sister have had breast cancer which puts me into a higher risk and I have been BRACA tested so I can decide what to do.

Another very important thing about being treated my quality professionals and never self medicating.
  Then again my Dad died from prostate cancer so I've reduce the risk of that!

Anyone can get breast cancer. Richard Roundtree who played the character "John Shaft" has written about his own experience with breast cancer to alert men that they too are subject to getting it. More than likely there is a genetic propensity that is triggered by environmental contaminants in many cases. When I think of some of the worst I have been contaminated with, DDT Agent Orange, Nitro Glycerin, Nitro Benzine, Gasoline, crankcase oil and now HRT, I realize that life's a crap shoot and you die when it's time and so don't worry, be happy like the song goes.

My mom told me when I started hormones that she was worried I could get breast cancer.

I told her "then ill be no different than any other woman. Would you tell my sister not to grow breasts because she might get cancer?"

Yup, I already knew that. My doctor went over all the risks that I had already researched before. Blood clots are the most common risk I believe, and with age the risks become higher. That's another reason having a doctor is so important, so they check your breasts.

More important than a doctor even is to learn how to do a breast self exam. Check 'em! Check 'em often!

  We were all warned about this.  For me it was either moving on the way I was with painful crude indication of prostate cancer or going on HRT to try to appease my gender dysphoria with a chance of breast cancer in the future.  Either way. 

  Joelene

I'd rather get a breast exam than a prostate exam, any day!

Quote from: Beth Andrea on March 10, 2013, 07:11:32 PM
I'd rather get a breast exam than a prostate exam, any day!

I can examine my own. I got one at VA from a really attractive young female intern, to be honest it sort of creeped me out for some reason. I had to make light of it with her and say, "Cheap thrill huh?" I felt like such a dork!

Quote from: kkut on March 10, 2013, 07:36:46 PM
Prude.  ;D

On second thought, that would be kind of unusual...

My thoughts were that in times past the situation would have been reversed. I think my thoughts were what really was creeping me out!  :icon_redface:

The last time I had a prostate examination, I suddenly broke into singing "Moon River."  ::)

I have a hard time imagining you gals with prostates.

A few people have told me that at least I don't have to worry about prostate cancer. I would take that risk if I could have a functional prostate. I am, after all, a bottom...

I was told by my doctor that I am high risk for other things, was warned of possible links to breast cancer and that I would need mammograms like any other female, but was also told that prostate cancer is extremely high in trans patients taking HRT. Can anyone verify this or otherwise refute the risk of prostate cancer?

Quote from: Dawn Heart on March 24, 2013, 10:19:15 PM
I was told by my doctor that I am high risk for other things, was warned of possible links to breast cancer and that I would need mammograms like any other female, but was also told that prostate cancer is extremely high in trans patients taking HRT. Can anyone verify this or otherwise refute the risk of prostate cancer?

I think the prostate cancer thing in trans patients taking HRT is BS according to everything I've been told by endocrine specialists so far. What I've heard is that when genetic males age their sex drive dwindles and there is a certain amount of old semen left in the prostate which seems to be a collecting point for heavy metals from life-long environmental contaminants which can trigger cancer which is then driven by testosterone. Trans women usually lose the semen over time because of the influence of feminizing hormones and the prostate shrinks considerably. So from what I've heard from the health care experts it's nothing to worry about!

Prostate cancer high in trans patients taking HRT? That's the first I ever heard of that and I read science  journals weekly. My HRT includes the drug that prostate cancer patients take to reduce the cancer. I must be in the lowest risk category that exists. I never had a prostate exam and I'm not starting anytime soon.  :P

Quote from: Dawn Heart on March 24, 2013, 10:19:15 PM
I was told by my doctor that I am high risk for other things, was warned of possible links to breast cancer and that I would need mammograms like any other female, but was also told that prostate cancer is extremely high in trans patients taking HRT. Can anyone verify this or otherwise refute the risk of prostate cancer?

??? I've heard it was extremely rare, not extremely high. The few cases of transsexuals who did get it had started HRT very late in life.

Quote from: Dawn Heart on March 24, 2013, 10:19:15 PM
I was told by my doctor that I am high risk for other things, was warned of possible links to breast cancer and that I would need mammograms like any other female, but was also told that prostate cancer is extremely high in trans patients taking HRT. Can anyone verify this or otherwise refute the risk of prostate cancer?

No it is the other way around.  One of the things that pushed me into finally transitioning by taking HRT was my high PSA levels.  Estrogen is given to some of the men older than 68 with advanced prostate cancer to rid of the castrate version of that cancer so they can better treat the non-castrate version.  Both versions are present in most prostate cancer cases.  I am still given a PSA test once yearly, even though that test is quite crude in determining prostate cancer with a 85% false positive rate.  That false positive rate cost $2 billion in 2010 to the patients for the biopsies with the side effects from the biopsies.  85% of the men who shows positive for prostate cancer usually die from something else because of the slow nature of this cancer.  Usually dianosed at age 60 or older.  For you younger ones it is a threat, especially if there is a family disposition of this cancer. 
  The new SOC for prostate cancer has changed because of that.  The mantra now that even if the PSA is high and it still works, don't mess with it.  A new cancer DNA type test is still being evaluated by the FDA which is much more accurate than the PSA.
  Usually the doctor will check for prostate problems with the younger men if they have urinary elimination problems and the other causes are ruled out. 
  Even though my uncle had prostate cancer, there was no other men on both sides in the past that had it.  I just got results from my DNA profile and found a gene marker that actually inhibits prostate cancer.  I am still looking for the possible prenatal cause for the problems I had before HRT.  I am hitting a big brick wall in getting my mom's medical records from 1952.  I wanted to check if she was taken DES for possible increased risk of miscarriage.  DES was discontinued for that treatment in 1971 from the possible time bomb effect occurring from the Boomer generation exposed to it prenatally being realized.  The successful lawsuits had shut down getting access to info from your parent's medical records for any reason.  Both the increase of prostate cancer is indicated with possible increase of gender dysphoria is suggested. 

  Joelene

I have access to scientific journals and I don't think there is sufficient data yet in regards to the extra risk associated with HRT, especially 17b estradiol compared to conjugated or worse hormones. One thing I've no seen is a study of breast cancer incidence in pre-menopausal women and women on HRT in the same age group.

On a sort of random note, when I had my dog spayed I was told to do it to lower cancer risk. Sort of "duh"... LOL

Hi, btw. *first post*

There are a few advocates of maintaining progesterone in elder women (for various reasons) and supplementing the diet with iodine to avoid fibrocystic breasts. These seem like not overly difficult steps to take and perhaps of particular interest to transwomen on HRT.

While estrogen treatment may increase the statistical percentage of certain types of breast cancers, the overall percentage of cancer in the TS HRT community is very low, where a single case can have substantial impact on the percentages published. Another way to look at this is HRT may reduce other forms of risk, such as heart disease, or suicide. From my research, so far, the research is too sparse to divine any real meaning. As with most medicines it's important to use the lowest acceptable dosage of HRT to confer the lowest possible risk. Remember physicians are required by law to provide their patients with all reasonable risk information related to their therapy. Just read the possible side-effects of Wellbutrin;)