Beyond Pink – Now What?

By Jay Ginther, MD
​Cedar Valley Bone Health Institute

This topic is personal. My mom died of Breast Cancer at age 59.

You have survived Breast Cancer. That is wonderful.

You are continuing to take medications to make sure that Breast Cancer does not come back. That is smart. You hope to live long and problem free. That could take a little more work.

Aromatase Inhibitors (Anastrozol, Letrozol, etc) treat Breast Cancer by blocking ALL Estrogen. Blocking ALL Estrogen often leads to Bone Loss and Fractures. Defeating Breast Cancer, but having an early Hip Fracture, is NOT a good deal.

Early Fractures DO NOT need to happen. We now have medications which can be used to PREVENT Bone Loss and Fractures after successful Breast Cancer treatment. These meds were originally reserved for women who already had Osteoporosis.

Now we can also use them to PREVENT Osteoporosis and Fractures after Breast Cancer treatment. Unfortunately, in 2014, less than 1/4th of the women across the country, who should have gotten these medications, actually did get them. Almost half of the women, who were treated with Aromatase Inhibitors for their Breast Cancer, were not even tested to see if they should protect themselves from Fractures.

Not only can these medications prevent Bone Loss and Fractures; recent studies show that they can Delay, or even Prevent, spread of Cancer to Bone (Metastases). Even more amazing, there have been cases where adding these meds to other Breast Cancer treatments has resulted in beating the cancer in all tissues, not just in bone.

​When my mother died of Breast Cancer, she had none of the options you have now. Take advantage of all the new options, including protecting yourself from Bone Loss and Early Fractures. Talk to your doctor about a Complete Bone Health Evaluation and the medications which can prevent the Fractures which can occur after Breast Cancer medications.

More information at: www.BoneDocBlog.com and www.CVBoneHealth.com.


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