Interview
with Neil Love, MD from Breast Cancer Update for Medical Oncologists,
Program 3 2000
Play
Audio Below:
Dr.
Davidson: I don’t give it to virtually anybody whose tumor
is under a centimeter, which is a fair number actually in this day
and age with mammographic screening. And between one and two centimeters
– particularly as she ages – it’s an agonizing discussion.
I would routinely give it over two centimeters. I think about it
with every woman. We’re only talking about receptor-positive
patients here because of course, if they’re receptor negative
that’s a different discussion. But, between one and two centimeters,
I would say we spend a lot of time agonizing over it, and probably
the younger you are and the closer you are to two centimeters, the
more likely we’ll go with the chemo. But, you know, there are
a lot of 1.1 centimeter tumors out there where we make the decision
that, in the end, it doesn’t seem like it’s a worthwhile
trade-off.
Dr.
Love: Well, particularly if you have the option of a hormonal intervention.
Dr.
Davidson: Oh yeah, with the tamoxifen. I mean, if it’s a 1.1
centimeter, receptor-negative breast cancer, unless somebody is
not a chemotherapy candidate or is a bit older, I don’t think
that I would have much discussion not doing it.
