Expert: Claes-Gustaf Nordquist, M.D. - 7/15/2008

Question
QUESTION: My mother in law was recently diagnosed.  She, despite having had 2 triple bypasses in her lifetime, is otherwise healthy.  She still drives, takes good care of herself, has her hair done once a week, plays scrabble and cooks up some mean Polish food.  What is the usual treatment and prognosis for someone her age?  Currently she will have a lumpectomy and also node removal and radiation.  Possibly a mastectomy.  Does this sound right for someone her age?

ANSWER: Absolutely if her general condition allows it! Good luck!

Well madame. you asked a straight question and you got a straight answer. Sorry to disappoint you with it! But your question was simply if this sounded right for someone her age. The description you gave me with regards to her general condition was that that in spite of some previous heart problems seemed to be ok. None of the procedures you mentioned (lumpectomy & radiation - not even a simple mastectomy) can be described as particularly demanding. So the short answer to your question is what you got! There is not always any need to write a novel as a response to a short question!
If this had been my mother - she was 91 when she passed away in 1990 - the answer had been the same at that particular age (when she happened to have her hip broken).



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you.  I did not mean to appear rude.  I happen to be a wordy person and work in the medical field.  I guess I expected more to the answer.  You're absolutely right though...you did answer my question.  I was online recently and was reading about the elderly and treatment for breast CA and I thought they mostly treated with just Tamoxafen...which I guess would be undertreating.  So I'm glad you agree with her treatment regime!  Thanks again

Answer
Well whatever your intentions were you did not just appear rude, you were rude! And that is something I never accept, as I think you have understood from my response. However that is behind us now. I interpret your reply as an apology and it is certainly accepted as such! Yes just Tamoxifen would certainly be undertreatment and if her tumor happened to be hormone receptor negative it would even be malpractice! I wish her the very best of luck!