‘I try to remember that I’m kicking cancer’s ass’

People who have not had breast cancer may find it a little puzzling why women who have had the disease would choose to stop taking a drug that has the potential to prevent a recurrence.

It sounds like a no-brainer when you read the statistics. If you take a hormone medication, such as Tamoxifen, for five or even 10 years after treatment, the chances of the cancer returning are reduced by 50% and the risk of death is lowered by 25%.

Happy days, right? Except it’s not that simple in the cases of many women who find the side-effects of such drugs so debilitating that their quality of life is affected.