This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

I am a breast cancer survivor recently diagnosed with MS. During my annual oncology visit last week, my Dr made reference that there may be a connection between BC and MS. Has anyone else heard this? Is there anyone else on this forum that has both?

I have had MS fro 8 years. I was diagnosed with BC 4 years ago. I was lucky in that it was Stage 0 and was removed via surgery. At the time I searched extensively to try to find a connection between the two. I was never able to find much correlation. Do you know if your dr has any studies to show it? I would be curious to know what the connection is.

Do either of you know what type breast cancer you had?

I believe there could be a connection between basal-like breast cancer and autoimmune diseases.

Wesley

DCIS is all I remember. I have to look up all my paperwork to see if it says. I have kind of put it out of my mind at this point!

MS first, risk of BC:

http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=17538221
In general MS patients are not at increased risk of cancer. Women with MS, however, seem to have a small excess risk of breast cancer

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15754125
Our findings indicate that cancer incidence is significantly lower in female MS patients than in the general population. Female MS patients treated with glatiramer acetate showed an elevated rate of breast cancer and all MS patients treated with beta-interferons showed an elevated risk of non-breast cancers though not statistically significant (p = 0.122 and 0.072, respectively). Further study is needed to assess possible associations between long-term exposure to the novel immunomodulatory treatments in MS and rate of cancer.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18952560
We consider the potential for an increased risk of developing a poorer-prognosis breast cancer as a result of concomitant immunomodulatory effects of the previous MS treatment, particularly the effects the drugs are reported to have on regulatory T cells. Current data in the literature reflect the need for further study.

BC first, risk of MS - could be quite different, I don't know, depends on particular BC drugs used, ...

Thank you all for the great feedback!. My BC was DCIS, left breast only. It was caught early during my annual mammogram and treated with surgery, radiation and tamoxifen. I have been cancer free for three years. Because I remain at high risk for BC, I wanted to get my oncologist's opinion about Copaxone as I will be starting dowm that road next week. She said she expects studies in the near future to confirm what she is seeing - a high incidence of BC patients being diagnosed with MS. I will keep up with the oncology studies as they relate to MS and report back if I hear more. In the meantime, make sure you get your annual Mamm, gals!

Thanks.
That is interesting. I have never heard of the correlation but my internist and GYN were both on my butt to get my overdue Mammo done ASAP.
I couldn't figure out why they were both so adamant.
I kept losing the lab order and never got to it. But I finally did.
All good.
I think that is a pretty reckless statement but I guess time will tell.
mmmmm....Rose

In case you didn't know - Glatiramer acetate is marketed under trade name Copaxone.

Whoa. Really? Thank you ttt1. Never took it so never knew.
Good info. thanks. Rose

Hi
My wife was diagnosed with MS in 1996 (though she probably had first symptoms in 1993) and at that time was told it was RRMS. We live in Asia so she did Chinese medicine for 8 years till 2004 during which time she felt quite good. In 2005 she had her first episode of breast cancer (DCIS Stage 0). Had lumpectomy and radiation (interestingly the rads did not affect her from an MS standpoint) - no Tamoxifen. In 2009 she had another primary episode of breast cancer (ILC, LCIS + DCIS Stage 1) on the other breast and finally decided to have a double mastectomy. Since 2009 she has been on Tamoxifen.
Over the last few years - maybe a couple or maybe more - her MS symptoms seemed to have worsened in that where she could walk for 20-30 minutes previously now it may be 10 minutes. In the heat she is definitely worse than she used to be (she was bad earlier too but worse now) and in the cold while she did not have much of an issue, she does now. In the last three months started feeling a weakness in her right thigh that made her feel like she was dragging her foot/leg - this is the only new symptom in the last many years - all other symptoms are just a little worse or have gone away. Have met many MS specialists over the last three months and they say it MAY be SPMS now. Given her breast cancer - even though it was easy stage - many MS meds like Tysabri, Novantrone etc. are ruled out. Most MS meds are immunosuppresants so not good for someone with a history of cancer. She has been suggested to try Rituxan so this site has been very helpful in helping me understand what people on it have felt.

There is a similar site to this for breast cancer called breastcancer.org where there are many ladies with both MS and BC and usually the MS was diagnosed first with BC some years later. I am convinced that there is a link between MS and BC. The only acknowledgement I have been able to get from certain doctors is that since both are common in people with weak immune systems - that may be the link - nothing else!

If there is anyone out there with both MS and BC taking any regular or off label or novel treatments I would greatly appreciate if we could hear from them and what their experience has been.

I wouldn't be surprised if long term use of DMD's slightly increases the risk of Breast Cancer.

Do the DMD's have any effect on estrogen levels?

for one thing, there's a zinc connection. ms patients are low in zinc and breast cancer patients with stage 1 have lower zinc than controls, stage 2 patients are lower still, etc etc down to level 4 metastacized cancer patients have the lowest zinc levels of all.

_________________
my approach: no meds so far - just balanced whole foods (partial 'paleo', much less outright elimination), science, supplements, & bloodwork
my regimen - www.thisisms.com/ftopict-2489.html
www.whfoods.com, www.nutritiondata.com

I find this topic extremely interesting. I was a radiation therapist for 22+ years treating cancer. I was officially Dxd in 2001. I now know that I had symptoms for years....in 1989 I probably had my 1st exaserbation. It was the 1st time I had ever really heard of MS.

From 1989 I began looking for patients with MS. It was part of my job to read each patients chart. I NEVER found an MS patient with any type of cancer. It has been just the last 7 or 8 years that BC has been showing up in MS patients. When I 1st Heard about an MSer with BC I was Shocked. Treating BC was my specialty so I followed up on it extensively.
At that time I asked my Stanford Onc Dr about Ms & cancer. She told me that it was extremely rare to find cancer in MS patients. It was believed that the Autoimmune system was working overtime & took out any cancer. Back in the day Cancer & MS not an issue. Not so today.

There have been major changes in BC awareness, Dxs & treatment in the past 25 years. That may be part of the difference in there being more BC with MS.

Now for my rant.....
BC is 98% Cureable these days if Dxed early. Thank God We have come a LONG way ladies....
We Did It!!
It Started with Betty Ford "coming out" and saying those terrible words I Have Breast Cancer.
Back in 1985 women didn't even touch their breats much less do breast exams. BC was always much more advanced because women were afraid to go to the doc. (Might be cancer)

I've seen some of the most horrible mastectomy scars. I helped bring about the way BC is treated today. Lumpectomy & Radiation.

It was Women finally speaking out and saying this is BS and we need a Cure Now that changed the way the world looked at Breast Cancer. It is No Longer a secret because our aunties, sisters, Mothers, grandmothers, best friends and Lovers have had BC.
It's been about 25 years in the making but women are being cured everyday now & living much longer with BC.

Multiple Sclerosis needs to "Come Out" and start being talked about. We need to start screaming that we Need a Cure NOW!!
It's time to make people aware of the Uncureable, Expensive Questionable Treatment of MS that is disabling Beautiful Women in the prime of their lives. It is hitting us younger & younger.
This is Totally Unacceptable!!!!

The NEW womens issue is Heart disease & the Red Dress ~
Hey what ever happened to MS ~ Still in the closet not being talked about.
Everybody knows Somebody with MS just like everyone knows someone that has had BC.

Until We MS Women get tired of being ignored and start yelling we will not see much in the way of research and development of a CURE. Oh Yeah They're out there making more questionable meds for us...
I've tried to talk to my neuro about ccsvi and he about laughed me out of his office. I strongly believe this is an avenue that needs to be explored and researched much more instead of being poo pooed.

If they can cure MS with a procedure to unblock csf what would that do to all of those $60,000 a year treatments??? Just a thought..............

Thanks for being here ~