What would you do?

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Grains
Grains Member Posts: 27
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Hi, I have been diagnosed with infiltrating ductal bc. My ER is + and my PR is +. Tumor size is approximately 1.5. Waiting to see about HER2 test. Cancer dr says he thinks it will be -. Hope so. If it is, I have the choice to just take Arimidex with no chemo. This is the second time around for me. I had this 6 yrs ago and had chemo (everything was negative on that one). I wanted to have a double mastectomy but my dr said no it wasn't necessary because it hardly ever comes back. My cancer dr said there was a 15% chance for a recurrence from my first one. He also said that if I had chemo it would improve my chances by 3%. My husband thinks that is too small and I should not have it done. One of my daughters says she thinks I should just to be sure. I really don't know. I am afraid that If I don't have it, I am just asking for the cancer to come back. I would like you girls opinions, YOU are the ones who know how I feel. What do you think?

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  • EveningStar2
    EveningStar2 Member Posts: 491 Member
    #2
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    well
    First are you having/had a lumpectomy? Or mastectomy? That would make a difference. I know that if I am diagnosed with bc again, the girls are going. 3% is small but we know it happens again unfortunately.

    But it is *your* body. Good luck with your decision.

    Maureen
  • New Flower
    New Flower Member Posts: 4,294
    #3
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    EveningStar2 said:

    well
    First are you having/had a lumpectomy? Or mastectomy? That would make a difference. I know that if I am diagnosed with bc again, the girls are going. 3% is small but we know it happens again unfortunately.

    But it is *your* body. Good luck with your decision.

    Maureen

    tough choice
    I would go for the second opinion with both oncologist and breast surgeon. What is about lymph nodes involvement?
    It is a very personal decision. I had left breast mastectomy with no regrets.
    Good luck
  • Grains
    Grains Member Posts: 27
    #4
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    New Flower said:

    tough choice
    I would go for the second opinion with both oncologist and breast surgeon. What is about lymph nodes involvement?
    It is a very personal decision. I had left breast mastectomy with no regrets.
    Good luck

    Actually, I have both of my
    Actually, I have both of my breasts removed now, 1 in 2003 and 1 now. I am curious to know what you think about the chemo? There was no lymph node involvement.
  • CypressCynthia
    CypressCynthia Member Posts: 4,014 Member
    #5
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    Grains said:

    Actually, I have both of my
    Actually, I have both of my breasts removed now, 1 in 2003 and 1 now. I am curious to know what you think about the chemo? There was no lymph node involvement.

    I had chemo in 1987, but had
    I had chemo in 1987, but had a bone mets this year (22 years later). I personally believe the tamoxifen is what kept my cancer at bay all of these years (ER+). I am now on zometa and arimidex. No chemo recommended this time. The treatment is working as my markers are way down. Unless chemo was recommended, I personally wouldn't have it again. But it is a very personal decision.
  • New Flower
    New Flower Member Posts: 4,294
    #6
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    CypressCynthia said:

    I had chemo in 1987, but had
    I had chemo in 1987, but had a bone mets this year (22 years later). I personally believe the tamoxifen is what kept my cancer at bay all of these years (ER+). I am now on zometa and arimidex. No chemo recommended this time. The treatment is working as my markers are way down. Unless chemo was recommended, I personally wouldn't have it again. But it is a very personal decision.

    If your current cancer
    is Stage I, lymph nodes negative, and you had a mastectomy I think a common practice is not to have Chemo.
    Hormonal therapy probably is required if your cancer was estrogen dependent.
    Being in treatments for the past 14 months I learnt that even 1% is a very high number.
    it is a tough and very personal decision.
  • Grains
    Grains Member Posts: 27
    #7
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    New Flower said:

    If your current cancer
    is Stage I, lymph nodes negative, and you had a mastectomy I think a common practice is not to have Chemo.
    Hormonal therapy probably is required if your cancer was estrogen dependent.
    Being in treatments for the past 14 months I learnt that even 1% is a very high number.
    it is a tough and very personal decision.

    I got my HER2 test back, it
    I got my HER2 test back, it was negative. My dr also said my cancer was grade 3. Now I wait until Next wednesday to talk to the dr again. He is also doing the Oncotype DX test on it. That will be another 2 weeks. I Hate this waiting. I feel foolish because all of you have much more serious problems to deal with than I do, but I still don't know what to do. Thanks for your help and input.
  • cats_toy
    cats_toy Member Posts: 1,462 Member
    #8
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    Grains
    your concerns regarding chemo are not foolish, and we all here want the final results for everyone to be NED. I am sure it is a hard decision to make. I did go through chemo and would again if need be, if it drops your percentage of recurrence even 1%, I feel it is worth the trauma it puts our bodies through, Yes, as we all say, it is your choice, and you will be the one who has to be comfortable with whatever decision you make. I hope it all goes well for you, and maybe after your next appt with the doc, you can have more information available to make that final decision.
    Let us know how it goes.
    =^..^=
  • elizarose
    elizarose Member Posts: 124
    #9
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    Grains said:

    I got my HER2 test back, it
    I got my HER2 test back, it was negative. My dr also said my cancer was grade 3. Now I wait until Next wednesday to talk to the dr again. He is also doing the Oncotype DX test on it. That will be another 2 weeks. I Hate this waiting. I feel foolish because all of you have much more serious problems to deal with than I do, but I still don't know what to do. Thanks for your help and input.

    You're certainly not foolish
    You're certainly not foolish so please don't feel that way. I know how hard the waiting is. I read a devotional last night that reminded me not to be in such a hurry for things to happen. I know it's easy to say. I remember when I was waiting to find out the results of my mastectomy. I feel like I've spent the whole past year waiting for surgery or chemo or healing or a million other things. I hope it helps to know that God has a plan for you. Just curious, did your doctor recommend chemo?
    Beth
  • sherria49
    sherria49 Member Posts: 126
    #10
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    Grains said:

    I got my HER2 test back, it
    I got my HER2 test back, it was negative. My dr also said my cancer was grade 3. Now I wait until Next wednesday to talk to the dr again. He is also doing the Oncotype DX test on it. That will be another 2 weeks. I Hate this waiting. I feel foolish because all of you have much more serious problems to deal with than I do, but I still don't know what to do. Thanks for your help and input.

    Grains
    I was diagnosed in Aug in left clear in right no lymph node involvement. I am ER+, PR+, and Her2 Neg. Immediately, my reaction was get them both off. I had my bilateral mastectomy Oct 30th. I met with my onc yesterday. He said he wanted to do the Oncotype test. I had my port put in at the time of mastectomy. I told him, even if it's just a 1% better chance it's worth it to me. So, no Oncotype test, chemo to begin right after Thanksgiving.

    This is a personal decision, and I agree with getting 2nd opinions. Continue to come here for advice & encouragement. These ladies are the BEST!!

    Keep us posted along your journey, we are all here for you!

    Hugz
  • survivorbc09
    survivorbc09 Member Posts: 4,374 Member
    #11
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    cats_toy said:

    Grains
    your concerns regarding chemo are not foolish, and we all here want the final results for everyone to be NED. I am sure it is a hard decision to make. I did go through chemo and would again if need be, if it drops your percentage of recurrence even 1%, I feel it is worth the trauma it puts our bodies through, Yes, as we all say, it is your choice, and you will be the one who has to be comfortable with whatever decision you make. I hope it all goes well for you, and maybe after your next appt with the doc, you can have more information available to make that final decision.
    Let us know how it goes.
    =^..^=

    Wishing you good luck
    Wishing you good luck Grains!
  • cindycflynn
    cindycflynn Member Posts: 1,132 Member
    #12
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    I'm right there with you
    Other than the fact that this is my first time around, I'm in a very similar situation in terms of whether it's worth doing chemo, and am also waiting on the results of my Oncotype to help me make the decision.

    In my case, however, my husband is the one pushing more to have the chemo done. In his opinion, even if it only improves my chances by 2%, he'd rather have me do it than take that small additional risk of recurrence.

    I also have not decided, and am basically going to use the results of the Oncotype to push me one way or the other. I'm hoping that my score doesn't land in the intermediate range to make my decision even more difficult.

    I'm not sure if this helps at all, but I do want to wish you the best in your decision.

    Please keep us posted.

    Cindy
  • scout5000
    scout5000 Member Posts: 94 Member
    #13
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    Choice
    I had a low oncotype score after it looked like I had no lymph node involvement. My doc also ordered IHC (immunohistochemical staining)of my tumor. This showed that I had single cells of cancer in one lymph node, which triggered my needing to have chemo. I didn't know anything about IHC or even that my doctor had ordered it. You might want to ask your doc if they did this test (it's not routine), in order to get more information before making your decision. I'm not sure I would do chemo if it would only improve my chances by 3%. As you know, chemo can cause life threatening side effects.

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