Need Your Inputs

Options
pdv
pdv Member Posts: 56
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I haven't been on for quite a while until yesterday. I have been treated for triple negative bc. I have had the ac (one treatment because my body could not take this type chemo) and seven Taxel treatments. Neither shrunk my tumor at all. I decided to go ahead an get the tumor out so came the radical mastectomy last week. My tumor was 7 cm with 10 or 25 lymphnodes being positive. The onco doc told me he didn't think any other chemo before the surgery would do anything as this tumor wasn't responding anyway. I know the next phase with either be radiation or more chemo (what kind I have no idea).

1. Should I go through radiation (right side bc)?
2. Do you think that a different chemo would kill any cancer cells?
3. My other breast has shown no signs of cancer, should I have it removed also?

One type of chemo they had talked about me taking was Doxil (a form of adriamycin encapsulated in a fat for slower release).

It is so hard to decide sometimes. Has anyone else on this website had the same experience? I know we each react to different treatments in different way.

Also, anyone know why my chest on the right side feels like it has a constricting band on it and it is very bothersome.

I appreciate all inputs and I thank you for even reading this post.

PDV

Comments

  • Marcia527
    Marcia527 Member Posts: 2,729
    #2
    Options
    I wasn't triple negative but
    I wasn't triple negative but did have a large tumor. 6cm and another 3cm. I had 4 cycles of A/C before surgery and it did shrink it so my stage 3a became stage 2. Since I still had two nodes with cancer I needed 4 more cycles of Taxotere after surgery. And radiation. So the A/C didn't work entirely but helped. This won't help you but thought you'd like to know that someone else had a large tumor also.

    P.S. You might try searching for triple negative and pull up old posts. Mimivac has posted a lot of threads about triple negative. I think there was one with a lot of info and I was going to bump it up but didn't find it.
  • survives
    survives Member Posts: 254 Member
    #3
    Options
    Marcia527 said:

    I wasn't triple negative but
    I wasn't triple negative but did have a large tumor. 6cm and another 3cm. I had 4 cycles of A/C before surgery and it did shrink it so my stage 3a became stage 2. Since I still had two nodes with cancer I needed 4 more cycles of Taxotere after surgery. And radiation. So the A/C didn't work entirely but helped. This won't help you but thought you'd like to know that someone else had a large tumor also.

    P.S. You might try searching for triple negative and pull up old posts. Mimivac has posted a lot of threads about triple negative. I think there was one with a lot of info and I was going to bump it up but didn't find it.

    No chemo, but---
    I can't answer the chemo question, but I can tell you that the sensation on your mastec. side is quite normal. Ask your surgeon when you can start doing your range of motion exercises. They helped me with that. Also, for some reason when it just too uncomfortable, a extra strength tylenol helped. Don't take Aleve, it can cause some bleeding.

    Hoping you can find answers to your chemo question soon.
  • marines911
    marines911 Member Posts: 68
    #4
    Options
    Wife is stage 4 TNBC
    I can tell you that my wife had the same questions, and it was always the same double edge sword, radiation for the back pain from the cancer in her spine or chemo to try and reduce the tumors in the other areas in her body. Some times it was radiation, becuase the pain was too intense and pain medication was not helping, in fact pain meds were too strong and she slept most of the day. Radiation oncologist and new oncolgist suggested that we start new chemo and monitor the progression and see if the areas in the spine will be reduced along with the other areas (Lung, liver, spleen and chest).
    My wife has gone through TAC, which did reduce the area on her right breast from 9cm to 1cm, but it came back in her spine (T9 and now L1-3). She did the Doxil along with Avastin and no luck. PARP inhibitor trial, mixed results, but no luck. Now that we switched her oncologist with a breast cancer specialist, vice the general oncologist, the new onc has started my wife on Ixempra and Carbo platins along with Avastin and Zometa. So far the tumor marker has gone down and the blood transfusion helped with the anemia. My wife is always on the internet looking for new clinical trials and new types of treatments. Rexin-G was one of the new ones, but the trial was already full. If you would like, I can have my wife elaborate more if this was not helpful. Good luck and praying for you.

    Thomas
  • RE
    RE Member Posts: 4,591 Member
    #5
    Options
    so personal
    PDV it is such a personal decision, I grew up with cancer as my mom got it when she was 40 as did I and one of my sister's. For me it has always been whatever will keep me here longer with quality of life. I have had a lumpectomy on the left side and mastectomy on the right (should have had mastect. on left too but didn't now its too late). I have had 16 weeks of rads which I believe has given me the 11 years I have had since. Talk to your onco get a good feeling for what they think will best benefit you and your situation, ta,e someone with you as you may not hear everything as we tend to get over loaded. You may even ask your onco to write it down for you. Let us know how it goes, sending prayers your way.

    RE
  • Mama G
    Mama G Member Posts: 762
    #6
    Options
    RE said:

    so personal
    PDV it is such a personal decision, I grew up with cancer as my mom got it when she was 40 as did I and one of my sister's. For me it has always been whatever will keep me here longer with quality of life. I have had a lumpectomy on the left side and mastectomy on the right (should have had mastect. on left too but didn't now its too late). I have had 16 weeks of rads which I believe has given me the 11 years I have had since. Talk to your onco get a good feeling for what they think will best benefit you and your situation, ta,e someone with you as you may not hear everything as we tend to get over loaded. You may even ask your onco to write it down for you. Let us know how it goes, sending prayers your way.

    RE

    chemo/radiation improves you chance of survival by 50%
    according to my doctors. So if you can do it, go for it, but if it did NOT affect your tumor before the surgery maybe it is not the same for you. This is something you need to talk over with your doctor and make an individual decision. Let us know what you decide. And good luck, God bless.
  • ms.sunshine
    ms.sunshine Member Posts: 707 Member
    #7
    Options
    Mama G said:

    chemo/radiation improves you chance of survival by 50%
    according to my doctors. So if you can do it, go for it, but if it did NOT affect your tumor before the surgery maybe it is not the same for you. This is something you need to talk over with your doctor and make an individual decision. Let us know what you decide. And good luck, God bless.

    pdv
    These are questions you should ask your dr. then get a 2nd maybe 3rd drs. expertise. Let us know what you decide. Best 2 u

Discussion Boards