has anyone skipped chemo and went straight to hormone therapy?

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RooDee
RooDee Member Posts: 21
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
My original diagnosis was Grade2 IDC,ER+PR-Her2equivocal. I had my surgery Oct. 7th ( bilateral with recon),path report T1N1M0, I had 1 intramammary lymph node positive for met. ductal carcinoma. My oncologist recommended chemo (AC4X+Taxol4X) and 5 yrs. of Tamoxifen. After talking to my onc, I researched online about the side effects of these chemo drugs,the one I'm most worried about is the heart damage. I do not have a family history of cancer but we have heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes. I am scheduled for a bone scan and muga scan nxt week. What I was thinking was I had both breasts removed anyway and if my bone scan and my bloodwork comes back clear and negative for cancer that maybe I can just do the Tamoxifen. What do you guys think? My husband thinks that I'm crazy. **Hugs to you all**

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  • CypressCynthia
    CypressCynthia Member Posts: 4,014 Member
    #2
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    Most important to me, would
    Most important to me, would be what does my oncologist think. They spend years and years studying this stuff and I would do what is the recommended treatment. But talk to your oncologist about your concerns as they are legitimate and I am sure that he/she would like to know so that they can individualize your treatment.

    I am not downplaying the heart issues, but cancer is a beast. Do everything you can do keep it from recurring!
  • RooDee
    RooDee Member Posts: 21
    #3
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    CypressCynthia said:

    Most important to me, would
    Most important to me, would be what does my oncologist think. They spend years and years studying this stuff and I would do what is the recommended treatment. But talk to your oncologist about your concerns as they are legitimate and I am sure that he/she would like to know so that they can individualize your treatment.

    I am not downplaying the heart issues, but cancer is a beast. Do everything you can do keep it from recurring!

    Thanks!
    I guess I'm just over-thinking everything, and also a little nervous about chemo. I'm going to see my oncologist again in 2 weeks before my scheduled first round of AC. I just wanna learn everything about this disease and its treatments. I might go and schedule myself for a genetic testing also, because I have a daughter and I don't want her to have to go through what I am going through right now. I also printed her copies of articles about cancer prevention.
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #4
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    RooDee said:

    Thanks!
    I guess I'm just over-thinking everything, and also a little nervous about chemo. I'm going to see my oncologist again in 2 weeks before my scheduled first round of AC. I just wanna learn everything about this disease and its treatments. I might go and schedule myself for a genetic testing also, because I have a daughter and I don't want her to have to go through what I am going through right now. I also printed her copies of articles about cancer prevention.

    Tell your doctor your
    Tell your doctor your concerns, ask him/her how they will monitor you. Have all your questions answered so you can feel comfortable. It would be good to write them down ahead of time. CC is right. BC is a beast. I had a tough time with chemo but would not change my decision to do it. I had to feel like I did everything I could.
  • JanInMN
    JanInMN Member Posts: 149
    #5
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    I was so wishing that my
    I was so wishing that my Oncologist had said there was no need for chemo, but he did, eventhough we caught everything early. He explained that it was those little sneaky cancer cells that could have snuck out that we need to get rid of, plus I needed herceptin because I'm Her2+. I agree that the heart damage is scary, but they monitor you all the way through your treatment, and if your heart is being damaged, then they stop or change what they are doing. The MUGA scan will tell you if you have any current heart concerns, so that will give you more info to make a decision with. When I first came on this board, one of the things I saw people post over and over again about Chemo is that it is "doable". Not fun or easy, but it is doable. Cheering you on no matter what you decide!!!

    Jan
  • lizzie17
    lizzie17 Member Posts: 548
    #6
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    worry
    I skipped chemo and went straight to 5 years of arimidex after my bilateral mastectomy.
    That was my doctor's recommendation.........but, honestly I worry all the time---
    is it enough to battle this illness???
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #7
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    lizzie17 said:

    worry
    I skipped chemo and went straight to 5 years of arimidex after my bilateral mastectomy.
    That was my doctor's recommendation.........but, honestly I worry all the time---
    is it enough to battle this illness???

    you didnt skip it you just
    you didnt skip it you just were fortunate enough to not need it. You followed your doctor's advice. No need to take something you dont need.
  • New Flower
    New Flower Member Posts: 4,294
    #8
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    HI
    RooDee,
    Welcome to the site. Talk to your oncologist and maybe seek a second opinion. My tumor was similar, however I had a different combination:Taxotere/Cytoxan. Tough regimen with a lot of side effects but not heart damage. Because one of your nodes was positive your oncologist recommended Chemo.If you have pre-existing heart conditions or strong family history you need to communicate it to your doctor.
    Good luck,
    New Flower
  • phoenixrising
    phoenixrising Member Posts: 1,508
    #9
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    I don't blame you. I had 3
    I don't blame you. I had 3 pos nodes and I wanted to avoid chemo. There is heart disease on my father's side and no cancer anywhere of any kind on either side. But here we are :(
    This is the most insidious disease that can take you from stage 2 to stage 4 in a heartbeat. The ladies are right...they will monitor your heart and chemo is doable and I didn't DO any of it well. But if it should come back I can say I did almost everything they wanted me to do. (skipped on rads and axillary node dissection) Now, I wish I had of done the rads. Talk to your onc and be sure you can live with the results. All my best to you and good luck with your decision making.
    hugs
    jan
  • roseann4
    roseann4 Member Posts: 992 Member
    #10
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    phoenixrising said:

    I don't blame you. I had 3
    I don't blame you. I had 3 pos nodes and I wanted to avoid chemo. There is heart disease on my father's side and no cancer anywhere of any kind on either side. But here we are :(
    This is the most insidious disease that can take you from stage 2 to stage 4 in a heartbeat. The ladies are right...they will monitor your heart and chemo is doable and I didn't DO any of it well. But if it should come back I can say I did almost everything they wanted me to do. (skipped on rads and axillary node dissection) Now, I wish I had of done the rads. Talk to your onc and be sure you can live with the results. All my best to you and good luck with your decision making.
    hugs
    jan

    Difficult decision to make.
    I chose not to have chemo but I was node negative. They do a special test for node negative cancer to see if chemo would be beneficial. My results were 18 (16 is the end of low which does not benefit from chemo). 18 is low intermediate and they don't know if chemo benefits women in this category. My oncoloist said it was up to me but the benefit from chemo would only change my chance of recurrence in a 10 year period by 3%. It would have brought me from 15% to 12%. I was 58 at the time and otherwise very healthy so I was concerned about the side effects of chemo with such limited results. If I had any positive nodes, I would have had chemo. BC can come back no matter what decisions we make. It is a terribly sneaky disease.

    Roseann
  • Stace_aka_Pollyanna
    Stace_aka_Pollyanna Member Posts: 78
    #11
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    roseann4 said:

    Difficult decision to make.
    I chose not to have chemo but I was node negative. They do a special test for node negative cancer to see if chemo would be beneficial. My results were 18 (16 is the end of low which does not benefit from chemo). 18 is low intermediate and they don't know if chemo benefits women in this category. My oncoloist said it was up to me but the benefit from chemo would only change my chance of recurrence in a 10 year period by 3%. It would have brought me from 15% to 12%. I was 58 at the time and otherwise very healthy so I was concerned about the side effects of chemo with such limited results. If I had any positive nodes, I would have had chemo. BC can come back no matter what decisions we make. It is a terribly sneaky disease.

    Roseann

    Ask Onc about Family Heart Disease Connection
    Roo, I too was given the "choice" of chemo after my onc and I studied my ONCODX test results... my second option of cocktail was just like yours and when I asked the onc about heart disease on my father's side being an "added" risk, she told me no correlation between the two. In fact, it was the very first question I asked her after she delivered the possible side effects. You might research the "family-heart-disease-connection" a bit if that is what's tipping the scales for you :)

    I had the same test as Roseann. I too was in the "intermediate" range with an onco of 22... chemo was only going to adjust my risk 5% and after much much much research, my husband and I have decided to jump on the chemo train. Wouldn't I kick myself years from now if cancer reared it's ugly head and I didn't do EVERYTHING in my power at 40 to stop it?? Really read these boards regarding your specific cocktail... you might find that the side effects can be done if you know they are ONLY TEMPORARY!!! Rely on these angels here... they and I will get you through whatever you decide!!

    Blessings and hugs,
    Stace
  • dee1962
    dee1962 Member Posts: 99
    #12
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    Stace_aka_Pollyanna said:

    Ask Onc about Family Heart Disease Connection
    Roo, I too was given the "choice" of chemo after my onc and I studied my ONCODX test results... my second option of cocktail was just like yours and when I asked the onc about heart disease on my father's side being an "added" risk, she told me no correlation between the two. In fact, it was the very first question I asked her after she delivered the possible side effects. You might research the "family-heart-disease-connection" a bit if that is what's tipping the scales for you :)

    I had the same test as Roseann. I too was in the "intermediate" range with an onco of 22... chemo was only going to adjust my risk 5% and after much much much research, my husband and I have decided to jump on the chemo train. Wouldn't I kick myself years from now if cancer reared it's ugly head and I didn't do EVERYTHING in my power at 40 to stop it?? Really read these boards regarding your specific cocktail... you might find that the side effects can be done if you know they are ONLY TEMPORARY!!! Rely on these angels here... they and I will get you through whatever you decide!!

    Blessings and hugs,
    Stace

    I would just listen to your
    I would just listen to your onc. i mean you have to have full trust in them it's your life we're talking about this is my second round of chemo in my life first was 17 yrs ago and here i am again but you know this time it's not that bad.... good luck to you.... Dee

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