I am confused

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salls41
salls41 Member Posts: 340
in Breast Cancer #1
I saw my Onc. today and she was disappointed that the chemo did not get all of the cancer.
(Triple negative)but was glad that surgery went well and lympnodes were clear. She has said on more than one occassion that I have had "all the chemo she can give me" so does this mean that if I have a reoccurrence there would be nothing that could be done? I was on TAC every three weeks for 6 rounds. If anyone can explain it, I would appreciate it.
Sandy

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  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    #2
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    You didn't say your type or
    You didn't say your type or stage - makes a difference.

    I did 4 DD A/C neo-adjuvant and 12 weekly Taxol adjuvant. That was all for that time. BUT I was told if/when I get a recurrance/mets, there are other options (and by that time, there may be even more options) available.

    There are aseveral here who are dealing with Stage IV who have been on several differenrt TX plans that include different drugs. I'm sure you will hear from them.

    Winyan -The Power Within

    Susan
  • Alexis F
    Alexis F Member Posts: 3,598
    #3
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    You've got me confused too
    You've got me confused too Sandy. There are lots of different chemos out there for treatment of bc, so, I don't know why your onco would say that. I would call and make an appointment to discuss this more thoroughly with her as you need to know. And, then please let us know.

    Hugs, Lex
  • MAJW
    MAJW Member Posts: 2,510 Member
    #4
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    Alexis F said:

    You've got me confused too
    You've got me confused too Sandy. There are lots of different chemos out there for treatment of bc, so, I don't know why your onco would say that. I would call and make an appointment to discuss this more thoroughly with her as you need to know. And, then please let us know.

    Hugs, Lex

    Get...
    Sandy,

    Get another opinion...sorry but for your oncologist to say, if you were to have a recurrence there's nothing left to give you is nonsense! There's an arsenal of drugs out there.... I am stage IV Triple negative bc...recurrence in my lymph nodes not my breast...I am now on the combo of Avastin/Carboplatin...it has been the game changer for me...my tumor markers went from 98 in Feb to 34 just last week!

    As Susan said more are coming all the time... I'd find another one....

    Hugs, Nancy
  • laughs_a_lot
    laughs_a_lot Member Posts: 1,368 Member
    #5
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    Try again
    to see what the doc meant. If no one was with you then take someone to the consult with you this time. I bet there is a misunderstanding. If you get the same answer as before then it would be time to get a second opinion or new doctor.
  • Gabe N Abby Mom
    Gabe N Abby Mom Member Posts: 2,413
    #6
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    I also did 6 rounds of TAC
    I also did 6 rounds of TAC before surgery. Results after my bilateral were mixed at best, and I asked about more chemo. At the time my doc told me that no more TAC for me, but if I ever needed it in the future there were lots of options. So I suspect your doc meant she gave you all the TAC she could.

    Since my mets dx, the same onc has prescribed Xeloda, then Abraxane, and I will soon start Navelbene. He tells me we still have lots of options.

    I hope this helps.

    Hugs,

    Linda
  • missrenee
    missrenee Member Posts: 2,136 Member
    #7
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    Gabe N Abby Mom said:

    I also did 6 rounds of TAC
    I also did 6 rounds of TAC before surgery. Results after my bilateral were mixed at best, and I asked about more chemo. At the time my doc told me that no more TAC for me, but if I ever needed it in the future there were lots of options. So I suspect your doc meant she gave you all the TAC she could.

    Since my mets dx, the same onc has prescribed Xeloda, then Abraxane, and I will soon start Navelbene. He tells me we still have lots of options.

    I hope this helps.

    Hugs,

    Linda

    Nancy, Linda and the rest of the gals
    are absolutely right! I'm Stage 4 as well with bone mets and right now the Faslodex injections are working for me, but if I ever need something else my onc. said, "there are many choices left in our arsenal." If you cannot get a satisfactory response, I would definitely go for a second opinion. Do not give up!

    Hugs, Renee
  • laughs_a_lot
    laughs_a_lot Member Posts: 1,368 Member
    #8
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    At my initial chemo consult
    I specifically asked the doctor what would happen if I were somehow allergic to the chemo he first chose. (I asked this because I had done a lot of research on TNBC while recovering from my lumpectomy and understood that chemo is our best buddy when we have TNBC). So naturally I was worried if I should somehow be allergic to his first choice. He assured me that there were other drugs for chemo that could be used.
  • NancyJac
    NancyJac Member Posts: 91
    #9
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    I suspect there is an
    I suspect there is an implied but not spoken "for now" at the end of her sentence. Chemo is toxic and some of that toxicity is cumulative and takes more than just the time between each 3 week cycle for your body to recover. Cancer cells can adapt, sort of like bacteria. So it is sort of like why a specific antibiotic is only used short term because the bacteria it kills adapts and become resistant to that particular antibiotic over time. But that doesn't mean another antibiotic wouldn't be effective, or even the same antibiotic could be effective after a long time or for a different kind of bacteria. The same idea applies to many chemo drugs.
  • camul
    camul Member Posts: 2,537
    #10
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    Hi Sandy
    I would make another appointment and have all your questions handy. I am stage iv and I am on my 3rd chemo. I asked him what happens when this one stops working and was told there are others. I am ++=, but am being treated now with Herceptin, Navelbine, and Xgeva, as the chemo alone was not slowing the beast, so hopefully throwing Herceptin into the mix will help.

    It sounds like she may be like most doctors and assume we know more or understand what they mean. The treatment for recurrence for me was completely different than my initial. There are always new treatments coming out. But I would get clarification.

    Carol
  • DianeBC
    DianeBC Member Posts: 3,881 Member
    #11
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    laughs_a_lot said:

    At my initial chemo consult
    I specifically asked the doctor what would happen if I were somehow allergic to the chemo he first chose. (I asked this because I had done a lot of research on TNBC while recovering from my lumpectomy and understood that chemo is our best buddy when we have TNBC). So naturally I was worried if I should somehow be allergic to his first choice. He assured me that there were other drugs for chemo that could be used.

    Could you go for a 2nd
    Could you go for a 2nd opinion? I really don't understand what she told you.


    Hugs, Diane
  • salls41
    salls41 Member Posts: 340
    #12
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    Hubby said I misunderstood
    My hubby said I misunderstood. She was talking about this initial cancer. Since I am triple negative I can't take any blockers and I have had all the chemo she can give me. She said this because the pathology report showed the cancer cells still in the breast tissue before the mastectomy and she would have liked the chances of reoccurrence better if there had been none, and there is nothing left for her to do now. This is why it is good to take someone with you to appointments when there is important information being passed out! Thanks all!
  • VickiSam
    VickiSam Member Posts: 9,079 Member
    #13
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    salls41 said:

    Hubby said I misunderstood
    My hubby said I misunderstood. She was talking about this initial cancer. Since I am triple negative I can't take any blockers and I have had all the chemo she can give me. She said this because the pathology report showed the cancer cells still in the breast tissue before the mastectomy and she would have liked the chances of reoccurrence better if there had been none, and there is nothing left for her to do now. This is why it is good to take someone with you to appointments when there is important information being passed out! Thanks all!

    Sally, Glad you had hubby with you ..
    My hubby accompanied me to my Oncologist visit -- just down the hall from my
    chemo infusion. After several visits, I found both my husband and myself
    took different information away from the same visit! LOL

    So I started to bring a tape record. This small device proved invaluable. I also
    noticed that my Oncologist and his PA's -- information, or results become short,
    sweet and to the point. This also gave me time to digest his information,
    and at times, formulate questions pertaining to what had been said - then and
    there in his office during my visit/check up not two days later.

    Best of luck on your visit ...

    Strength, Courage and HOPE for a Cure.

    Vicki Sam
  • Kylez
    Kylez Member Posts: 3,761 Member
    #14
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    salls41 said:

    Hubby said I misunderstood
    My hubby said I misunderstood. She was talking about this initial cancer. Since I am triple negative I can't take any blockers and I have had all the chemo she can give me. She said this because the pathology report showed the cancer cells still in the breast tissue before the mastectomy and she would have liked the chances of reoccurrence better if there had been none, and there is nothing left for her to do now. This is why it is good to take someone with you to appointments when there is important information being passed out! Thanks all!

    I am not sure I understand
    I am not sure I understand either. If you still have cancer cells left, isn't there something they can do for you? Or, are they all gone now?


    My husband and even friends go with me as I can never remember everything said too.


    Hugs and good luck,


    Kylez

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