Just got a call from my oncologist............

I was also told by the
I was also told by the breast surgeon's staff that I would need no chemo, however the oncologist requested the Onco/DX test and my score was 22. In her practice everyone over an 18 score takes chemo. I was very upset and felt a bit bushwhacked but took 4 cycles of chemo. No day at the beach but doable as you probably know. In my humble opinion, I think you'll feel better seeing what the test results are and how best to proceed. Warmest thoughts and Best wishes to you.

carkris said:

Oh i would not be happy
Oh i would not be happy about that call/ just when you think you are done. anyway, I hope all goes well!

My score was 18.
A low score end at 16 so my score was low intermediate. They don't know for sure how effective chemo is for intermediate scores. My oncologist thought it would reduce my 10 year recurrence rate from 15 to 12 percent. I was 58 with no other health issues so I decided against chemo. Others with the same score might have chosen differently but that felt right for me. I hope you have a low score so your choice will be clear

Roseann

MAJW said:

Surgeons...
Surgeons aren't oncologist's....I was told the same thing....chemo not likely....felt like I had been hit by a 2 x 4 when the oncologist said chemo FOR SURE !!!!!
No one wants it but it's doable...
Hugs, Nancy

I had the test
My breast surgeon ordered it after surgery and before my first med onc appointment. My tumor was the same size as yours, Stage 1, Grade 2, ER/PR+ and HER-2 neg. My score was 31. Needless to say, I had chemo. 4 rounds of Taxotere and Cytoxin. Doable - not fun, but doable. FYI, my med onc said Arimidex was every bit if not more, important than chemo. Luckily, I have no side effects (that I'm aware of).

I think the Oncotype DX test is very important for early stage, low grade, ER+ breast cancer. Regardless of what the results are for you, you will have more information about your risk of recurrence with or without chemo. BTW, the results tell whether or not chemo will be effective in reducing the rate of recurrence at a distant site within 10 years. For the lower numbers, the % of women who had recurrence within 10 years is low, so adding chemo really doesn't make much difference (i.e., reducing the risk from say 5% to 3%), but over 31 the recurrence rate is much higher and the 30-40% reduction with chemo is significant. For me, 21% of women with a score of 31 had recurrence within 10 years. If chemo reduced that risk by 40%, my chances of recurrence are now 12.6%. That's worthwhile. But take note of this: this recurrence risk is based on taking Tamoxifen. You should ask what % taking Tamoxifen makes because if I weren't taking Arimidex, I believe my risk of recurrence would be higher than what it is.

Glad you're feeling so good. Keep on being strong.

Suzanne

Double Whammy said:

I had the test
My breast surgeon ordered it after surgery and before my first med onc appointment. My tumor was the same size as yours, Stage 1, Grade 2, ER/PR+ and HER-2 neg. My score was 31. Needless to say, I had chemo. 4 rounds of Taxotere and Cytoxin. Doable - not fun, but doable. FYI, my med onc said Arimidex was every bit if not more, important than chemo. Luckily, I have no side effects (that I'm aware of).

I think the Oncotype DX test is very important for early stage, low grade, ER+ breast cancer. Regardless of what the results are for you, you will have more information about your risk of recurrence with or without chemo. BTW, the results tell whether or not chemo will be effective in reducing the rate of recurrence at a distant site within 10 years. For the lower numbers, the % of women who had recurrence within 10 years is low, so adding chemo really doesn't make much difference (i.e., reducing the risk from say 5% to 3%), but over 31 the recurrence rate is much higher and the 30-40% reduction with chemo is significant. For me, 21% of women with a score of 31 had recurrence within 10 years. If chemo reduced that risk by 40%, my chances of recurrence are now 12.6%. That's worthwhile. But take note of this: this recurrence risk is based on taking Tamoxifen. You should ask what % taking Tamoxifen makes because if I weren't taking Arimidex, I believe my risk of recurrence would be higher than what it is.

Glad you're feeling so good. Keep on being strong.

Suzanne

I didn't have the Oncotype
I didn't have the Oncotype DX test as my oncologist said that chemo wasn't needed with the stage and grade of my bc. I did have rads though.

Wishing you good luck and sending a hug,

Debby

Double Whammy said:

I had the test
My breast surgeon ordered it after surgery and before my first med onc appointment. My tumor was the same size as yours, Stage 1, Grade 2, ER/PR+ and HER-2 neg. My score was 31. Needless to say, I had chemo. 4 rounds of Taxotere and Cytoxin. Doable - not fun, but doable. FYI, my med onc said Arimidex was every bit if not more, important than chemo. Luckily, I have no side effects (that I'm aware of).

I think the Oncotype DX test is very important for early stage, low grade, ER+ breast cancer. Regardless of what the results are for you, you will have more information about your risk of recurrence with or without chemo. BTW, the results tell whether or not chemo will be effective in reducing the rate of recurrence at a distant site within 10 years. For the lower numbers, the % of women who had recurrence within 10 years is low, so adding chemo really doesn't make much difference (i.e., reducing the risk from say 5% to 3%), but over 31 the recurrence rate is much higher and the 30-40% reduction with chemo is significant. For me, 21% of women with a score of 31 had recurrence within 10 years. If chemo reduced that risk by 40%, my chances of recurrence are now 12.6%. That's worthwhile. But take note of this: this recurrence risk is based on taking Tamoxifen. You should ask what % taking Tamoxifen makes because if I weren't taking Arimidex, I believe my risk of recurrence would be higher than what it is.

Glad you're feeling so good. Keep on being strong.

Suzanne

Anastrozole
Suzanne do you know of anyone taking anastrozole? new to this cancer stuff went through radiation no chemo but now they want me to take this med for five years. I looked up the side affects and they look...not good. wondering if I should say no to it.Just looking for advice. Thanks, Jennette

jennetteh said:

Anastrozole
Suzanne do you know of anyone taking anastrozole? new to this cancer stuff went through radiation no chemo but now they want me to take this med for five years. I looked up the side affects and they look...not good. wondering if I should say no to it.Just looking for advice. Thanks, Jennette

anastrozole = Arimidex
There are several here who take anastrozole (Arimidex). It is an Aromatase Inhibitor (AI) along with some other drugs. (I'm on letrozole/Femara.) It's for blocking estrogen in women whose cancer is ER+. It is usually taken for 5 yrs. Some do have problems with SEs on them but not all do and if one isn't right for you then there are other ones that can be tried.

dianetheq said:

Anastrozole
I've been on Anastrozole(Arimidex)since Sept 2011. So far I have not had any side effects. I had been on Tamoxifen since ending treatment in Sept 2010 but an FHS blood test showed I was post-menapausal so my med onc switched me to Arimidex. A subsequent DexaScan showed I had Osteopania (likely a result of the chemo and radiation and my age-not uncommon I understand). But while tamoxifen can help prevent Osteoporosis, Arimidex can help cause it. So in addition to the Arimidex I now go for twice yearly infusions of Zometa to coat my bones. According to my med onc just taking calcium and doing extra weight-bearing exercise won't overcome the damage to the bones that can be caused by chemo. The first 2 days after a Zometa treatment is brutal on my body but after that I don't notice any side effects. Hope this helps.

Thank you all who answered
Thank you all who answered about the Anastrozole. I feel so lost. I did exactly what I was told to do by the doctors and now I have to decide about the horome treatment. I just want this to be over and for me to be normal again. I too feel like I was thrown under the bus. I loved my surgeon but I was in such a daze when I went in I really had no say in the treatment just did what I was told and didn't do what I really wanted. I somehow feel like we are just cattle. I need to take charge, but I don't want to do the wrong thing. Jennette

jennetteh said:

Thank you all who answered
Thank you all who answered about the Anastrozole. I feel so lost. I did exactly what I was told to do by the doctors and now I have to decide about the horome treatment. I just want this to be over and for me to be normal again. I too feel like I was thrown under the bus. I loved my surgeon but I was in such a daze when I went in I really had no say in the treatment just did what I was told and didn't do what I really wanted. I somehow feel like we are just cattle. I need to take charge, but I don't want to do the wrong thing. Jennette

Learn to be a patient
Ask your docs for all options and the benefits and prognosis with each and make your own decision. I told my onc I wanted to be very aggressive about my treatment and never thought to risk a recurrence because of some discomfort. My new normal isn't awful and I enjoy my life and do not regret any of what I chose to go through because I wanted to be on this planet.

Priorities change and sometimes the crap, in the end, makes a better life.

My number was 12 so I was
My number was 12 so I was undecided to do chemo. Then I had a Breast MRI to make sure the cancer was gone and they found cancer in the other breast. After doing a lumpectomy with additional surgery, had a postive axillary lymph node so there went my descision. Finished chemo in April and rads in June. So far so good.

good luck with you're decision...

jennetteh said:

Anastrozole
Suzanne do you know of anyone taking anastrozole? new to this cancer stuff went through radiation no chemo but now they want me to take this med for five years. I looked up the side affects and they look...not good. wondering if I should say no to it.Just looking for advice. Thanks, Jennette

It's the generic name for Arimidex
Jennette - I see you have answers to this question. I've been on it for a little over a year now with no apparent side effects, but those who have side effects really have a hard time. I was afraid to start taking it, and I put it off for several weeks. One day it dawned on me that I wouldn't know if I was going to have side effects unless I took it! My med onc is pretty adamant about me taking it, so I'm glad I don't have the side effects. And it's sort of like my chemo rationale - if I have a recurrence and had not had chemo I would always think that's why I had a recurrence. If I have a recurrence now, I know I've done everything I can.

Good luck.

Suzanne