Treatment of Stage I cancer

yellow lab
yellow lab Member Posts: 3
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Hi, this is my first time on the site and am interested in knowing if anyone else has had the same experience as me and what decision was ultimately made. I had 2 stage I tumors removed from my right breast in January, had no node involvement and additionally had a negative PET scan. MY ER and PR are postitive and her 2 neu, negative. I was expecting to hear a treatment plan involving radiation and hormone therapy but my oncologist is leaning towards a 3 month treatment of chemo. I'm not sure this is the route I want to take-any input? I could use some! Thanks.

Comments

  • Tux
    Tux Member Posts: 544
    #2
    My knowledge is limited in
    My knowledge is limited in this area, but I would have thought rads & meds for 5 years also.
    You might get a second opinion, just to make sure. I wish you the best whichever treatment you have.
  • teresa41
    teresa41 Member Posts: 471
    #3
    hi
    hi yellow lab~ i was diagnosed in apri,2009 with stage 2 IDC i also had no node involvement, i was also ER and pr positive her2neu nagative , i had 4 rounds of chemo 33 radiation treatments and now i take tamoxifen, i also was not expecting chemo but my onco dx test came back 17 that was to high also my oncoligist explained to me that clear nodes doesnt always mean cancer has not spread somewhere else, wishing you the best of luck and a warm welcome to the site!

    teresa
  • Kylez
    Kylez Member Posts: 3,761 Member
    #4
    If it would make you feel
    If it would make you feel better, maybe you should get a 2nd opinion. I am not a doctor, but, I don't understand why you would need chemo. I had a lumpectomy and had radiation treatments. My oncologist wanted me on tamoxifen for 5 years, but, I haven't taken it yet, as I am undecided if I want to. Wishing you good luck in whatever you decide.

    KYLEZ ♥
  • Tinabug
    Tinabug Member Posts: 158
    #5
    Same diagnosis
    I am so sorry for the reason you are on this site, but thankful you found it. Since my diagnosis, I have rcvd a tremendous amount of knowledge & support from the ladies on these boards.

    In Oct, I was diagnosed with bc in my left breast. At that point, I chose to have a bilateral mastecomy which was performed in Nov. I was Stage 1, no lymph node involvement, ER & PR positive, & HER2 negative. My Oncotype is 15 & my oncologist thought chemo was best. I am having cytoxan/taxotere every 3 weeks for a total of 4 treatments. After chemo, I am supposed to start tamoxifin for 5 yrs.

    The most important thing for me is to know that I am doing everything I possibly can to make sure it doesn't return. I wish you luck in your decision. One of the best things I did, was choose an amazing team of doctors whom I trust completely with my life(surgeon, plastic surgeon, & oncologist.)

    Hugs,
    Tina
  • cindycflynn
    cindycflynn Member Posts: 1,132 Member
    #6
    Did you have the Oncotype test?
    This is a test that is useful particularly for Stage 1 tumors. I was dx with stage 1 after my surgery in October. I had the Oncotype done to help me decide about chemo. My husband really wanted me to have it, but I would rather have skipped it if it wasn't really needed.

    My Onctotype score came back in the intermediate range, and indicated that chemo would probably increase my chances of not have a recurrence by about 4%. For me it was still borderline, but I decided to go ahead with the chemo to give myself the best chances long term.

    This is a very individual decision and should be discussed with your doctor. And by all means, get a second opinion as well. Even if you like your doctor, it doesn't hurt to hear a different perspective about treatment.

    You will need radiation and hormone therapy regardless of whether you do chemo or not, but chemo is doable if you end up going that route. They have made a lot of advances with controlling the side effects like nausea.

    I wish you the best with your treatment plan, whatever you decide. Please come back as often as you like to ask questions and let us know how you're doing. You have found a great place for support here.

    Take care,
    Cindy
  • helen e
    helen e Member Posts: 223
    #7
    Chemo
    Hi Yellow Lab and I'm sorry to welcome you here. I was stage 1, with no node involvement, and am 44. I was told that even with stage 0 people under 50 they like to do chemo. I was scheduled for 6 weeks of radiation and going to see onco. until I got a call saying that my margins weren't clear and because I'm small they wanted to do a mastectomy. Even with rads I had a 30-40% chance of recurrence if I didn't. No choice there. I had mastectomy w/immediate reconstruction. I am ER & PR positive and her2nu negative. My onchotype test on the tumor was 14. My oncologist feels that I would be able to take tamoxifen and not have chemo. So that is what I am doing. Even though my tumor was invasive, it did not spread outside my breast so once the breast was gone, so was the cancer. I'm still not sure about no chemo but I'm going with it!!
  • MAJW
    MAJW Member Posts: 2,510 Member
    #8
    TO CHEMO OR NOT............
    I too, wasn't expecting chemo........just radiation......so it was a shock when my oncologist said it was my best bet, along with radiation to try and reduce a recurrence....I was StageII, only because of the size of the tumor, 2.2 cm, which is less than an inch and it was caught very early..... with clean clear margins and no lymph node involvement.I had a lumpectomy in May.....started Taxotere/Cytoxan in jUNE, finished the end of August and started radiation in September......I had 33 treatments and finished on Nove. 2 I, personally, wanted to throw everything I could at the cancer.....What type of bc do you have?..I wanted no regrets down the road.. It's a personal decision.. I was terrified of chemo but it was nothing like I expected......it is so doable today. Nothing like the horror stories of years past......it's no day at the beach but is doable......I was never sick one time, not even the first wave of nausea......they have so many drugs available now to offset the side effects....that's not to say there weren't any, but all were manageable. All of my scans, MRI, etc. also were negative for any spreading......

    I also learned that it is a misconception to think that a mastectomy removes all breast tissue.......it doesn't........My surgeon and oncologist said it is impossible to remove all breast tissue as it goes all the way under your arm, reaching almost to your back.....I was radiated to that point of where my side meets my back........

    I wish you well in making your decision
  • Christmas Girl
    Christmas Girl Member Posts: 3,682 Member
    #9
    Warm welcome, yellow lab
    There's already great info posted here. Not much I can add. Other than to wonder if you've received enough information from your own doctor. Maybe he/she needs to explain exactly why chemo is being recommended for you.

    If you agree to chemo - know that, yes, it is doable. Many here are in the midst of it, and many (like me) finished long ago. Please don't be too afraid of it. For me - prior to surgery, only radiation and meds were discussed. After surgery - chemo was added. So, I think I understand how you might be feeling at the moment. Shocked and confused, maybe?

    No matter what your final treatment plan turns out to be, we'll be here for you - each and every step of the way.

    Kind regards, Susan
  • jbug
    jbug Member Posts: 285
    #10
    Welcome!
    Just wanted to add my welcome to this wonderful site! I began my journey in Oct and got my diagnosis 12 Nov. I know we can all relate to the fear and concern for the future/treatment plans. I had a 0.4 mm tumor/lumpectomy/neg nodes ER/PR+ and Her2 neg. Stage 1. I had radiation and am on tamoxifen. I was told initially that i might need chemo because of my age (<50) the oncs like to be more agressive. However, other considerations, i later learned, include microscopic exam of the tissue that tells them how fast the tumor grows as well as the type of tumor cells you have. Some types of cells are harder to kill than others. I was fortunate that I did not need chemo, but I was fully prepared to engage in whatever treatment was going to lead to success against the beast.

    My tumor was too small to consider oncotype testing, but you should consider this test.

    You can come here anytime and there are lots of strings w/good information. God bless...
    Julie
  • NAN033
    NAN033 Member Posts: 11
    #11
    Treatment Stage I
    I Just had surgery Jan 11, My tumor was .7 ER & PR pos HER@ neg. I agree that an oncodx test helps you to decide I had the mammosite radiation for 5 days 2 treatments a day now I am taking arimidex for 5 years. and it took me 2 weeks to decide to take meds. My Dx number was 9 so no chemo but I am over 50 and Post menspausal. I also think if your not sure get a second opinion. Nan
  • Eil4186
    Eil4186 Member Posts: 949
    #12
    I am of the mind to accept
    I am of the mind to accept the treatment plan given by my docs. I wanted to do everything possible to eliminate my cancer for good. Of course you must trust and have faith in your medical team. Good luck with your journey.
  • yellow lab
    yellow lab Member Posts: 3
    #13
    cindycflynn said:

    Did you have the Oncotype test?
    This is a test that is useful particularly for Stage 1 tumors. I was dx with stage 1 after my surgery in October. I had the Oncotype done to help me decide about chemo. My husband really wanted me to have it, but I would rather have skipped it if it wasn't really needed.

    My Onctotype score came back in the intermediate range, and indicated that chemo would probably increase my chances of not have a recurrence by about 4%. For me it was still borderline, but I decided to go ahead with the chemo to give myself the best chances long term.

    This is a very individual decision and should be discussed with your doctor. And by all means, get a second opinion as well. Even if you like your doctor, it doesn't hurt to hear a different perspective about treatment.

    You will need radiation and hormone therapy regardless of whether you do chemo or not, but chemo is doable if you end up going that route. They have made a lot of advances with controlling the side effects like nausea.

    I wish you the best with your treatment plan, whatever you decide. Please come back as often as you like to ask questions and let us know how you're doing. You have found a great place for support here.

    Take care,
    Cindy

    Thank you
    Thank you to all of you. Just reading all of these comments have made me feel so much better. I did have the Onctotype test and my score was 14, considered to be in the low range. I am, however,under 50 years of age. I am also in the process of seeking a second opinion. I'll check in again soon. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

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