from 4 to 6 sessions? Why?

Gabbie99
Gabbie99 Member Posts: 17
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I have had two oncologist recommendations for 4 treatments of taxotere and cytoxin followed by tamoxifen. My cancer is ER+ and I am pre menopausal- 50 years old. Yesterday went for my 2nd treatment and the oncologist asked "If I could make this even more tolerable would you be willing to do 6 sessions? I would like to icnrease your treatment by 2 more sessions." When speaking with another woman during infusion..discovered he told her the same thing. Is there some new study out there that says 6 sessions are better than 4? The other patient is on a totally different combination of drugs and her cancer wasn't ER+ and she is post menopausal..Any ideas why he would recommend 6 sessions for both of us when initial treatment recommendation was 4? I will be asking him next time...just threw me for a loop.

Comments

  • heidijez
    heidijez Member Posts: 441
    #2
    not sure why there was an
    not sure why there was an increase from 4 to 6 - but i had the same chemo cocktail and i did have 6 sessions. wasn't too bad, actually.
  • cindycflynn
    cindycflynn Member Posts: 1,132 Member
    #3
    Good question
    A friend of mine that was diagnosed about a month after I was had the same cocktail as I did, which is the same one you're on also. She had 6 sessions, but I only had 4. Her diagnosis was different from mine, however. She had DCIS, and I had IDC, Stage 1, both had clear lymph nodes. She had a mastectomy and I had a lumpectomy with radiation.

    I'd definitely ask your doctor what the benefit to you would be to adding two more rounds. I'm a believer in doing everything you can to beat this thing, but chemo can have some nasty long-term side effects, and I wouldn't agree to more of it without knowing how it is likely to benefit me.

    Take care,
    Cindy
  • pattimc
    pattimc Member Posts: 431
    #4
    cindycflynn said:

    Good question
    A friend of mine that was diagnosed about a month after I was had the same cocktail as I did, which is the same one you're on also. She had 6 sessions, but I only had 4. Her diagnosis was different from mine, however. She had DCIS, and I had IDC, Stage 1, both had clear lymph nodes. She had a mastectomy and I had a lumpectomy with radiation.

    I'd definitely ask your doctor what the benefit to you would be to adding two more rounds. I'm a believer in doing everything you can to beat this thing, but chemo can have some nasty long-term side effects, and I wouldn't agree to more of it without knowing how it is likely to benefit me.

    Take care,
    Cindy

    I was told
    Either 4 or 6 treatments of Cytoxen and Taxotere. Once we got to 4 they decided that was all I could tolerate. I was having alot of side effects and they figured the difference between 4 and 6 was not that great and the side effects were too much.

    Best of luck!

    Patti
  • DebbyM
    DebbyM Member Posts: 3,289 Member
    #5
    cindycflynn said:

    Good question
    A friend of mine that was diagnosed about a month after I was had the same cocktail as I did, which is the same one you're on also. She had 6 sessions, but I only had 4. Her diagnosis was different from mine, however. She had DCIS, and I had IDC, Stage 1, both had clear lymph nodes. She had a mastectomy and I had a lumpectomy with radiation.

    I'd definitely ask your doctor what the benefit to you would be to adding two more rounds. I'm a believer in doing everything you can to beat this thing, but chemo can have some nasty long-term side effects, and I wouldn't agree to more of it without knowing how it is likely to benefit me.

    Take care,
    Cindy

    I don't know either, but,
    I don't know either, but, your oncologist, I am sure, is giving you or suggesting to you the best treatment to fight your bc. Be sure and question the additional treatments and let us know. Good luck!
  • Youcandothis
    Youcandothis Member Posts: 79
    #6
    DebbyM said:

    I don't know either, but,
    I don't know either, but, your oncologist, I am sure, is giving you or suggesting to you the best treatment to fight your bc. Be sure and question the additional treatments and let us know. Good luck!

    I was given a choice
    I had est+,prog and HER-, stage IIA idc with a lumpectomy. Sent nodes positive, next 14 neg. My onc said the current protocal was 4 rounds cytoxin and taxotere, but there were ongoing studies about bumping that up to 6 and was I willing to participate? Told her I'd let her know after the third round. I had enough neuropathy that when the third round came I told her I was only going to do 4. She said she was completely comfortable with that. That's probably the origin of the 4 vs 6 question, the more info we can give our drs and get in return the better decisions we and they can make. Good luck!
  • Angie2U
    Angie2U Member Posts: 2,991
    #7
    Youcandothis said:

    I was given a choice
    I had est+,prog and HER-, stage IIA idc with a lumpectomy. Sent nodes positive, next 14 neg. My onc said the current protocal was 4 rounds cytoxin and taxotere, but there were ongoing studies about bumping that up to 6 and was I willing to participate? Told her I'd let her know after the third round. I had enough neuropathy that when the third round came I told her I was only going to do 4. She said she was completely comfortable with that. That's probably the origin of the 4 vs 6 question, the more info we can give our drs and get in return the better decisions we and they can make. Good luck!

    Not for sure why either. If
    Not for sure why either. If you can do more, I would think it would be better, wouldn't it?
  • AMomNETN
    AMomNETN Member Posts: 242
    #8
    6 Rounds
    I'm on a 6 round of treatment. I'm taking Taxotere and Carboplatin. My onc never waivered, it was 6 from the 1st time I went. I had DCIS stage II but nodes were clear. Mine was the kind that you had a 1 in 20 chance of having a mastecomy. Lucky me. I've tolerated my chemo fine so far and have my 3rd on Fri. Do what your onc recommends and you are comfortable with.
  • Gabbie99
    Gabbie99 Member Posts: 17
    #9
    Youcandothis said:

    I was given a choice
    I had est+,prog and HER-, stage IIA idc with a lumpectomy. Sent nodes positive, next 14 neg. My onc said the current protocal was 4 rounds cytoxin and taxotere, but there were ongoing studies about bumping that up to 6 and was I willing to participate? Told her I'd let her know after the third round. I had enough neuropathy that when the third round came I told her I was only going to do 4. She said she was completely comfortable with that. That's probably the origin of the 4 vs 6 question, the more info we can give our drs and get in return the better decisions we and they can make. Good luck!

    always a choice
    Thanks for your comments "YouCanDoThis". Sounds like we have about the same diagnosis...except I had a mastectomy after a lumpectomy because there were small concerns in more than one area and I am pretty small breasted. I am on day 5 after my 2nd round and this one is kickin my butt. Decided I am going to tell him 4 is all I can handle. My nausea and fogginess wasn't quite so bad after the first treatment - but this time I have a horrible thrush in my mouth that makes me gag. I am disgusting to myself! I know that it will subside and I'll feel better next week...but really don't think I can stand the thought of doing this more than 4 times. If I only have 4 sessions then I'm 1/2 done. Just hope it doesn't get worse each time. Not looking forward to session number 3.
  • Cat64
    Cat64 Member Posts: 1,192
    #10
    Gabbie
    I've had 2 Oncologists and they both said 4-6.(preferably 6)I'm IDC,ER/PR-Her2+ I am,(was)on the Taxotere/Carbo/Herc cocktail. However, I did 2 rounds before my Lumpectomy. My current Onc. wanted me to do 4-6 more. I coaxed him to let me slide with 4 and glad I did because I truly don't think I could of done 2 more! I would think the more we do, the better results. Yes, it's tough and we can't wait to get it over with, but maybe just wait & see how/where you are at 4 before deciding. But definetely ask why, that is a good ?.
    Hugz,
    Cat
  • tally
    tally Member Posts: 48
    #11
    Same deal
    I am estogen positive, stage llA, Sentinal node positive, pre-menopausal, 43 years old. I started chemo with 4 treatments but my oncologists has increased to 6. I also don't know why. Today is my third treatment and I hope I can make it through 3 more. At least after today I will be half way through. I'm going to do the 6 treatments as I want as good an outcome as possible.

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