Has anyone with Grade 1 Stage 1 had Chemo?

TulsaMomof3
TulsaMomof3 Member Posts: 105
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I am wanting to know if anyone has had Grade 1 stage 1 breast cancer that has been prescribed Chemo? (ER+ PR+ Her2-)

Comments

  • TraciInLA
    TraciInLA Member Posts: 1,994 Member
    #2
    Close to your diagnosis...
    I had very tiny (2 mm) tumors in both breasts, ER+/PR+/HER2-, Stage 1, Grade 2, no lymph node involvement found after bilateral lumpectomies and sentinel node biopsies.

    Chemo wasn't "prescribed," exactly -- I chose to do it. I was only 40 (now 41), so have many estrogen-filled years ahead of me till menopause, and I wanted to be aggressive in my treatment. And, to be honest, I knew I couldn't live with the "what if I'd done chemo" if my cancer ever recurs.

    But it's a very personal decision, and we all make the best choice that's right for our own lives and our own peace of mind. I didn't have the Oncotype test, because I had already made up my mind to do chemo, but it's becoming a lot more common, and many women here have had it -- have you discussed having the Oncotype test with your doctor?

    Traci
  • greyhoundluvr
    greyhoundluvr Member Posts: 402
    #3
    TulsaMom
    Although I ended up not having to make this decision because I had two positive lymp nodes, I was preliminarily staged (before surgery) at Stage I Grade I. My oncologist told me at that time that once surgery was done, the oncotype test would be done on the tumor. This test looks at many of the individual tumor markers, predicts your chances for recurrence, and then suggests the benefit that you could obtain from chemotherapy. There are many women out there with Stage I who have had chemotherapy or been told they didn't need it based upon the results of the oncotype test. Here's hoping for a very low score for you!!

    Chris
  • roseann4
    roseann4 Member Posts: 992 Member
    #4
    Have you had the OncoTypeDX test?
    If not, ask for one. It should give you the information you need to make an informed decision. I chose not to have chemo based on my score and the fact that I was 58 when I was diagnosed.
  • roseann4
    roseann4 Member Posts: 992 Member
    #5
    Have you had the OncoTypeDX test?
    If not, ask for one. It should give you the information you need to make an informed decision. I chose not to have chemo based on my score and the fact that I was 58 when I was diagnosed.
  • roseann4
    roseann4 Member Posts: 992 Member
    #6
    Have you had the OncoTypeDX test?
    If not, ask for one. It should give you the information you need to make an informed decision. I chose not to have chemo based on my score and the fact that I was 58 when I was diagnosed.
  • TulsaMomof3
    TulsaMomof3 Member Posts: 105
    #7
    roseann4 said:

    Have you had the OncoTypeDX test?
    If not, ask for one. It should give you the information you need to make an informed decision. I chose not to have chemo based on my score and the fact that I was 58 when I was diagnosed.

    I am awaiting the results of
    I am awaiting the results of the Oncotype test. I am just passing the time by gathering information. I think what I have decided (of course the oncologist I have not yet met may change may mind!) Is that since I am 37 and had invasive cancer I don't want to take any chances. I think if my Oncoscore is higher than 10 -I will think Chemp is the best option. When I first started this journey they told me that based on my symptoms and situation there was only a 10% chance of me having cancer. Well I was in the lucky 10, so I think I will use that same number to guide me. Does that sound stupid?
  • Christine Louise
    Christine Louise Member Posts: 426 Member
    #8
    I chose chemo
    I had grade 2 stage 1 with the same hormone profile as you. OncotypeDX said 15% chance of recurrance within 10 years without chemo. Not high but not nothin', either. (It's the percentage chance that's important, not the raw score/number, oncologist said.) She totally gave me the choice about chemo. She asked me to consider my feelings about risk.

    My feelings are to hit cancer with every weapon available. I had 4 rounds of Taxotere and Cytoxan. Very, very doable.

    In the past I've given you my 2 cents' worth, so here I go again: If you are given a choice about chemo, consider that you're young, have 3 kiddos, and want to be here a loooong time.

    Love!
  • TraciInLA
    TraciInLA Member Posts: 1,994 Member
    #9
    TulsaMomof3 said:

    I am awaiting the results of
    I am awaiting the results of the Oncotype test. I am just passing the time by gathering information. I think what I have decided (of course the oncologist I have not yet met may change may mind!) Is that since I am 37 and had invasive cancer I don't want to take any chances. I think if my Oncoscore is higher than 10 -I will think Chemp is the best option. When I first started this journey they told me that based on my symptoms and situation there was only a 10% chance of me having cancer. Well I was in the lucky 10, so I think I will use that same number to guide me. Does that sound stupid?

    Not stupid at all!
    TulsaMom, for the first few weeks of this journey for me, all I heard was, "there's such a small chance..."

    Had my first baseline mammogram: "We just need more films, you're young, you have dense breast tissue, it's probably just that."

    Came back for more films: "Let's do an ultrasound -- we're sure it's just a cyst and normal calcifications."

    Came back for Biopsy #1: "You're so young, there's such a small chance that you could have cancer at this age."

    Got results from Biopsy #1: "Okay, so that side's cancer, but there's such a small chance that you could have cancer in both breasts"

    Got results from Biopsy #2: "Well, I guess we were wrong."

    So...after surgery, when they started talking Oncotype test, the LAST thing I wanted was more statistics and people talking about "chances." I completely understand your choice to have the test done...but no, your feelings about it don't sound stupid to me at all!

    Traci
  • Chickadee1955
    Chickadee1955 Member Posts: 356 Member
    #10
    Christine Louise said:

    I chose chemo
    I had grade 2 stage 1 with the same hormone profile as you. OncotypeDX said 15% chance of recurrance within 10 years without chemo. Not high but not nothin', either. (It's the percentage chance that's important, not the raw score/number, oncologist said.) She totally gave me the choice about chemo. She asked me to consider my feelings about risk.

    My feelings are to hit cancer with every weapon available. I had 4 rounds of Taxotere and Cytoxan. Very, very doable.

    In the past I've given you my 2 cents' worth, so here I go again: If you are given a choice about chemo, consider that you're young, have 3 kiddos, and want to be here a loooong time.

    Love!

    I have chosen chemo, too.
    I have Stage I, Grade I and an Oncotype score of 18. I discussed this with my doctor who translated my risk to one in eight--the same as for a woman developing breast cancer in the first place!
    I will begin chemo within the next two weeks.

    There is also a clinical trial (I think its called TaylorX) for those with Oncotype scores between 11-25 to determine whether chemo has a significant benefit for those in the 'gray' area. If you choose to participate a computer will randomly assign chemo for half the subjects, just hormone therapy for the other half. I wasn't willing to 'flip a coin' on whether to take chemo, so just told my oncologist I wanted to go forward. I, too, would be inconsolable if my cancer recurred and I hadn't done everything I could to prevent it.

    Best of luck to you; its a hard decision.
  • Kylez
    Kylez Member Posts: 3,761 Member
    #11
    greyhoundluvr said:

    TulsaMom
    Although I ended up not having to make this decision because I had two positive lymp nodes, I was preliminarily staged (before surgery) at Stage I Grade I. My oncologist told me at that time that once surgery was done, the oncotype test would be done on the tumor. This test looks at many of the individual tumor markers, predicts your chances for recurrence, and then suggests the benefit that you could obtain from chemotherapy. There are many women out there with Stage I who have had chemotherapy or been told they didn't need it based upon the results of the oncotype test. Here's hoping for a very low score for you!!

    Chris

    I was, but, I didn't take
    I was, but, I didn't take chemo. My oncologist said that the % of taking it wasn't worth even trying it. I also had clean nodes and clean margins.
  • GayleMc
    GayleMc Member Posts: 311 Member
    #12
    Chickadee1955 said:

    I have chosen chemo, too.
    I have Stage I, Grade I and an Oncotype score of 18. I discussed this with my doctor who translated my risk to one in eight--the same as for a woman developing breast cancer in the first place!
    I will begin chemo within the next two weeks.

    There is also a clinical trial (I think its called TaylorX) for those with Oncotype scores between 11-25 to determine whether chemo has a significant benefit for those in the 'gray' area. If you choose to participate a computer will randomly assign chemo for half the subjects, just hormone therapy for the other half. I wasn't willing to 'flip a coin' on whether to take chemo, so just told my oncologist I wanted to go forward. I, too, would be inconsolable if my cancer recurred and I hadn't done everything I could to prevent it.

    Best of luck to you; its a hard decision.

    I have pretty much the same
    I have pretty much the same statistics that you listed. I had 4 cycles of Taxotere/Cytoxin based on my Onco/DX score of 22. My onc wants everyone above a score of 18 to take chemo so I did. It is very doable but at the time I didn't want to do it. ( Now THAT sounds stupid, nobody wants to do it). I am glad she insisited because I probably wouldn't have made the right choice. Good Luck and Best Wishes.
  • Boppy_of_6
    Boppy_of_6 Member Posts: 1,138
    #13
    TulsaMomof3 said:

    I am awaiting the results of
    I am awaiting the results of the Oncotype test. I am just passing the time by gathering information. I think what I have decided (of course the oncologist I have not yet met may change may mind!) Is that since I am 37 and had invasive cancer I don't want to take any chances. I think if my Oncoscore is higher than 10 -I will think Chemp is the best option. When I first started this journey they told me that based on my symptoms and situation there was only a 10% chance of me having cancer. Well I was in the lucky 10, so I think I will use that same number to guide me. Does that sound stupid?

    I was also stage 1 grade 1
    I was also stage 1 grade 1 same hormone profile, no lymph node involvement. I just finished my 3rd round of 4 of Cytoxin and Taxotere. I will follow with rads and 2 years of Tamoxifen and 1 other drug for 3 ( forgot name) I choose to treat mine as agressively as possible to better my chances. The chemo has not been fun but very doable I have not been sick at all just tired for a few days. best of luck keep us posted. God Bless
    (((Hugs))) Janice
  • dianebraun
    dianebraun Member Posts: 51
    #14
    GayleMc said:

    I have pretty much the same
    I have pretty much the same statistics that you listed. I had 4 cycles of Taxotere/Cytoxin based on my Onco/DX score of 22. My onc wants everyone above a score of 18 to take chemo so I did. It is very doable but at the time I didn't want to do it. ( Now THAT sounds stupid, nobody wants to do it). I am glad she insisited because I probably wouldn't have made the right choice. Good Luck and Best Wishes.

    Onco/Dx score of 12. Grade
    Onco/Dx score of 12. Grade 1, Stage 1, no nodal metasteses. Opted for 4 rounds of Taxotere/Cytoxen. One more round of chemo to go! Following up with Tamoxifen/Aromasin. I also chose a bilateral massectomy. I'd rather go through it now than have regrets later. I vote to error on the side of caution! I lost my mom at 52 years old to breast cancer, and I plan on being here a lot longer than that for my 5 year old daughter.
    Changing the topic, I can't wait to see my daughter in the morning because she is going to be so excited the tooth fairy came to see her last night while she was sleeping :) Yes, the chemo is worth it, to me anyway.
  • 24242
    24242 Member Posts: 1,398
    #15
    TulsaMomof3 said:

    I am awaiting the results of
    I am awaiting the results of the Oncotype test. I am just passing the time by gathering information. I think what I have decided (of course the oncologist I have not yet met may change may mind!) Is that since I am 37 and had invasive cancer I don't want to take any chances. I think if my Oncoscore is higher than 10 -I will think Chemp is the best option. When I first started this journey they told me that based on my symptoms and situation there was only a 10% chance of me having cancer. Well I was in the lucky 10, so I think I will use that same number to guide me. Does that sound stupid?

    Based on Symptoms
    I was deathly ill and had rapid growing tumor and still every doctor said it was less than 10% of being cancer.
    Had doctors listened to me when exhausted not sick it still would have been Less than 10% chance. I had stage 3 with 11 out of 21 positive nodes and still fought to have radiation though had double mastectomy. They too said then that the benefits would be small but I decided if I was doing anything I would do whatever it was that would prolong my life even a few years would be better. I yours is a realistic view and no it does not sound stupid.
    I looked at percentages as chances for more years of life is all.
    You do what you need to do to get on with your life and be comfortable living the life.
    Tara
  • Skeezie
    Skeezie Member Posts: 586 Member
    #16
    dianebraun said:

    Onco/Dx score of 12. Grade
    Onco/Dx score of 12. Grade 1, Stage 1, no nodal metasteses. Opted for 4 rounds of Taxotere/Cytoxen. One more round of chemo to go! Following up with Tamoxifen/Aromasin. I also chose a bilateral massectomy. I'd rather go through it now than have regrets later. I vote to error on the side of caution! I lost my mom at 52 years old to breast cancer, and I plan on being here a lot longer than that for my 5 year old daughter.
    Changing the topic, I can't wait to see my daughter in the morning because she is going to be so excited the tooth fairy came to see her last night while she was sleeping :) Yes, the chemo is worth it, to me anyway.

    I'm in a completely different category, Stage 2a Grade 3, clean
    nodes, simple mastectomy with no cancer cells found in breast tissue, Triple neg. Of course I had chemo, 4 cycles C/T.

    No one wants chemo but let me tell you it's a blip on the screen of life. Miserable while going thru it, side effects, hair loss not fun. But it's doable and then it's over. It feels good knowing chemo's job is to kill any little, nasty cancer cells that mite be somewhere in our bodies. I would rather do everything in my power to see if never comes back including chemo than choose not to (really because we're scared, we all are) and then someday (hopefully never) have to realize that maybe if I had only had chemo ......

    In the space of a lifetime and your children's, a few weeks of chemo is just a short time.

    Keep us posted.

    Hugs, Judy :-)
  • DianeBC
    DianeBC Member Posts: 3,881 Member
    #17
    GayleMc said:

    I have pretty much the same
    I have pretty much the same statistics that you listed. I had 4 cycles of Taxotere/Cytoxin based on my Onco/DX score of 22. My onc wants everyone above a score of 18 to take chemo so I did. It is very doable but at the time I didn't want to do it. ( Now THAT sounds stupid, nobody wants to do it). I am glad she insisited because I probably wouldn't have made the right choice. Good Luck and Best Wishes.

    I was stage 1 and grade 1
    I was stage 1 and grade 1 with invasive bc. Chemo was not recommended for me. My node was negative.

    Good luck!

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