May I ask you, how many chemo treatments did you have altogether?

Options
2Floridiansisters
2Floridiansisters Member Posts: 384 Member
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I was told I am getting 12 and this is before surgery, but yesterday much to my surprise I learned he meant 12 weeks of chemo, so I am actually only getting 4 now. 1 every three weeks, I get Cytoxan and Taxotere.

Will the 4 be enough to totally kill all this cancer in me?

Love Ronda
«1

Comments

  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    #2
    Options
    Nothing totally kills all the cancer
    I had 4 doses of A/C every 2 weeks before surgery to try to shrink and get good margins which we did. 2 weeks after last dose I had surgery (mod.rad. mast.) and 3 weeks later started 12 weekly Taxol. A week after the last Taxol, I started 25 daily rads - no boosters. I'll be on Femara basically forever. I'm IBC.

    At this time - Nothing ever totally kills the cancer within us - that would be a cure and there is none at this time unfortunately.

    The prognosis for the different types of BC are different - some really good - miine not so good. That's why NED is so important - it means that there is No Evidence of Disease at a time.

    Talk to your Dr - he/she has the info on your situtation and can give better answers.

    God Bless

    Susan
  • MSM1003
    MSM1003 Member Posts: 15
    #3
    Options
    Is 4 enough?
    Prayers are sent to you and your family. Yes, four can put cancer in remission. It depends on what kind of cancer you have and the treatment your doctor is fulfilling. I personally have IDC Stage 4 and at first when I was Stage IIIc there were 6 treatments (every three weeks) with Herceptin for a year weekly. Many other patients received four that were E/P positive, but mine was HER-2. It didn't work on me so the journey has continued with another chemo weekly and now daily. This makes the 6th treatment and I feel great. I have seen a lot in the last year and I learn everyday something new. Talk to your doctor and ask questions... God Bless!
  • heidijez
    heidijez Member Posts: 441
    #4
    Options
    my experience
    i had 18 weeks of taxotere and cytoxan - six treatments three weeks apart. due to issues with my doctors not agreeing on my subsequent treatment, i got a second opinion and changed doctors. was scheduled for my mastectomy but when i met with the radiation oncologist she ordered a pet scan to compare against the one before chemo started. chemo did not work, plus four new hot spots, so i started 12 weeks of chemo, four treatments of adriamycin and cytoxan - had the second treatment two days ago. of course i do have a rare, very aggressive cancer, inflammatory breast cancer. i am triple negative and stage IIIb. we all have to fight the beast, and it really helps to have faith in your doctors.

    good luck to you!
  • natly15
    natly15 Member Posts: 1,941
    #5
    Options
    heidijez said:

    my experience
    i had 18 weeks of taxotere and cytoxan - six treatments three weeks apart. due to issues with my doctors not agreeing on my subsequent treatment, i got a second opinion and changed doctors. was scheduled for my mastectomy but when i met with the radiation oncologist she ordered a pet scan to compare against the one before chemo started. chemo did not work, plus four new hot spots, so i started 12 weeks of chemo, four treatments of adriamycin and cytoxan - had the second treatment two days ago. of course i do have a rare, very aggressive cancer, inflammatory breast cancer. i am triple negative and stage IIIb. we all have to fight the beast, and it really helps to have faith in your doctors.

    good luck to you!

    I had 8 rounds of chemo 3
    I had 8 rounds of chemo 3 weeks apart. Started Oct 6, 2009 and finished March 30, 2010. Had 4 rounds of adriamycin and cytoxan, and then 1 1/2 rounds of taxol and then 3 taxotere. My body reacted adversely to the taxol so they switched me to taxotere. This was done after 2 surgeries. My tumor was small but aggressive and had already invaded the sentinel lymph node.

    We are all so different and so unique as is each oncologist. So many factors figure in to our individual treatment. Based on age, stage and several other factors my onc deemed it necessary for me to do the 8 rounds. Wishing you the best as you become a chemo chick.
  • 2Floridiansisters
    2Floridiansisters Member Posts: 384 Member
    #6
    Options
    heidijez said:

    my experience
    i had 18 weeks of taxotere and cytoxan - six treatments three weeks apart. due to issues with my doctors not agreeing on my subsequent treatment, i got a second opinion and changed doctors. was scheduled for my mastectomy but when i met with the radiation oncologist she ordered a pet scan to compare against the one before chemo started. chemo did not work, plus four new hot spots, so i started 12 weeks of chemo, four treatments of adriamycin and cytoxan - had the second treatment two days ago. of course i do have a rare, very aggressive cancer, inflammatory breast cancer. i am triple negative and stage IIIb. we all have to fight the beast, and it really helps to have faith in your doctors.

    good luck to you!

    Oh gosh heidi
    You did chemo and it didn't work on you at all, that sounds like you've been dealt a crappy hand. I am so sorry, I had no idea you had the inflammatory type and that you are triple negative. To me it just seems like life can be so unfair.

    I am keeping you in my prayers,

    Love Ronda
  • Lighthouse_7
    Lighthouse_7 Member Posts: 1,566 Member
    #7
    Options
    I had 4 of AC every other
    I had 4 of AC every other week ( 8 weeks long) and 4 of Taxol ( same schedule ) so 16 weeks in total but actually 8 chemo sessions.
    Hope this helps.
    Hugs,
    Wanda
  • RE
    RE Member Posts: 4,591 Member
    #8
    Options
    Sure
    I had 28 chemos all together, 6 the first time, 18 the second time and 9 years later 4 more.

    RE
  • jessiesmom1
    jessiesmom1 Member Posts: 915 Member
    #9
    Options
    Number of Chemo treatments
    I had 4 rounds of A/C 2 weeks apart. I have completed 7 of 12 rounds of Taxotere. Those are being done weekly. If all goes well the last one will be the first week in August. Yay!
  • Jean 0609
    Jean 0609 Member Posts: 2,462
    #10
    Options
    I'm getting the same 4 treatments
    Hi Ronda,

    I am also scheduled for 4 chemo treatments (Taxotere & Cytoxan), along with Herceptin. The treatments are every 3 weeks. One down, three to go! After that I will continue the Herceptin for a year.

    I had a mastectomy on May 4th. However, I was HER+ that's why they suggested the treatment.

    Hugs, Jean
  • 2Floridiansisters
    2Floridiansisters Member Posts: 384 Member
    #11
    Options
    Jean 0609 said:

    I'm getting the same 4 treatments
    Hi Ronda,

    I am also scheduled for 4 chemo treatments (Taxotere & Cytoxan), along with Herceptin. The treatments are every 3 weeks. One down, three to go! After that I will continue the Herceptin for a year.

    I had a mastectomy on May 4th. However, I was HER+ that's why they suggested the treatment.

    Hugs, Jean

    Hi Jean
    What was the determining factor that made them say Herceptin also, was it because of the HER+, I am ER+ PR+ and Her-, so far that's about all I know.
    I had one treatment out of 4 so far.

    Love Ronda
  • Boppy_of_6
    Boppy_of_6 Member Posts: 1,138
    #12
    Options
    I had the same as you and
    I had the same as you and just finished today!! I had mine after a lumpectomy, my BC was stage 1 grade 1 so caught early. I did really well with the chemo no sickness at all just the tiredness. God bless and prayers being said for you
    (((Hugs))) Janice
  • Christine Louise
    Christine Louise Member Posts: 426 Member
    #13
    Options
    Same cycles as you
    Ronda, I got 4 cycles of C & T, too, but after bi-lat. As we say, very do-able.

    I think they're trying to shrink your cancer so you can have a better lumpectomy result, aren't they?

    Yes, HER- would indicate you won't take Herceptin.
  • BlownAway60
    BlownAway60 Member Posts: 851
    #14
    Options
    Well my chemo was a
    Well my chemo was a challenge. I had 6 treatments total with 3 different kinds of chemo under 2 different oncs. Treatments were given every 3 weeks. Barely had enough time to recover from one before it was time for another. I had a lot of issues with chemo. That is why it was changed so many times. Hopefully you will do okay with yours.

    From what I have read 4 to 6 treatments is normal. Just depends on you, your cancer and your onc.

    Hugs

    Donna
  • Jean 0609
    Jean 0609 Member Posts: 2,462
    #15
    Options
    2Floridiansisters said:

    Hi Jean
    What was the determining factor that made them say Herceptin also, was it because of the HER+, I am ER+ PR+ and Her-, so far that's about all I know.
    I had one treatment out of 4 so far.

    Love Ronda

    Hi Ronda
    Yes, the Herceptin was because I was HER+. I also had one treatment out of 4. My first was on June 23rd. Hugs, Jean
  • Jean 0609
    Jean 0609 Member Posts: 2,462
    #16
    Options
    Boppy_of_6 said:

    I had the same as you and
    I had the same as you and just finished today!! I had mine after a lumpectomy, my BC was stage 1 grade 1 so caught early. I did really well with the chemo no sickness at all just the tiredness. God bless and prayers being said for you
    (((Hugs))) Janice

    Hi Janice
    Congratulations on finishing your treatments today. Good for you. Hope you have a peaceful, restful weekend. Enjoy. Hugs, Jean
  • 2Floridiansisters
    2Floridiansisters Member Posts: 384 Member
    #17
    Options
    BlownAway60 said:

    Well my chemo was a
    Well my chemo was a challenge. I had 6 treatments total with 3 different kinds of chemo under 2 different oncs. Treatments were given every 3 weeks. Barely had enough time to recover from one before it was time for another. I had a lot of issues with chemo. That is why it was changed so many times. Hopefully you will do okay with yours.

    From what I have read 4 to 6 treatments is normal. Just depends on you, your cancer and your onc.

    Hugs

    Donna

    Okay then thanks Ladies, 4 it is for now....
    No Christine I won't be having a lumpectomy, I am having both breasts removed and then reconstruction with those expanders. I did real well with the chemo, I did feel really nausious on Friday the 25th for about 15 minutes and then it passed. Other than that I'm fine.

    Love Ronda
  • Christine Louise
    Christine Louise Member Posts: 426 Member
    #18
    Options
    2Floridiansisters said:

    Okay then thanks Ladies, 4 it is for now....
    No Christine I won't be having a lumpectomy, I am having both breasts removed and then reconstruction with those expanders. I did real well with the chemo, I did feel really nausious on Friday the 25th for about 15 minutes and then it passed. Other than that I'm fine.

    Love Ronda

    I see
    I thought maybe they were trying for a lumpectomy now. Still, it would seem they want to shrink the cancer before surgery to be sure they can get it all.

    It's good to hear that your nausea was so minimal! Only fifteen minutes? You're the champ. Love, Chris
  • VickiSam
    VickiSam Member Posts: 9,079 Member
    #19
    Options
    Christine Louise said:

    I see
    I thought maybe they were trying for a lumpectomy now. Still, it would seem they want to shrink the cancer before surgery to be sure they can get it all.

    It's good to hear that your nausea was so minimal! Only fifteen minutes? You're the champ. Love, Chris

    2Floridansisters -- Please take it all in stride
    I endured 18 weeks of chemo treatments - with no weekly or bi-weekly breaks .. 6 cycles. It was a living Hell for me. But, I survived and endured. The worst is over for me - I have continued on Herceptin for a year - and I have this chemo given via port, once every 3 weeks.

    We all have breast cancer // the beast // we are Warrior's striving for 1 common goal:
    To dance with NED.

    Best of Luck ..


    Vicki Sam
  • arkansasgirl
    arkansasgirl Member Posts: 84
    #20
    Options
    6 TREATMENTS (2 of them landed me in the hospital)
    Hi Ronda

    I can tell you that I had 6 treatments - 1 every three weeks. The first one and the last one put me in the hospital for a week. I have a rare BC that chemo and radiation has no
    effect on. After the 5th treatment I was so sick, I begged my Dr and Hubby please don't make me take the last one. If I heard the word chemo, thought the word chemo, saw the place I took chemo I would get just sick as a dog. The Dr and Hubby said "you've came this far - and what if something happens and I would regret not taking the last one". So you
    know I said ok. Well the last one put me in the hospital because of my white blood count
    dropping. So when both of them came to see me - you know I pointed my finger at both of them and said see where I'm at!!! lol They hung there heads!! But it was for the best.
    Instead of cancer killing me, I knew chemo would. I felt like I was putting posion in my
    body to kill a posion.

    I was dx in Mar 2009 and had both breast removed in April 2009. I found a lump that was 2cm in the right breast that went to 5 cm in 4 weeks. I did not want reconstruction.
    My thoughts are God giveth and God taketh. I did not want any more surgery and just wanted to get this diease out of my body.

    AS of Feb 1st I'M CANCER FREE!!! WOOHOO I not only survived Chemo but Cancer too!!

    My motto is: Cancer won the 1st battle and I won the 2nd but the WAR is not over for I will not give up.


    God Bless You and Good Luck with Everything

    ARKANSASGIRL
  • Bella Luna
    Bella Luna Member Posts: 1,578 Member
    #21
    Options
    I had six treatments every
    I had six treatments every three weeks of Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin. Since I tested positive for HER2, I will be on Herceptin for a one year. My last infusion will be in September,Yippee! The port will come out shortly afterwards, too,Hooray!

    It is amazing what you can get through when you are put in a situation. I got through this phase of treatment and so will you. The road ahead will be tough, but it is doable. You can do this.

    Best of luck with you journey.
    BL

Discussion Boards