My dilemma

Hi MadgeB

Welcome to the Community, noticed you have joined the Breast Group which will be the best place for you to post this question to.

On the breast group page just select the New Discussion button and copy your above text in and you will soon get lots of replies with opinions and experiences.

There is no doubt the thought of chemotherapy is scary, but the main difference between chemo and rads to avoid that 21% recurrence figure is that Radiotherapy only targets the breast and / or underarm lymph areas, whereas Chemotherapy is a whole body treatment.

If heaven forbid cancer did come knocking back at your door in the future, chances are it may or may not be recurrence in the same lumpectomy side breast - which would probably then mean a mastectomy and chemo.

However it is just as possible if any cancer cells had got through the lymph system and settled it would appear somewhere else altogether (possibly the other breast) but just as likely in bone, lungs, liver or even brain.

So this is a decision which needs full information taken on board, so you can make an informed choice which way forward is best for you. Hence the reason it would be better to ask the lovely breast ladies :)

Hope this helps you get the inside info you need, don't be swayed by our comments, it's just our take on a tough choice to make.

Take care, G n' J  (breast group)

Thank you for your response. I have been given these details by the chemo nurse at the hospital, but the knowing the percentage is only 1% on the wrong side makes it so hard to decide. I have just read something interesting online about a new drug combination that shrinks (or eliminates) the tumour before surgery. Sounds amazing if real!!!

Hi MadgeB

It's not wrong to say no, no more than it is right to say yes, you just need all the facts so you can make the right decision without any regrets for you :)

If someone was 65 years old a 10 year gamble would seem a better prognosis than someone who is aged 40 (if you see where I'm coming from) ?  and you have to factor in any underlying health problems you may or may not already have too.

I think the way I would look at this is to discount the 1% over 20% but to place myself in a room with 99 other breast cancer patients and wonder if I would be one of the 21% ten years later or not.... 

Hope you get plenty of replies in the breast group.

Hugs, G n' J

THank you again. I am 69 years old, yes if I was younger I would definitely have the chemo. I have just found a local support group of lovely ladies and will be getting input from them before I make my decision.