Chemo before mastectomy, why not the other way round?

Hi Dkbythesea, 

My name is Sharon and I’m one of the Macmillan cancer information nurse specialists on the Macmillan Cancer Support Line. 

Thank you for contacting us and welcome to the Online Community. I hope you find it a helpful place to look for support and ask questions.

It can feel daunting trying to understand treatment plans and it is completely understandable that you want the cancer to be removed as soon as possible.

Pre-surgery chemotherapy is a routine practice in breast cancer treatment. It slows down the growth of cancer cells and shrinks the tumour, making it easier to operate and sometimes allowing the surgeon to take out less tissue.

Often two different chemotherapy regimes are given and their effectiveness assessed by scans. This allows your Consultant to compare treatments to see which regime is more effective for you.

Chemotherapy before surgery is more likely to be offered to people with HER2 positive tumours, as it has been shown to improve their long-term outlook. It kills cancer cells that are too small to be picked up on scans anywhere in the body, so it reduces the risk of the cancer coming back.

We would recommend you letting your Breast Care Nurse know about the new lump that you have found as soon as possible. They are also best placed to answer specific questions about your treatment plan, as they are fully aware of your medical history and planned care.

If you think it would be useful to talk it through with one of our nurses, please do not hesitate to contact us. Our support line is open every day between 8am and 8pm.

I hope this information has been helpful.  

Kind regards

Sharon A, Cancer Information Nurse Specialist  

You can also speak with the Macmillan Support Line team of experts. Phone free on 0808 808 0000 (7 days a week, 8am-8pm) or send us an email.  

Ref/SA/KG