Chemo or no?!

Hi SunMey 

I was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer in April 2022 and 1 of 2 sentinel lymph nodes removed was found to have micro deposits of cancer cells. The lumpectomy was successful with clear margins.

When I saw my oncologist he said that, like you, I was borderline for chemotherapy. He told me that some oncologists would count the micro deposit as 'clear' so not offer chemotherapy, but he was happy to approve chemotherapy if I wanted to have it.

I decided to go ahead as I didn't want to wonder if I was to ever get a recurrence, would I have not got the recurrence if I'd had chemotherapy.

All the best with whatever you decide to do

Thank you for your reply.

This is exactly where I am right now.  Not seen the oncologist yet but feel I want to be as aggressive as I can with treatment now.  That way, if I do get recurrence in the future, I’ll at least know I did all I could to prevent it while fit and well in my 40s.  

Seems quite daunting for it to be a choice… I’m hopeful my oncologist will guide me through when we meet next week.  Tho feel they’ll need to be pretty convincing to satisfy me that i don’t need it! 
I expect everyone’s situation is different but would be interested to know how long your chemotherapy was for? if you feel happy to share. 

many thanks,

Hi SunMey 

I had two different types of chemotherapy. The first was epirubicin and cyclophospamide, or EC for short, which I had every three weeks for 3 cycles. Fortunately, I got off fairly lightly with main side effects being hair loss and a sore vein. For the first 10 days I felt just a bit under the weather and slightly tired but for the rest of the 3 weeks I felt completely fine. So that was over 9 weeks.

Then I had 12 cycles of paclitaxel, which was given weekly. This was kinder than the previous chemo and I just felt a bit tired for the first evening.

So in total my chemo lasted 21 weeks.

If you have any other questions I'm happy to answer them.

Anne

Hi I’m having the same treatment as you

woukd it be ok if I dm you 

Yes, that's fine Tulip22 

Hi SunMey

Have you since seen the Oncologist?

I'm similar - post op, ER+, HER2-, micromestasis in sentinel node, borderline chemo

1. Oncotype test away to US so awaiting results but I'm already nervous about the decision being mine

Hope you've had some progress

Cujo4498

Did the team suggest sending off tumour to America for oncotype dx test. This might help them to decide if chemo is needed. 

Hi, 

sorry for delay!  

in the end, oncology was quite black and white about it all… very clear that they would recommend chemo.  
Just had the second cycle of treatment today. So far all much like Anne - from earlier in this thread. 

I went to the Oncology appointment with the mind set that unless they were gong to tell me i didn’t need it - then I was going to go for it (if  came to a choice).  
‘Macroscopic LN deposits’ in 1 or 3 biopsies, and some more nuances in the microscopic findings of the tour to do with vascular and nerve involvement tipped the balance for oncology. 

There was a bit of chat about a trial for genomics test to guide therapy options- similar to one which is offered in post menopausal women (which I believe is there tumour tissue is sent or US for tests) - but my understanding this is not currently offered for premenopausal as part of standard therapy- it is in trial, and my centre had just closed to new recruits for that one.  This was a blessing, because in the end, and with discussions with family etc. I felt I didn’t want to know if I was ‘high or low risk’ and that I just wanted to go ahead and have everything on offer now to ensure the risk of recurrence is as low as possible. So, should that happen in the future I can be satisfied I did all I can when younger and (ahem) fitter! And then I can bury my head in the sand! 

not a nice undertaking- but in a years time it will have just been a few months of treatments and side-effects of manage which will hopefully be a faded memory! 

I know that currently lots of us will have chemotherapy when perhaps we didn’t need it… but for me the assurance around whether to veer from the ‘standard treatment’ wasn’t there. 

Promise to keep my eye out on this if you need anything. XL

You should have been offered an oncotype dx test. That is for pre and post menopause. 
I completely understand the not wanting to know if high or low risk though.