Stage3 her2 positive breast cancer refused chemotherapy after mastectomy.

FormerMember
FormerMember
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HI all, Im 54 diagnosed in December 2017 as positive breast cancer...it was 20mm with some smaller patches and 3 out of 12 lymph nodes showed positive after mastectomy and Node removal. Her2 +...I had previously been diagnosed with calcifications in 2014 but never went to the follow ups...didnt think it was important.

I had my surgery 3 days before xmas...slept through to New year....was meant to start chemo in january then have radiotherapy and 10 years of letrozole...but I had a chest infection as I am chronic asthmatic. chemo postponed......then in February I was ill again so chemo was postponed again...during this time I read up all I could and I decided with my already weakened lung condition that I didnt want to do chemo..so I declined and went  straight to Radiotherapy..17 cycles over 3 weeks..which was alright, slight fatigue....finished five weeks ago...On the Letrozole now....fair bit of weight around the middle but no real side effects.

Guess Im tryna ask the rough prognosis with how I have approached he treatments, Have I majorly handicapped my chances or was it the right thing? I think Im stage 3 grade 2....not absolute certain on the grade.

Anyone had any experience similar?

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember

    Hi Muldoon glad you’re through your treatment. You don’t mention Herceptin, the treatment for HER2+. Did you manage to get that without chemo? I kind of thought they came together. You should probably discuss whether you should be having that, even now. It’s a jab in the thigh every 3 weeks. Most don’t notice too many side effects, although it’s a bit cumulative & you feel more tired towards the end of the year of treatment.  You don’t lose your hair, although mine grew more slowly during treatment, and it shouldn’t affect your lungs. If you really didn’t  want chemo, have you done a lot of complimentary things to compensate like green juices, meditation, detox & dietary changes?i would think they might be helpful in your position & a lot of people swear by them. Hope you start feeling like your old self soon, if you aren’t already xx

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember

    Hi Muldoon

    I can’t say whether leaving chemo out was the best thing as I’m not a doctor or a statistician, but I felt for myself any slight chance of it not coming back was best for me. 

     I will say that I was fit and well and have no real health problems other than the giant turkey, breast cancer.  What I will say is that you need to do what you think is best for yourself.  Chemo comes with lots of side effects that seem to affect those areas that are already weaknesses worse, for example my teeth ached during docetaxol, so there are no guarantees that chemo wouldn’t have affected your lungs if they were weak and made them worse.  You yourself had to weigh those options, as we all do, to decide what treatment would be best for you and if your decision was no chemo then no chemo it is.  There is no right or wrong answer.  There is no guarantee that it won’t come back with or without chemo,  we just have to do what we think is best for ourselves and let time dictate what will happen.  We need to move on after treatment but also be in tune with our bodies so if there are any other signs we can get it checked out ASAP to either put our minds at rest or get treatment early.


    Sorry I couldn’t give you a definitive answer on your question but I just wanted to say I believe you did what was best for you in the circumstances.


    Hugs


    Xx



  • Hi Muldoon

    I have done the lot, mastectomy, chemo, radiotherapy, herceptin, on 15/18 and it has not been easy but I want to give myself every chance. If you google NHS Predict you can put your details in and get a rough idea of benefit the Chemo and Herceptin give your type, grade cancer. As results are improving so fast with these treatments with the full works our chances are probably better than on the predict. I always want to make decisions on the statistics but that is the way I cope and I know I have given myself the best chance. Good luck with your decision making. Lin x

  • Hiya Muldoon,

    I think you’ve approached things instinctively which is really admirable.  You may have seen it anyway but if you add me as a friend I will send you a link that may help you.  I won’t post it publicly as last time I mentioned something that would be considered alternative the post was deleted.

    Best wishes xx

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember in reply to londongurl

    Hi 

    could you also send me the link please? 
    thank you

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember in reply to FormerMember

    Hi

    Which link is it you are looking for - As you have replied to quite an old thread and both the members above haven't posted for well over a year now ?

    G n' J