Turned down chemo after mastectomy

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I had a mastectomy for invasive lobular cancer in June of last year. It had spread to my lymph nodes but I turned down chemo for a variety of personal reasons. I had 15 sessions of radio therapy which ended in the autumn. I am now on Letrozole and Ibandronic acid. I am feeling pretty well except for hip and leg pain which I am told could be a side effect of Letrozole. I am due for a review in March and am obviously nervous about this. I would like to know if there are others out there who have not gone down the chemo route and who feel they made the right decision.

Yorkshirelass9 over 2 years ago

I had a mastectomy for triple pos IDC in Jan last year, after a prior lumpectomy. I’ve got a pre-existing condition that made it more risky for me to go for chemo. So, like you, I gave it very careful consideration and decided not to have either that or herceptin. I did try Letrozole for 6 months. In my mind, I was quite comfortable with that decision.
But … I’ve had to stop Letrozole due to the effect it’s had on my soft tissue, notably my ankle tendons. So, I think the decision I made was the right one. But I am, as you siggest, quite nervous about having no protection AND not even being able to do my own protective bit by exercising at the moment.

It’s a rubbish group to be in!

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Turned down chemo after mastectomy