Anyone treatment plans please ER + HER2 -

Hi pdc1

My cancer was Triple Negative and I had chemo before I had my operation. The chemo shrunk my breast tumour down from 16mm to just 3mm after just 3 treatments of the chemo drug AC. You will find information about it on this web site. I was one of the lucky ones, while I wouldn't say I sailed through chemo I didn't have too bad a time of it.  I got plenty of support from my specialist nurses and my oncology team. They do everything in their power to make you well.  I can't praise my medical team enough particularly as they've had to contend with Covid-19 this last year and a half.  Having a great team behind you is half the battle.

Wishing you the best of luck with your treatments and if you have any questions I'm only too happy to answer them, I'm on here everyday.

Best wishes

Daisy53

Hi Daisy,

Thanks for your answer.

I am not sure whether i will have chemo as i'm not sure if it is effective on the cancer i have.  Hormonal treatment seems to be the way to go.

I can find lots of info on post hormonal treatment, but not a lot on tumour shrinkage data and the like.

I was hoping someone may have had some experience with it

i'll keep looking - i'm sure i'll turn something up x

I had chemo to shrink a hormone positive tumour which worked. I had EC-T and it shrunk from almost 40mm to 15mm. Mine was against my chest wall which is why they wanted to shrink it first. I had a successful lumpectomy. 

Hi Beatthebreast

Thanks for your reply - that shrinkage really was wow.  I hope whatever i get works as well.

Was your tumour lobular cancer?  I think they mentioned chest wall with me too, which is making it inoperable at the moment.  + the size of it, extensive through whole breast (they said) - which sounds a bit scary.  Possible small ductile tumour too.  

Just trying to find out as much as i can so i can be informed of treatment options and relevant trials at onco appointment.  

good news on the success of the op x

Just a little update - saw oncologist, and have treatment plan.  CT scan was clear - phew.

Treatment plan is initially is all hormonal block and targetted.  Zoladex implant every 28 days, Letrozole 1 a day, then in 28 days start Ribociclib (3 a day) in addition.  This should shrink the tumours.  

They gave me the Zoladex already and the letrozole to start tomorrow.

If they can shrink the tumours it will then be mastectomy, followed by radiotherapy and possibly chemo, then hormone blockers for 10 years.  

Feels good to have started treatment.

Brilliant about the CT scan - waiting for that result is the worst one!

Now you have your treatment plan you will feel much better and you can get on with it.

That's not to say you won't get bad days in the future, but the waiting for those first results is awful.

Mine was ductal not lobular.

I also had zoladex, which for me was alongside my 2nd chemo cycle. I think chemo makes it worse, but the menopausal symptoms can be quite intense at first as you have switched everything off so suddenly but it does get better. Much better in fact, things do become manageable so hold on to that thought. 

Yes Beatthebreast the waiting was tough.  If only we could switch our heads off

My Onco said exactly that about the menopause sudden kick in, that's why she is holding back the Ribociclib for a month.  Always good to have an idea what is coming.

Thanks for your help and support xx

Hi pdc1

Glad to hear that your CT Scan was clear it must have been a huge relief. It’s great that you now have a treatment plan in place.

Wishing you the best of luck with your treatments.

Best wishes

Daisy53

Thanks Daisy - yes what a difference a day makes

Sending big hugs your way x

Thanks pdc1.

sending big hugs back to you. X