Hi can I get any feedback from anyone on here as to whether they have NOT gone ahead with chemo after a mastectomy ? My resolution was all clear and margins and lymph nodes.
Have you had an oncotype test? If possible request this, it will give you an indication of how likely cancer is to return. Not to alarm you but I had a similar diagnosis last year and now have metastases. It is an insidious disease.
Thanks for your reply Mindy. My oncotype score came back at 47. I am sorry to hear about your new diagnosis and now am feeling concerned about not having agreed to having chemo. Did you have chemo initially ? Sending a friend request.
My oncotype was 40. I had 4 lots of chemo but had to stop due to side effects. It was an 18mm tumour, grade 3 with no lymph nodes affected so I’m devastated. I really would throw everything at it.
I am so sorry to hear your news, truly sorry. My tumour size was 50mm. I am currently taking Anastrozole and looking to take Bisphosphonates as iv when I have had the dexa scan. Can I ask you how old you are as I am 66 and thought that any recurrence would be rare.
Hi, I’m 58. I was v reluctant to have chemo but my oncotype score of 40 made the decision easy. I don’t know your performance status and you may have had to take other factors into account. However, with the size and grade of your tumour along with your oncotype score I think it’s worth having a further chat with your oncologist. I wish I’d had my last 2 doses. It might have prevented my current situation. I would not wish this grief on anyone.
I’m getting a bone scan tomorrow and a CT in 2 weeks and will have a treatment plan thereafter.
I basically had a bump grow on forehead. Got an x ray and it’s a lesion. There isn’t really any doubt it’s a bone metastasis. Other than that you would not know. Your thread just popped up and I just felt compelled to share my experience. What did your oncologist suggest regarding chemo for you?
Hi Mindy, sorry to hear about your current cancer status. I have had a further consultation with my oncologist and discussed the breakdown of the oncotype score. I had requested a copy of my personalised report. He did tell me that it was not normally given as it was for clinical purposes only. Basically they are made up from quite old and small number research groups. But it still remained that my score was high. But the breakdown of recurrence over ten years came down to around six women out of one hundred would be at risk. He then said that he would offer chemotherapy but that it would be doubtful that it would have much efficacy and had the potential to cause me more harm than benefit. I will say that I am going forward with endocrine therapy. So that’s where I am just now. Just one thing I would ask is, did you have clear margins on your tumour removal ? Take care and I wish you so well xxx
This is what oncologists use to work out percentages. It's not as finely tuned as it could be as certain treatments didn't exist 5, 10 or 15 years ago but gives an idea. It is basic with tumour types too (eg. ER+ is slowed down by also being PR+, which isn't included). It was updated a couple of years ago and maybe more recently too. My benefit from chemo was 4% when I agreed, but 3.5% when I looked a few months later! These percentages are survival, not recurrence.
