I'm here hoping for some pearls of wisdom to help me make what feels like the hardest decision ever. Quick bit of background on me and my cancer - I had an operation on 25th Jan which successfully removed a 25mm oestrogen positive breast cancer, and I had 5 lymph nodes removed which were all clear. I'm 40 years old, fit and healthy(ish) with a little boy. My tumour then got sent to america for oncotype testing and came back with a score of 21, and my tumour was grade 3 - so I think this all makes me stage 2A.
This morning I had my appointment with the oncologist to discuss next steps and I've been given the choice of chemo. Apparently the oncotype results give me a 5-6% recurrence benefit, so without the chemo 87% of people like me had no recurrence in 10 years and 92% with chemo.
I thought all along that I would have chemo if they suggested it as I wanted to do whatever it takes to prevent the cancer coming back. But now I've actually got a choice I don't know. It feels like a lot to go through for 5% - and I would have radiotherapy and hormone treatment too. But then another part of of me thinks I'd be an idiot not to have it - would I ever forgive myself if it came back??
Any advice? anyone faced the same decision?
I think this was the deciding factor for me….I wanted to refuse as I could then hide the entire thing from my children - managed to hide both surgeries and would I’m sure be able to hide radiation And hormone therapy- abs chemo is only 4% benefit to me…BUT if it comes back, how am I going to feel that there was something else I could have tried. In the end, I have to know I did everything. (I
till take the turmeric :).
good luck with whatever you decide. It’s just an awful situation and decision.
xx
