Optima trial and stage 4 breast cancer

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Hi Group,

Some years ago I entered the Optima trial. At the time I had stage 2 breast cancer with two lymph nodes affected. A lumpectomy was performed along with lymph node clearance and a course of radiotherapy over a month.

I was given the option of the Optima trial and found that I would benefit from tamoxifen and monthly zoladex infections. Therefore I did not have any chemotherapy.

Roll on some years and I now have Stage 4 breast cancer with bone metastasis. Is anyone similar to me or knows the outcome of the Optima trial? Thank you lovely people.

Shade over 1 year ago

Hi Peaberrie, I am so sorry you now have stage 4 breast cancer. I was enrolled in the Optima trial last April. My breast cancer was stage 2 grade 3 with 2 involved lymph nodes. I was allocated to chemotherapy therefore I don’t know if I was allocated to the control arm, which received the standard treatment, or if my cancer was tested and found to have a high score for recurrence and I received chemotherapy because of that. From my understanding your cancer must have been tested and allocated to not having chemotherapy.
I know that research has benefited all our treatments and has saved many lives but it is natural to wander if having received chemo would the cancer have progressed and the truth is we will never know for certain. If or when my cancer progresses I will post iit on this thread. Sending my heartfelt understanding.

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