Should I have chemo?

Hello there

I too was diagnosed with cervical cancer stage 2b.

I wasn't offered a choice as to whether I had chemo or not,, so had both chemo and radiation. The chemo for cervical cancer was in my case, very mild (not aggressive like some other chemos). It is the radiotherapy that does most of the work apparently.

I was also diagnosed with non hodgins lymphoma at the same time as my cervical cancer so was given a different kind of chemo therapy for that (very aggressive treatment, nothing like the chemo given for cervical cancer). 

Its a choice only you can make;  I didn't even feel like I was having treatment when having the chemo for cervical cancer, (compared to the other chemo I had). 

My thoughts are with you 

Hi ODESSA and welcome to our group.

I’m sorry you’ve had this diagnosis, and can appreciate it must be difficult to decide on treatment when you seem to be getting some mixed messages from your doctor. 

I was also diagnosed at stage 2b, and went through chemoradiation treatment which involved daily radiotherapy and weekly chemotherapy. This was a fairly standard treatment plan at the time of my diagnosis, and my doctor never suggested radiotherapy only. 

It’s true that radiotherapy is the main treatment at this stage, but the reason for the weekly chemotherapy is that it helps make the cancer cells more receptive to the radiation, and therefore the treatment can work more effectively than radiation on its own.

It’s absolutely your personal choice to have the chemo or not, but I thought it was odd that your doctor said she would have it herself but is offering you option not to have it. Personally, I wanted to give myself the best possible chance of getting rid of the cancer by doing all the treatment recommended to me.

The chemo used together with radiotherapy is called Cisplatin, which doesn’t make you lose your hair. I had no side effects from it, no nausea or sickness, and in my experience it was much easier than radiotherapy. It’s quite a long session once a week, but I for me involved no pain or discomfort.

Three months after my treatment was complete, I had a scan which showed no evidence of disease and was told I’d had a complete response, so for me it was definitely worth it. Are you based in the UK? I don’t believe I’ve ever seen anyone in the group who is in the UK who has been told the same as your doctor has told you. 

You have the choice, but I would say try to consider the best chance of a successful outcome. Chemoradiation is a treatment well proven to have good outcomes for your stage of cancer.

Sarah xx

Thank you. Yes I live in the UK, she said it would be 6 weeks of weekly chemo then 5 weeks of chemo and radiotherapy then 2 weeks of internal radiotherapy. I know I was surprised to be given that choice I just thought I would be told what is best. 

Thank you for your advice. 

Thank you that helps. No o wasn't expecting to be given a choice to be honest! 

Thank you 

Hi odessa 

I was diagnosed with stage 2b cervical cancer in Nov 2024 . I had the exact same treatment regime as you’ve had suggested . The difference being I was advised to have it then and if I’m correct the induction chemo which is what the first 6 weeks chemo was called was being advised to be given . I was told this treatment plan was relatively new ( think my hospital had been giving it 6 months prior to me being diagnosed,)  there was no doubt in my mind that I wouldn’t have what ever was being offered . Personally I just wanted to throw everything at it . As previously stated it is a milder chemo ( I did wear cold cap for induction chemo ) . Myself I coped pretty well with it and even managed to do Xmas dinner for 12 people during my 3 rd cycle ( I was determined to carry on as normal as possible ) . The radiotherapy was ok just a nuisance having it everyday which does tire you out . It’s a longer progressive having chemo first and takes over your life for few months , what with weekly blood test etc . I’m glad I was offered this routine . I hope by reading some of this feed back it helps you make whatever choice is right for you . People on here are very nice and I found it all helpful . Whatever cause you decide good luck and please feel free to ask anything else that you want to know . 
val

Oh, your doctor is suggesting not doing the six weeks of chemotherapy prior to radiation too? That was a trial running when I was first diagnosed, which I did have the chance to join, but chose not to. I definitely regret that decision.

When I’m talking about treatment decisions I’m doing it from the point of view of experiencing a recurrence which perhaps gives me a different perspective. Although I had no evidence of disease at my post treatment scan, the scan didn’t pick up tiny cells which were still there and grew again. The mri scan you have after treatment cannot pick up those tiny cells.

Chemo deals with cancer systemically-ie throughout your whole body, whereas radiation focuses on a very specific area and I will never know if doing the 6 week chemo in addition to the course of chemoradiation would have saved me from my cancer coming back. 

My recurrence completely changed my life (you can read my story if you click on my name) and I had to have life changing surgery. I was lucky to survive what I had to go through to be here today. 

Your doctor is suggesting that it’s ok to miss huge parts of a possible treatment plan, yet she would have chemo herself? That really doesn’t make sense to me.

Please, please do some research if you can from reliable sources before you make a decision not to have any chemo at all. 

Sarah xx

Oh thats really interesting i didn't realise that. Yes think I will read more but you have been really helpful thank you

Thank you that is really helpful to hear from someone who has gone through the same treatment. 

Thanks again