Anyone not taking chemo ?

@socoda You may be able to share your experience with this lady.

Thanks @primek . Hi @Alola - Kath asked if I could share my experience with you and I certainly can. Last June I had a single skin and nipple sparing mastectomy which came back as Er+, Pr+, Her2-, Stage 2 Grade 1 cancer. I had four nodes removed all clear. When I went to my oncologist she told me I could have my breast tissue sent to America to see what my recurrence level might be. At that point in time they were classing my recurrence level as low. If it came back as high I would be having chemotherapy. I asked what would happen if it came back middle range and my oncologist told me she actually wasn't sure what would happen then but we would look at options if it occurred. So as they had already classed me as low chance of recurrence without the testing I decided to just not have the testing which meant no chemo. I also didn't have to have radiotherapy due to having had a full mastectomy. So I am currently on Tamoxifen for the next how every many years with no other treatment. I was a bit frightened at first as I thought that I was being left out of necessary treatment but it was explained to me that the chemo and radiotherapy would actually do more damage to my body. The hormone therapy is to starve any microscopic cancer cells so the cells can't grow. (Sometimes the hormone treatment doesn't work but its the best course of action). So I am quite happy to just be on my hormone therapy. I also consider myself very lucky not to have had chemo. Rest assured that your team of oncologist and radiotherapist are going to do their best for you and if they feel that chemo is not necessary for you it is because they truly believe that they are giving you the best course of treatment for your individual needs.   Big hugs to you. Xx Cath

Hi @Alola  
Mine was somewhat similar to you, I had ductal carcinoma grade 2, stage 2b,  40 mm IDC, ER3+ 95%, PR2+95%, Her2-, Ki 67 5%.   along with various dcis .  one node only affected.  So My Ki67 was a bit lower than yours hence, for you the extra test will help.  Like you I was a bit nervous Not to be given chemo as that's what we've all heard about for cancer treatment, but one of my team explained the ki67 indicator has only been around 5 or 6 years and shows whether or not you will respond to chemo as a treatment.  in some cases you hormone therapy is enough.   
As primek said, IF chemo was deemed beneficial your team would encourage you.  remember treatments, both chemo and non chemo treatments have come a long way.
Like Socoda, at this stage I feel very lucky I didn't have to have chemo. I can only imagine that 5 years ago I would have been given chemo for mine, but and am very glad for a test that could tell me in advance that it wasn't going to be beneficial for my type of cancer.
your test results and your team will guide you to the best outcome.
Aine

@Socoda Cath thanks for sharing your story, that's interesting! I actually think your treatment is spot on for your diagnosis. Interesting about the skin test for recurrence, I hadn't heard of that before. You know I don't get this Breast Cancer thing, I guess none of us do. But I don't get how I went from my 3rd year checkup all clear to my 4th year checkup with Stage 2 Grade 3 2.5cm Aggressive tumor. Knowing what I know now, I would have had a mastectomy/recon in 2011 and I believe would have beat a recurrence and wouldnt have had to do chemo. 

My Mum had BC at 40, mastectomy with NO TREATMENT in those days and lived 26 years passed away unrelated. Certainly interesting and in some ways, its more complex these days. So many of us don't have a choice with treatment, so we roll with what we have to do. 

After 6yrs I am so glad to be on my way to 2yrs clear for the 2nd time LOL. We wonder how on earth we will get through it all, but WOW do we!!! Nobody knows the depth or the courage it takes but all of us here! 

Melinda xo

@Alola great news on the result. Wonderful to hear of another bc sister who doesn't need the chemo, and you have made the best informed choice you could. I had some ankle and hand pain initially on letrozole but that is virtually unnoticeable now 8 months on. I hope the same for you. Most importantly ensure you have regularly bone density scans.. annual ...due to the letrozole risks, but know there is treatment. Now the hard road of survivorship starts for you, where we figure out how to reclaim our lives and feel safe again. Kath x

Hi @Alola, great news that you don't need chemo. I was also lucky and didn't need chemo. My oncologist explained that as my cancer was grade 1 the cells were slow growing and wouldn't respond to chemo. He felt confident that as I had a mastectomy with clear margins and no lymph node involved it wasn't necessary - let's hope he was right. I do understand that niggling doubt but I have to have confidence that my medical team looks at me as an individual and has made the right decision based on my results. My cancer was 100% ER/PR so I am taking Arimidex which should further reduce my risk of recurrence. I'm 10 months on and pretty much side effect free.
Wishing you all the best Alola, Jane xx