A new member and really wishing I wasn't
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Well finally some GOOD news for the first time AND from the oncologist - I met Dr [removed by moderator] yesterday - He had received by CT SCAN &NBONE SCAN results - 'NO FURTHER CANCER" found. Yay!
He explained the statistics for my breast cancer as follows:-
As the cancer had invaded the one lymph node they removed - carcinoma lump was size 11mm, Grade II,
100% both Oestrogen & Progesterone POSITIVE and Her2 Negative that it was the best result I could get meaning it could be treated very well with hormone therapy and has suggested Aromatase Inhibitors for ten years, together with radiation starting four weeks after surgery for 6 weeks. H said the surgery alone reduced my chances of getting cancer back in the next 10 years to 20%. Using the radiation and the hormone therapy reduces the risk further to 13%. Then if he added chemotherapy (TC - Taxotere & Cyclophosphamide every 3 weeks for e weeks it would reduce my chances a further 2-3%. However given my family history of heart disease and meds I take already for it, a large scarring on. my left lung from a previous clot on the lung, and my history with depression he felt he wouldn't suggest I do the chemotherapy as the chance of it doing more damage than good is 1-2% therefore reducing the best outcome would be 1-2% further decrease in chances taking it to 11-12%. He didn't think that small percentage reduction was worth the risk, particularly with my heart and prior health issues.
I thought that once you had surgery, radiation, hormone therapy and chemo it was like a 99% CURE of cancer. But its not at all. Even if I were younger and healthy and had all the treatments he said is available its still only a 90% chance it wont come back somewhere else. Is it just me who did not realise this? Its a glass half full and glass half empty to a degree in my thinking but the reality is NOTHING is even 98%.
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Id love feedback on this. Im beginning to think I had NO CLUE about breast cancer and treatment at all. I thought if I had no family history, had breastfed three kids, had regular mammograms, I was 99.9% sure of NOT getting breast cancer. But the surgeon tells me over 90% of his patients with BC had no family history, beast fed and had regular mammograms. So why does the average person think this??? Media??? SO, the mammograms should be done annually really FOR EVERYONE OVER ?? SAY 25?
Next question about ER2 negative. Anyone else here have positive both hormones and Negative Her2 - whatever that is. Ive tried to read about it and what treatments are used but I just got more confused.
I am intersted in YOUR thoughts on these numbers as I am 95% sure Im going with the radiation and hormone therapy and back into healthy living, food, exercise, meditations relaxation etc. But id like others point of view as sometimes it seems obvious but being in the BC forest now for 5 weeks I can't see the trees, just a green fog.....
Thanks in advance.
Sandra
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Hi @sandramj, I can't help you with your questions as I didn't need any further treatment after my mastectomy except hormone blockers. I was 13mm grade 1, ER/PR+100% Her2-
But I did want to say how wonderful there is no further sign of cancer!! Fantastic news.
Wishing you all the best with your decisions.
Jane xx1 -
Great news and I commented on your other post.
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