Heartbroken, but unbroken
We have just been hit with a TNBC diagnosis. My wife is 44 and we have two young kids. Our world's been turned upside down. There's so much raw emotion and the sense of grief that we all know all too...
Forum Discussion
I am sure there will be partners’ support groups around, your day oncology unit may be able to help
if not someone here. The type of chemo will depend on a whole lot of things - cancer type and stage, age, any other relevant physical issues (prior health, allergies, any existing complaints), current trials and research, the oncologist’s own experience of effective or less effective treatment in a similar case. Even the cancer type and stage can be subtly different. That’s partly why we don’t have the ‘cure’. Yet. One patient with roughly the same kind of diagnosis may respond well to one chemotherapy regimen, another can’t tolerate the side effects. I don’t think anyone is trying to be mysterious, it’s just complicated. I know my own oncologist chose certain chemo therapies for a) the overall cumulative effect given the two can’t be given together, b) his experience regarding effectiveness for my type and stage of cancer and c) knowing he had one or two options in reserve if the side effects were too difficult. Rather than frequent calls, try making a list of queries and try to cover as many as possible in one visit or call. Your oncologist is the best person to answer these questions. Best wishes.
if not someone here. The type of chemo will depend on a whole lot of things - cancer type and stage, age, any other relevant physical issues (prior health, allergies, any existing complaints), current trials and research, the oncologist’s own experience of effective or less effective treatment in a similar case. Even the cancer type and stage can be subtly different. That’s partly why we don’t have the ‘cure’. Yet. One patient with roughly the same kind of diagnosis may respond well to one chemotherapy regimen, another can’t tolerate the side effects. I don’t think anyone is trying to be mysterious, it’s just complicated. I know my own oncologist chose certain chemo therapies for a) the overall cumulative effect given the two can’t be given together, b) his experience regarding effectiveness for my type and stage of cancer and c) knowing he had one or two options in reserve if the side effects were too difficult. Rather than frequent calls, try making a list of queries and try to cover as many as possible in one visit or call. Your oncologist is the best person to answer these questions. Best wishes.