Forum Discussion
Anna15
1 year agoMember
HER2 positive diagnosed Dec 24 -
49 fit and healthy and then what the! Noticed a dimple in left breast, straight to Dr, all the tests and within 18 days was having my first round of chemo 2 days after Christmas. 2 cm lump left breas...
Ice_Ti
6 months agoMember
Did your lump shrink during the chemo and your indent resolve?
Tri
6 months agoMember
HiIce_Ti
I am very sorry to know about your diagnosis.
It’s great that you’re asking questions and being offered alternatives.
I was triple positive and finished the treatment plan almost identical toAnna15 and with a similar partially near complete response. A colleague had a complete (total) response and the surgeon couldn’t find the tumour at surgery. After the neo adjuvant chemo and surgery she had immunotherapy.
The reason I opted for the chemo was because the data and trials seemed to indicate a good longer term outcome. I was also told having chemotherapy before surgery has additional benefits to shrinking the tumour - they can assess whether the specific drugs are as targeted and effective as they can be for you, by seeing how your tumour or lump responds mid way and before surgery and again after surgery. Also, the chemotherapy can attack any cancer cells in “distant sites” (if they are lurking there).
I found a decision tool on the Breast Cancer Trials network once I had already started chemo, but it might be helpful to you to compare different options. It’s just good to understand what treatments other people are experiencing too and why they might be different to you.
https://www.breastcancertrials.org.au/breast-cancer-resources/neoadjuvant-patient-decision-aid/?srsltid=AfmBOop-At08xMVuBWf-8e3e4pMFKgTLdizAFQKpYtWO8SjhJJ6ANKMt
Ice_Ti wishing you all the best