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Melr's avatar
Melr
Member
14 years ago

Chemo or not?

I've had a Grade 3 cancer. I had a bilateral mastectomy in Dec 2011 and lymph nodes removed. The cancer wasn't in the nodes. I've started Arimidex. The oncologist gave me the OPTION of having 4 cycles of chemo as well - Taxotere and Cyclophosphamide. I have to decide by tomorrow as apparently there is a 3 month window of time between diagnosis and treatment. I am worried about the permanent damage of these drugs such as kidney damage. Also I don't know if I should even have the chemo or not. Everytime I decide to have it I think I am silly because it could cause permanent damage. Then I think if I don't I haven't done everything in my power to get rid of any stray cancer cells! Can anyone talk to me who's been in a similar situation? Please? Does anyone regret NOT having taken the chemo option?

2 Replies

  • Melr's avatar
    Melr
    Member
    14 years ago
    Thankyou so much Tonya. Your comments are very helpful!
  • TonyaM's avatar
    TonyaM
    Member
    14 years ago

    This is the hardest decision of all.Usually if your oncologist says you have to have it then you  probably should.But when it's an"optional extra"you have to think long and hard about it.From their point of view I guess they  have a legal obligation to offer chemo.It can depend on the cancer pathology and whether it was hormone positive or negative.Perhaps write a list of your questions/concerns for tomorrow.It's a damned if you do and damned if you don't type of situation.You are the only one who can decide - ultimately go with your gut feeling when you have all your information and that will be the right decision for you.I've had breast cancer twice in the same breast.First time in 2003 I had a lumpectomy,full node clearance and radiation but NO chemo. 7 years later it came back in the same breast,same spot despite clear margins. So in 2010 I had a mastectomy and then chemo.It was still classed as early bc. and am now on Tamoxifen. I only had 1 round of TC and ended up in hospital with no white cells so decided to stop it. My oncologist was surprisingly ok with that and said Tamoxifen was more beneficial in my case anyway.I don't have any regrets about any of my decisions because I did what I thought was best for me at the time. And that's all you can do Mel.

                                                         Tonya xx