Chemotherapy 1st and later surgery

You and your Mum might find the following book helpful:

http://www.booktopia.com.au/breast-cancer-john-boyages/prod9780980631111.html?gclid=COPNyobwrrwCFRAGvAodLFsACA

It's written by a Sydney breast cancer specialist with many years of expertise. I was given a copy by a breast care nurse and I've found it extremely useful, particularly for helping me to make important decisions about my treatment. He includes the explanation about why mastectomy doesn't provide any more protection that breast conserving surgery. 
I do think that, for some women, mastectomy might be preferable to breast conserving surgery plus radiotherapy because some women wish to avoid radiotherapy. In my case, I would have needed radiotherapy either way which made the choice much simpler. 

Although there are risks assoicated with radiotherapy I am convinced by the evidence that it will improve my long term survival prospects.

XXX

Your Mum is so lucky to have you. XXX

Hi Meg,

It's nice to know that alot of woman are feeling and experiencing the same things. I agree, health comes first but if there is the option to keep your breast and recover why not do it. I will read your blog and thank you for sharing it.

Best wishes

Nejla

I also had a clip inserted. I'd add a caution about getting too hopeful that chemotherapy alone will get rid of the cancer. It may, but it's more likely to shrink it. 

I had what was considered to be a very good response to chemotherapy. Three of my four tumours were killed offf completely and the remaining tumour looked to be dead. Following surgery I've been told there are pockets of active cancer in the primary tumour and DCIS along side it. This is still a good result, but disappointing because I was hoping for 'full pathological response' and everyone seemed to feel I was on track to get it.

Expectations can be awful when you're dealing with cancer and you really need to just cross each bridge as you come to it. I'm having radiation to 'mop up' any remaining cancer.

When it comes to chemotherapy, the more aggressive your cancer the more effective chemotherapy is likely to be. My cancer is triple negative and grade 3 (the highest and most aggressive) and my tumours doubled inside 3 weeks, so there was a very good chance it would respond well to chemotherapy because it works by killing off cells that reproduce quickly. Slower growning cancers may still respond, but are less likely to do so, or may do so more slowly.

Of course, one of the most frustrating thing about cancer is that it refuses to play by anyone's rules and what works for one person may not work for another. That's why it's so important to take control and make choices that you are happy with.

I found having a clip inserted was a good idea because when the three tumours shrank we could be sure we were in the right area of the breast. The clip was also used by my surgeon to remove the right piece of tissue from my breast. 

Love to both of you.

Meg

Thanks Nejla,

I was the same as your Mum in the begining; I walked into the surgeon's office saying 'just take them both off if it will save my life!'.

Now that I've had surgery I realise what a difference it can make to have breast conserving surgery. Apart from not having any of the many complications associated with mastectomy I realise that the cosmetics are a lot more important that I thought they were. I think it was that point in chemotherapy when I lost my hair and eyebrows and really didn't like the way I looked. I realised that appearance matters!

I highly recommend the 'look good, feel better' program for you and your Mum. It's a really fun day out and learning how to draw eyebrows really does help you to feel better. If you're interested, I wrote a bit about it on my blog at positive3neg.wordpress.com along with all of my tips for chemotherapy. Your Mum might find it useful.

Much love to both of you.

Meg

Hi Lisa,

It sounds like you are on a similar treatment plan as my mother will be on. Like you said, mum will start chemo to reduce the size of the lump and then have a lumpectomy.

Its interesting that they have inserted a pin as I have not heard of such a thing for my mother, but I thank you for bringing this to my attention. The surgeon did say that mum should keep an eye on the lump and once she feels that its very small to speak to the her, but I will mention this to her with our next visit.

In saying that however, the surgeon did say that she had a case with a recent patient whose cancer was completely gone by the time surgery was needed and she needed another method of detirmining where the cells were. I guess every case is different but I thankyou for sharing your experience.

Mum also has an u.s booked for April to see if the chemo is helping reduce the size of the cancer and as you said this will definitely help her through the remaining chemo treatments knowing that being so sick is helping her to recover.

Good luck with the rest of your treatment and I hope that you pull through this stronger than before.

Sending you lots of hugs

Nejla

Hi Robyn,

As daughters of strong mothers, all we can do is support them through this tough time.

Your right in that the oncologist is another good resource to speak to about the treatment plan. I have a whole heap of questions for the Oncologist to also get their opinion.

Its wondeful to hear that you have a fantastic supportive daughter and hope all is well with you. Thank you for sharing your experience

Sending you hugs too

Nejla

Hi Hazel,

Thank you for sharing your experience. Thats the thing, not knowing which is the better option, but as you said there is no guarentee and all we can do is take it one day at a time.

Its good to hear from someone currently undergoing chemo that its "doable" as you call it. I have passed your comment onto my mum and I think it makes a difference hearing it from someone currently experiencing the treatment so thank you. I wish you all the best with your treatment and hope that you too are one of those woman who come out the other end stronger and healtier than before, I will keep you in my prayers.

Sending you hugs back

Nejla

Hi,

Thank you soo much for sharing your experience. Knowing that other woman are being treated similarly to my mum brings some relief to my mind.

We were told the same about the Masectomy not improving her chances of the Cancer returning so I guess it makes sense to conserve the breast if its not going to make a difference. My mother is not too concerned about the cosmetics she just wants to be able to lead a normal life and fight this disease.

I wish you a speedy recovery from surgery and hope that it all goes well with the rest of your treatment.

Thanks Nejla

Hi Rosanna,

Thank you so very much for giving me words of encouragement. Yes I plan to be there for my mother every step of the way.

For me, my mother is just not my mother, she is my best friend, my support and has always been there for me for everything I have endured in life.

I will do all I can to support her and give her the encouragement she needs. Its just hard because unlike everything else in life I dont know how things will span out as I have no control over what is happening to her but all I can do is trust the hands she is in and pray that she will too be one of those many woman who get through this and live a normal life after.

I pray everyday for all the woman including my mother who are currently going through this storm and I will keep you in my prayers too. Hope it all goes well with your treatment

Thanks

Nejla (my real name)