Forum Discussion
Choosing my treatment
Hi, on New Year's Eve I found a lump in breast. Since then, I have been diagnosed with early breast cancer and have had the lump removed through breast conserving surgery. Surgery went well - clear margin and no sign of the cancer in 8 lymph nodes. The cancer was diagnosed as triple negative which means chemo and radio coming up.
So I have just had my first oncologist appointment and just when I thought I had my head wrapped around it all, the appointment has left me with more confusion. She has offered me two choices for chemo. Four rounds of TC (3 months) or 3 rounds of FEC and 3 rounds of TC (4.5 months) for which I will need my heart tested first.
Has anyone else been given a choice? What influenced your decision? Anyone else have these combinations?
I was also told chemo has the possibility of leading to leukemia - small possibility but still a possibility. This has thrown me a bit.
She has also offered the option of using one of those head cooling caps to reduce hair loss. She said it would be quite effective with the first option, not as effective with the second option. Has anyone else used one of these? What was your experience?
I am 43 years old and a full time working mum of two young girls aged 5 and 3. I have a long road ahead of me yet.
16 Replies
Hi Paula, I was very pleased with the results and my chemo and breast care nurses kept telling me how well it had worked. I lost the most hair after the first round then it was just random hairs after that. It did start growing back in quite quickly too. I had my treatment through the private system so am unaware if it is available in public hospitals.
Wow Vicki, that's amazing how well it worked!!!
There was no such thing offered when I did chemo nearly 5 and 6 1/2 years ago.
Paula xx
I am so glad it has helped. My only advice to you is go in with an open mind and a positive attitude, I really didn't find the chemo too bad and my MO had me on preventative drugs to combat any side effects so I never felt sick. They told me not to cut my hair either even though it was already short. I hope everything thing goes well for you.
Oh my goodness Vicki Anne - that information was so valuable!! Thank-you so much for sharing. I am glad the cold cap worked so well with the FEC/D combination. I had been told it isn't as effective with that chemo combination but my oncologist has encouraged me to give it a go. I have very long hair so she said not to cut it as being long will be an advantage. One week to go until I start. I have chosen the FEC/D combination.
I had trouble uploading the last photo but it gives you an idea of hair loss, I can only guess that the cap didn't first closely enough to the top of my head maybe. there are two cap sizes though.
Hi Gurneys, I wasn't given a choice either, my MO made that decision for me which I trusted fully. I had neoadjuvant chemo which is given before operating as I had an aggressive cancer, even though it was early stage it was 2.5cm, the idea of having chemo first was to shrink the lump before operating as I am not blessed with ample boobs. I had three rounds of FEC and three rounds of D ( docetaxel ). My core biopsy showed a very weak 5% receptor to progesterone but after the lump was removed it tested as triple negative which my MO had explained can happen as the core biopsy is such a small sample.
On the question of the cold cap I highly recommend you give it a try if it is on offer to you. I used it and even though my hair did thin out a bit I just wore a hat when going out, I still had hair showing around my face so I doubt anyone would have really noticed. The other benefit is that the hair that does drop starts to grow back in a little quicker. I heard that some women complain about the cold but it never worried me, my chemo nurses always made sure the rest of me was toasty warm with an electric blanket, this was during last winter so not sure what it is like during the heat of summer. They also gave me paracetamol each time to aid against possible headache which I never suffered from. It is now just six months since I finished chemo and my hair has thickened up nicely. The only down side I can find is it adds extra time to your treatment, to be honest I usually fell asleep.
Vicki
Hi Wendy! Thanks for that. I'm not overly concerned with hair loss. Just trying to make the right decision on the treatment. Feeling very overwhelmed. xo
I was diagnosed with TNBC in July 2015. I was given a choice FEC or TAC both 6 rounds. I based my decision on what would have the greatest effect on survival. As Paula has said at the end of it hair loss is the least of our worries. Dont get me wrong i cried for days at the thought of losing my hair but now after chemo, surgery and now radiotherapy it really wasnt that bad. Everyone has to make their own decision. You will make the one that is right for you.
Take care
Wendy
