other treatment options?

primek said:

Even though my lymph nodes clear (and huge boob...so well away from muscle after mastectomy,  as mine was Her2 and Es+ and grade 3 but stage 1 ....still I questioned if I should also have radio...but they said the chemo and herceptin was enough...give me the lot I say. Trust your team...and your gut.

The trouble is my team is divided. The main radio onco says minimal benefit 1-5%. Chemo onco says it's debatable. Breast surgeon also says it's pretty grey as well and she seems to agree that radiotherapy is possible. So it's left to second opinion i am seeing on 18th, and this second radio onco seems to think that i should do radiotherapy (and that's what the main radio onco told me). I think I am most likely headed for radiotherapy for my own sanity lol. I am sure I will survive it even if I do.

Even though my lymph nodes clear (and huge boob...so well away from muscle after mastectomy,  as mine was Her2 and Es+ and grade 3 but stage 1 ....still I questioned if I should also have radio...but they said the chemo and herceptin was enough...give me the lot I say. Trust your team...and your gut.

Hey!

I actually find it odd based on your pathology that the Radiologist said it would be of minimal benefit. Being Grade 3 particularly would generally be chemo and radiotherapy, never heard of that before. Be interesting to see your 2nd opinion. When this one said 'you must' that's because they view it as you have to hit it with everything so that means both. x 

melclarity said:

@au0rei yes your treatment sounds pretty much right as your are Her2+ and Grade 3 too, so Chemo and Herceptin. With @nikkid she is only ER+ and was low grade, so chemo wouldnt be used in her situation. It can be a little complicated, but all diagnosis are very different and so are treatments. Hugs Melinda xo

Thanks Melinda, was at the chemical oncologist office just now for my heart scan review and when I asked him if I should do radiotherapy he went 'you must!!!' straightaway but then he realized he must have confused me with another patient lol. But he said that I probably should due to the cells being lymphovascular and grade 3 :( so I am really wondering why the original radiotherapy oncologist thinks it's minimal benefit for me to do it. It's so hard! I will be seeing a second radiotherapy oncologist on the 18th for her opinion. Hopefully it will be clearer then. xx

@au0rei yes your treatment sounds pretty much right as your are Her2+ and Grade 3 too, so Chemo and Herceptin. With @nikkid she is only ER+ and was low grade, so chemo wouldnt be used in her situation. It can be a little complicated, but all diagnosis are very different and so are treatments. Hugs Melinda xo

@auOrei everyone's situation is different. I trust my team, and don't have time for second guessing. Thx

bevvzy said:

I only know mine is IDC  approx 22mm and said high  grade 3.  Just been wondering if to expect anything further, given grade

mine was 25mm but I did have 15mm surrounding DCIS. Same grade as yours. I would expect chemo treatment for your situation. I had mastectomy as well. 

nikkid said:

Hi, I just had the mastectomy - nodes all clear, clear margins - and am on Tamoxifen.

I am also surprised you were not put on
chemo. I had mastectomy, clear nodes, clear margins. The cells were however hormone -be so I didn't need any hormone therapy. But being younger the cell grade was 3. I am put in chemo and herceptin (her2pos). Considering radiotherapy now seeing a second opinion.

Hi @bevvzy, I had left mastectomy last August (13mm, no lymphs involved, stage 1, grade 1) Because of my grade and that I had a mastectomy I didn't need radio or chemo.
I've been taking Arimidex for 8 months and was petrified to start it. I'm a bit of an over researcher and I spent a fair bit of time reading up on all the possible side effects. My script sat there for weeks! Anyway I trust my GP and he reassured me that not everyone gets all or any side effects and basically with my cancer being ER100%, PR100% I didn't have a lot of choice!  So 8 months later I have almost no side effects.  A bit stiff when I squat down and the odd hot flush.
I take calcium, glucosamine, 25000 Vitamin D, magnesium and a B12 shot every 2 months.
I try to walk 5km every couple of days - maybe something in there is counter balancing my side effects - who knows, I'm not game to change anything! I'll have a bone density scan around the 12 month mark which may need some attention as it was already a bit low when I started Arimidex.
Don't stress about the possible side effects for now, we all react differently.  
Wishing you all the best with your results. Jane x

Hey @bevvzy, gotta say I agree with Kath, in that we are all individuals and medication will affect each of us in differing forms. You may have some side effects of medication or you may not and stressing over something that may not happen wouldn't be beneficial to you. Hoping for great pathology results for you.  :)  Xx Cath