To chemo or not to chemo
Hi there, any thoughts on this would be appreciated. My early breast cancer is: no node involvement, no blood / vascular involvement detected, HER2 negative. I've had a complete single mastectomy...
Forum Discussion
Hi @CellyK
There has been a great deal of discussion about this over the years. It is a really tough personal choice and the risks and benefits are hard to weigh up, particularly when the statistics suggest improvements in survivorship are small for people in your circumstances. Sometimes there appears to be a significant percentage difference between chemo and going without, sometimes not.
One thing that does seem to be a constant is that regardless of how well you look after yourself, you can not completely mitigate the risks of cancer returning. Yes, you can not do really bad stuff--which you would think should help--but there are many examples of fit, healthy people who have lead exemplary lives getting cancer. Which totally sucks. Studies recently are suggesting that luck--or a lack of it--has as much a part to play as lifestyle or genetics. Which basically means no-one really knows.
You'll have to go with your head on this one. Others weighing in and pressuring you can make those sorts of decisions really hard to make as well. In my case the increase in survival was about 7% if I had chemo (for the second time) Like you, I initially went 'Nah' then made the mistake of letting my son and partner know that it had been offered and I was going to refuse. I should have kept my mouth shut.
This really is a shit of a disease. Marg xxx