How many people who did AC have heart damage.

chasinghope

Please tell your story, I am very interested who are the "3%" of the population that this happens to, my onc says, it can happen to older women who have issues with their heart any. My 2nd question, do you regret it? Thank you for listening, K

Faith316

I took 4 rounds of AC as the first part of my treatment with no problems.

JeanneG

  I had 4 cycles of dose dense every 2 weeks AC neoadjuvant treatment -- then began Taxol Herceptin.  Next is surgery and then radiation.  I'm glad I did chemo first as I could visibly feel reduction in the tumor so I figured if it worked on the one tumor we knew about, it would be able to hit the little cells we might not know about. 

  I had an echo pre chemo b/c I am 56 and diabetic with stage IIIA.  The echo and ECG were unchanged after the AC.  Of course, all the chemo is potentially cardiotoxic.  Really, what is the alternative?  As my onc puts it, "I want to protect your heart from things that could occur 20 yrs from now....but there are also many interventions for heart problems and will be even more then."  I have to agree.  Right now I'm treating what has the most potential to kill me.  I would continue even with heart damage.......what good will it do to die from cancer with a good heart?

  I hope that doesn't sound pessimistic -- I am not.  But I am realistic. And you have to take all of these things into consideration as you pursue the right treatment plan!