Too old to fight bc

Renate

I am 83 with Stage 2 bc, removed surgically with no lymph nodes and clean margins. However, with something called a semi aggressive tag hanging onto the tissue. I am now taking radiation but refusing the big guns like Chemo and Arimidex. I read about 5 and 15 years and have to lol. If I even live another 5 years with or without cancer that will be in defiance of the life span of my forbears. My problem:should I turn the last years of my life into fighting symptoms of treatment that sound more like living hell than cancer survival? Or say "no more" when radiation is done? Except for the bc I am healthy and active. Anyone out there with any experience and helpful comments. please let me hear what you have to say.  Renate

SandyAust

Hi Renate,

I am sorry you have to deal with this.  I am 42, 36 at diagnosis so I don't have your experience.  However knowing what I know, at your age I think giving chemo a miss is a good idea.  It is only for a few months but it can be pretty tough going at times.  However on the subject of the hormonals, why don't you give it a go?  You might find that you have very few side effects.  If it proves to be too much than you can always stop.  It is not the same as chemo.  I would point out though because I am premenopausal I took tamoxifen.  I didn't however think it had a massive impact on my quality of life.  Some people go through a bad time on hormonals, but you may be just fine.  As I said you can always try it for a couple of months and if you don't like it you can stop.

Based on MY experience chemo was a big deal, tamoxifen wasn't  Other ladies will probably be along soon to offer their experience.

I wish you all the best with your treatments and with continuing on with your "healthy and active" life for many more years.

 Take care,

Sandy

hmm

Renate- Sorry you are dealing with this but want you to know you have found a place where there are so many kind and helpful people. My suggestion would be to give the Arimidex or whatever they prescribe a try and see how you do with it. I have been taking it since December 08 and have had no problems.You won't know unless you try.

Good luck with whatever you decide. Again sorry you are having to join us. Take care.

Pat 

sincitydealer

Hi Renate,

My Mom, who is 82, is stage lV.  She decided to go ahead with chemo, it was pretty rough on her.  After the chemo they put her on Arimidex, and she didn't like the side effects, although it was not nearly as harsh as the chemo.  She was switched to Femara and is tolerating it very well.  You should give the anti-hormonals a try.  If you decide you don't like it you can stop anytime.  The anti-hormonal is just a pill you take once a day.  It's worth a shot. 

wallycat

Do you have full pathology report yet?

You know, they tell men to stop doing PSA tests on their prostates because very few progress to anything.  It is the same with breast cancer.  Before technology could detect everything, many women lived a full life, all the while having a breast cancer inside them.

If you opt out of treatment, it is clearly your choice.  If it is slow growing, you may live the 15 years and die from something else.

I do agree that not everyone has horrible time with anti-hormonals.  Of course, many of us are in their late 40's and 50s and are about to start menopause and even if we never had cancer, menopause is a change in our bodies to be reckoned with.  At 83, how much more estrogen can be blocked, I don't know, but it may not exhibit with additional symptoms.

get all the facts, even an onctype DX score to see if chemo would even be beneficial...then decide how you want to spend your remaining years and go with it.  

I've learned to TRUST YOUR GUT.

Best to you!

Mouser

Renate -

I was on Femara for just under 2 yrs; didn't seem to get any side effects except low (!) libido. i thought it was OK... then i realized i felt mentally fuzzy all the time. I also got some nasty joint pains at 18 months -- i'd have put up with those, but the mental fuzz wasnot acceptable - my brain is my most valuable asset! So i quit (with my onc's blessing, incidentally).

My point -- try an AI. If it messes up your quality of life, quit. At your age, you might want to avoid tamoxifen because of the risk of stroke -- unlike joint pains, libido and mental fuzz,  that's catastrophic/irreversible and not worth the reduced bc risk (i was 63 when i made that decision; too high even then!). And chemo - yeah, that invriably side effects on the whole system. But the AIs are very variable in the side effects - and easily quittable.

My aunt had bc at 70, a recurrence (single spinal met) at 88. She's just turned 96. People are living longer -- don't short-change yourself by reflex. On the other hand -- i really do agree with you about quaity of life!

cheers, mouser

pee

I too would go with the Arimidex.  At your age I don't see how I could be convinced to

do chemo.  I am sorry you are having to make such a decision.  Just make sure the choice

you make is YOUR decision and not the drs. or your families.  It needs to be your decision. 

ruthbru

Give Arimidex a try; since you are way past menopause (I presume ), you might not have any negative SE at all, as your body has long been adjusted to living without much estrogen. And, of course, if you have unacceptable SE, you can quit at any time.  I would have a hard time saying to do chemo at 83; I'm almost for sure that I would not. Best of Luck! Being healthy and active will help you cope with any choice that you make! Ruth

carcharm

Renate,

First, and I mean this with the utmost respect, I am in awe at your use of the computer. For an 83 year old woman to be so proficient - you must have a great gusto for life. Do you like or trust your oncologist? Have you had this discussion? Believe me- there are people who are meant to be oncs and others that aren't. I've been through 3. Another avenue to look at is naturopathic. There are many women who opt for surgery and that route rather than chemo. This way you are still fighting the fight but without all the side effects of chemo. What ever decision you make will be the right one!

IllinoisNancy

Wallycat,

I couldn't agree more with you about cancer being in lots of people and they don't even know it.  I often think that mine would have been just fine to leave alone.  It was small and I think they do more harm when they give you the needle biosy and spread the cells around.  I know that I did what the doctors wanted but also believe that it would have been fine to leave it alone.  Especially when the surgeon said it had probably been there for 10 years. 

Take care,

Nancy

dlb823

Renate ~  I see that you're in San Diego.  I'm not too far from you -- near Palm Springs.  I just wanted to comment that I think it's important that you consult with a major breast cancer center, such as the University of California at San Diego, which, I believe, is an NCI-designated facility.  I went to UCLA, even though I'm 3 hrs. away.  I think it's important because a large facility like that will have seen far more women over the age of 75 than more local oncologists, and in your case, I think that kind of experience can go a long way, because they will have actual records and first-hand experience to draw on in advising you.

Here's a list of the NCI-designated facilities within California: 

http://cancercenters.cancer.gov/cancer_centers/cancer-centers-list.html#CA

I can't say enough wonderful things about the doctors at UCLA, so wouldn't hesitate to suggest a consultation there if you want a second or third opinion.  They're absolutely wonderful!

Best of luck to you!!    Deanna

CrunchyPoodleMama

If I were 83 with cancer, I'd do exactly what you're doing... fight it but NOT with chemo. Here's to you beating the odds and telling your family "remember way back when I had cancer?" on your 100th birthday! If you're as young at 83 as my 83-year-old grandmother is, you have PLENTY of life still in you!

Renate

To all of you who responded to my post -- God love you.

I asked the big question  -- to chemo or not to chemo at my age, 83.  How can I thank you all for your responses and for the help you've given me based on your own knowledge and experience?  The value of your advice and suggestions at  my beginning stage of  the journey isimmeasurable.  Lord almighty, I'm so glad I have found this forum. I am a widow.  My two children have pre-deceased me. I have only a dearly beloved dog to confide in and he, though loving and his confidentiality is guaranteed, offers little in the way of  support. . You all are now my family and my confidantes and I rejoice that I have you. Thank you all with all my heart.  Renate

ruthbru

Also see if your clinic has a cancer support group. (Usually clinics have a social worker who should check in with you, and your could ask him/her if there is one in your area). This is an awesome site, but it is also good to have people nearby to bounce along this road with. God Bless! Ruth

shirleyanne

I am responding to Renate because I am 82 and have had a double mastectomy in the last six months.  Am on Arimidex and am doing o.k.  Also active and feeling good.  No radiation, no chemo, since Stage 1, Grade 3.  As the younger ladies say, give the hormonals a try.  You can always quit if SE too bad.  I have some joint pain, but find exercise-walking 30 minutes a day and stretch exercises-takes care of most of it.  Other than that and some almost unnoticeable hot flashes, no problems.

Cowgirl13

Renate, Deana had great advise.

In order to really make a choice, find out all the information you can.  Find out how much chemo, will help, hormonals, all those things.  get the numbers.  then you can really make a decision.  If chemo and hormonals will inprove your prognosis buy 50 or 60 percent and you don't want side effects--you can make your decision based on what you would like.

Glad you found us.

Lizzie