Oncotype Score

mommarch

I saw my ONC yesterday and my oncotype score was 37.  I was pretty down about it, but we talked and if I do the chemo my recurrence will drop to 5% which is substantial.  I am to see surgeon on Wed. and hopefully chemo catheter will be implanted on Thrusday and first Chemo on Friday.  ONC told me if I can not tolerate it he will stop and go with the hormone therapy.  I will have treatment every 3 weeks for 6 months.  Kicker is we have to drive 172 miles to the treatment center.  They have made arrangements for us to stay at the Hope House in Midland, TX on Friday night after the first chemo just to be on the safe side.  I am making peace with it and looking at turbans, etc.  Don't want a wig it is hot here in West TX right now.  He told me I would start loosing my hair right away.  I don't have much anyway.  Will go to salon and have it shaved, when it starts to fall out.  I found out that it is a grade 3 and Ki67 was also strong, so that helped in the decission.  Wish me Luck

dlb823

mommarch ~ First, I have to tell you I was excited to see that you're from Fort Davis!  We have very special family and friends there, so I can relate to the distance you will have to travel to get chemo.  But why do you need it for 6 mos?  Do you know what regimen you'll be getting?  Maybe AC+T?   

I'm sorry that you'll have to do chemo, but it's actually good that the Oncotype score revealed the need and they didn't let you go merrily on your way without it when you really needed it.  And with today's anti-nausea drugs and all, it's not nearly as bad as most of us fear going into it.  Deanna 

Allenan

Hi Mommarch:

I can relate to your feelings very well.  All the best!!  Sending Hugs your way.  Seems like things are going along fast for you.  I just got my score and its a 26.  I was so hoping for a lower score but have consoled myself that if it was a 17 or 18 and I really needed chemo to get this thing done away with, then I might have opted out because of a borderline score.  So I console myself in saying that the score I got it the score I needed to get the exact right treatment for me.

I see my medical oncologist tomorrow.  I am in NY. 

Deanna,

Is there some questions I should be asking this oncologist tomorrow.  I want to go in there equipped to asked the right sort of questions.

mommarch

Hi so glad you found me,  I do not know if we know your friends or relatives.  We own the broom shop in Fort Davis.  The regiment will be Adriamycin, Abraxane & Cytoxan.  Have read all the litature the Dr. gave me, do not like the side effects, but maybe I will be lucky and fair OK.  He will be giving me Emend for nausa day of and 2 days later.  Say it is a good drug. 

Wish I was at the end of the journey instead of the beginning. 

Take Care

dlb823

mommarch, it sounds like you're getting the best of the best!  I'm not a doctor, but Abraxane is the "safer, more gentle" version of Taxotere, and Emend seems to be the very best anti-nausea med available.  

None of us likes the SEs, but, you know, they're temporary, and it's so important to deal with bc aggressively the first time, so that, hopefully, it will be the only time.  You'll get through it, and it sounds like you have great support with the Hope Lodge arrangements.  But do let us know what other questions or concerns you might have.  One suggestion... you might want to check with the ACS and see if any of their Look Good Feel Better classes in Midland coincide with the days you'll be there.  They're free, and so worth doing.  You get lots of tips on makeup, scarf tying, and other things to feel as good as possible while doing chemo, as well as a whole big tote bag of free cosmetics! 

If you're a business owner in Ft. Davis, I'm sure you know my rels & friends.  I'll PM you about that. 

Allenan, are you taking someone with you to your onc app't.?  That would be my first suggestion. Like everything else connected with bc, we seem to zone out when cancer and chemo are used in a conversation about us.  Other than that, I would ask what regimen he/she is recommending and why, and I would hope that they can point to research to back up that choice -- not just that it's the way they've always done it.  I also personally wanted to know if I would need a port, which I didn't with TC -- although some women have gotten them and been happy about it.  What other concerns do you have?     Deanna