stage 2 chemo?

mittmott

Hi, I'm asking for somebody else.... because maybe I'm wrong, but don't most stage 2 cancers have to do chemo... I'm not talking those who try to go the alternative way,,, just regular conventional thought at this time?  

sanbar8771

Not all stage 2 have to do chemo. It all depends on the type of cancer you have, whether you are HER+ or have any lymphnode involvement.

mittmott

Oh,, ok... the girl I'm talking about had no lymph node involvement, but had a 3 cm agressive tumor .. she opted for a single mast.... claims doc gave her a choice on having chemo, but she had admitted to me in the past, she didn't want to do it.

Megadotz

MIttmott,she may have had a ER+/HER- tumor and a low or intermediate oncotype score. 

In that case it could have been her choice based on the test results and tumor type.

Racy

While chemo may be recommended and advisable, the doctors can't make you do it. It's the patient's decision.

mittmott

I know no one can force anyone, I was just curious.. I'm worried for her, and I thought she was just telling me that, to "shut me up", as I kept asking when she was starting chemo... I know that supposedly it was a huge tumor, and very aggressive, and the doc had told her she would have chemo, and then, this part of the story entered... she told  me she didn't think she wanted to take chemo, she was afraid,,, which is very understandable...  I stopped asking about the chemo, but as I said, I'm worried about this decision.. I hope she'll be ok... thanks for the replies..

coraleliz

Sounds like you really don't know. She's only telling you(& spinning) what she wants you to know. I thought my SIL's BC was "aggresive". Turns out no more aggresive than mine. All you can really do is hope for the best.

bevin

Hi there, I am stage 2, had a 2+ cm tumor. And didnt have to do chemo.  I was er+ pr+ and her2  (negative), no lymphovascular invasion and my Onco score was low .  chemo was offered but my 2 Oncologists said they would be fine if I didn't do it. The other Onco said, as I was 45 at diagnosis, I should do it.  I didn't and went with Lumpetomy and radiation (38 rounds) and now on anti hormonal. 

There are so many factors that can decide chemos ability to help a cancer stay at bay. Several years ago, NCCN Guidlines said anyone w tumor 1.5 or higer should have chemo. Now the guidelines changed and I had the option.

I hope you and your friend are well and continue to be.

Bevin

mittmott

Thank you for all of your answers... I always thought (but it has obviously changed since) that all tumors over 1 cm had to have chemo.. good to know, and yes, I hope she will be ok...

comingtoterms

I remember my first appt. with my Onc. - he gave me all the figures and told me to go home and think about it. I was SHOCKED!!! My surgeon had told me I would be having chemo, so I just assumed I would. I spent the whole weekend a wreck - wondering what to do.... I was a MESS. I went back to see him on Monday. I begged him to tell me what to do. Apparently, he felt that it wasn't his place to make the decision. He immediately said he thought I should do it. I was 48 at the time. He felt I was too young not to try everything possible. I did chemo. It wasn't awful. I got through it. But ended up not doing well on Tamoxifen and stopped taking that against his wishes. Tammy

Commett1

I asked my doctor to suggest what he would suggest if it was his mother and she had same stats as myself and he said he would ask her to have chemo, but not radiation since there was a mastectomy done. He wanted me to be on tamoxifen for 5 years, but could not handle it and quit taking it.