Second round of chemo after radiation for I.B.C

OneRadBattle

I am looking into having another round of chemo after my radiation. My onc. recommends navelbine once a week for three months.  I have already had tch 6 times and I had my bi mast. on may 31 2012 and will be starting my 35 rads probably this week.  What I am trying to ask is there any one on here who did standard treatment for ibc then did another round of chemo. I want to attack this the best way I can. I don't want to ever go thru this again.

Thank You

sbelizabeth

Hi, OneRadBattle.  My BC didn't meet the clinical definition of IBC, but I did have a small spot of redness and peau d'orange on the skin of my breast, just above the tumor, which was very close to the skin.  I did 6 rounds of TAC, a mastectomy, 38 radiation treatments.  I finished the last rad yesterday--yay!

I'm taking a two-week break to let my radiation wounds heal, and then I'll start four rounds of Xeloda along with Navelbine. 

It was the GeparTrio Study that made my oncologists go this direction, at my urging, and I'm glad to be throwing one more flaming arrow at this disease. 

Oddly enough, my sister was just diagnosed with IBC.  She started her TCH this morning, in fact. 

Good luck and blessings as you and your oncologists make this decision.  I absolutely agree with your philosophy--I don't EVER want to go through this again either.

OneRadBattle

Hello I am glad to hear someone with ibc did the second round of chemo. My onc. is only saying navelbine. I will have to ask why only one when you had two. I also wrote down the Gepar Trio study so I could look it up and maybe take it to him. I will be getting a second opinion so that makes me feel better. I am stage 3b and grade 3 and her2 + so mine is super aggressive right now. :{ Hope you have a wonderful time off.

sbelizabeth

OneRadBattle, mine wasn't IBC, although I think it might have been if I'd waited longer to get it checked out.  I had a lump and was diagnosed with IDC.  I don't know if it makes a difference with chemo regimes, but it would make sense for you to ask your onc about it. 

My sister will be on herceptin for a year, starting this morning.  Did you find that it made you tired or nauseated?  I'm her2 negative so I skipped that drug, but I'd like to know what's ahead for her.

Nel138281

Oneradbattle,

I did have 2 rounds of chemo,  I had taxol/herceptin for 12 weeks, MX and then 4 adrimycin/cytoxin.  30 rads and continuing herceptin (52 treatments total) .

I have had minimal or no side effects with herceptin.  It is almost like water going thru my veins.  I wish the same for your sister.

Be well

Nel

nancyjac

Are you diagnosed as stage IV?  Did you have have a PET, CT, or MRI of metastatic areas after chemo?  Chemo is not for prevention of recurrence.  They are highly toxic drugs to kill actively dividing cancer cells that can have serious side effects.  Unless you still have active cancer after surgery/radiation, there is no benefit to additional chemo.

SB,  I have no side effects from the herceptin.  You sis shoud have her heart montored though.  The most serious side effect of herceptin is heart damage.