Chemo question.

NicoleJasien

Ok so I had a freak out moment today. I sat back and thought, "why in the world did I not go and get a second opinion before starting my treatment?" I just never considered it. I heard my oncologist say the word cure and I was like this is my girl. With that being said I was wondering for stage 3c what types of chemo everyone is doing and how many treatments? She has me on 6 cycles of TAC. This was all sparked by an article md Anderson posted on their blog today.... I knew better than to click it.... Smh

Momine

6X TAC is, as far as I know, one of the standard approaches to stage III. I had 4X FEC and then 4X taxotere, but I don't actually know why. I did run it by another doc at the time, who said he would do the same. I have also seen 4X FEC followed by 12 taxol. Just ask your onc what the rationale is.

Mardibra

I had AC x 4 dose dense and T x4 dose dense. I think the treatment foe IDC and ILC is different.

Moderators

Nicole, there's more information on Getting a Second Opinion at the main Breastcancer.org site, including why and when to seek one, deciding where to go, and more.

There's also info on the site about Choosing a Chemotherapy Combination.

mary625

I am 3c. Did not know I was 3c before chemo--they thought I was going to be a II. I have DD A/C x 4 and DD Taxol x 4. I had ILC and was under 50. I heard somewhere that they throw the toughest treatment at the under 50's. I think the regimen I had is the toughest/most aggressive, but I don't know for sure.

Maggs09

I just finished DD 4 x AC and on Thursday I started 1st of 4 Taxols (DD), everything biweekly.

I was feeling really well until today... Pains and aches, tingling in my fingers - I knew that may come. But I also have discomfort (cramps) in lower abdomen similar to menstruation cramps, as well as bladder and rectum area. I don't see this on SE list.

Has anyone else experienced similar problems on biweekly taxol?

Anything I can do to stop it?

Kay_G

I also had 4 DD AC then 4 DD taxol. Was 47 at diagnosis.

Kicks

Never thought about getting a second opinion and never regrettted it.

I did 4 DD A/C, mast., 12 Taxol, 25 rads and Fmara/letrozole since. DX was Aug. '09 at 63 - still riding NED with IBC.

jennyboog

Don't feel bad Nicole, I didn't do a second opinion either but did get the chance to ask 2 onc. post tx.  They agreed with what I got and told me it was the standard of care.  I did dose dense ACx4 and then taxotere x4.  I was originally suppose to do more after my BMX but my chemo was successful and they decided to save it for later if I'm ever to need it.  I had IBC and saw it disappear during chemo, I also felt my tumor shrink and soften. 

Healing123

I didn't get second opinion right after the dx because I wanted to start treatment asap being stage 3 and a large tumor. I have DD AC followed by DD Taxol biweekly. I have two more T to go and I just went to Stanford for my second opinion today to see if there is any difference in treatment plan and there is none. 

MiniMacsMom

Oddly enough, you can get a second opinion NOW before you start rads.  They won't change your chemo plan, but the rads team at MDA is AMAZING and their pathology department is some of the best in the world.  The path regionally at home said I had clean margins, MDA reviewed more tissue and their slides and said my margins were not clean.  I had a revision surgery and then rads at MDA. 

I did 12 weekly taxol and then 4 x FAC... My MDA Onc said that protocol allows for the maximum allowable doses of chemo.  There are reasons behind why different doctors do different things.  A lot of chemo is regional.  At home I was given the "choice" of 3 regimines... TAC x6 /  DD AC + DD T / or DD AC + Tx4)   At this point, you are getting what is considered to be a normal treatment for stage 3 and their is no point in worrying about it since you can't change it.   If you do go to MDA, I used Dr. Bucholz as my RO and I LOVED him... was kinda unsure about him at my first apt, but he quickly became my favorite Dr.    Also Dr. Strom has an amazing bedside manner.  He is fun and spunky.  Didn't meet any other ROs  

Anonymous

I did 4 rounds DD AC then 4 rounds Taxol and was 52 at dx.  The taxol was much worse than AC.  I didn't get a second opinion on treatment either, because I wanted all this crap to be done and over by the end of the year.  Also did 33 rads after chemo, then diep reconstruction because I had BMX.  Two years later I started going to a second oncologist who stated he never recommends dose dense to women.  His reason was "I don't hate women", which meant the standard treatment is way too severe.  I just did what the first onc recommended.  If you are ER/PR positive they may or may not put you on Tamoxifen, depending on if you are pre- or post-menopausal.  Good luck !!

Kay_G

If it makes you feel any better, I am pretty sure almost all hospitals have a tumor board, and all cases are discussed there. So even though you didn't get a second opinion, other onc's did review your case and discuss it. But as you can see, you got the same treatment as most of us. Chances are a second opinion would have been the exact same thing.

pupfoster1

I to am IIIc and didn't know it before surgery.  They thought the primary tumor was "only" about 3cm, but ended up being 6.5.  Talk about a shock.  Of course I too was one of those large, dense breast gals so the yearly mammos basically were worthless. My treatment was similar to many of the other ladies here---bilateral mx, 4 DD A/C, then 4 DD Taxol, 6 weeks rads 5/week. 

Just keep believing it's all doing what it's supposed to do.  I am almost to my 3rd year surgery mark, so before you know it you'll be here too!

Love,

Sharon

NancyD

I thought I was only Stage II when I started chemo (neoadjuvant: TAC x 4 / adjuvant: TAC x 2). It was the extra nodes found in the surgical pathology that put me over into Stage III, I think. Anyway, I don't think the treatment would have been changed by another oncologist, based on my research and the opinion of a doctor in my extended family, so I was comfortable without a second opinion.

I didn't want to spend the time waiting for another appointment, either. It can take several weeks in my area. I was very anxious to either start chemo or have it removed surgically. Which came first wasn't too much of a bother to me as long as I was actively doing something against it. It was the time spent waiting for test results and appointments before I could start that gave me the MOST anxiety I've ever had in my life so to delay it any longer was not an option for me.

gillyone

Stage IIIc, no second opinion.

Lumpectomy

4 x AC DD

4 x Taxol DD

rads

age 54 at dx

dauntless

Hi Nicole, It's funny to see you here because I read your blog! I'm 3C and am also doing 6 rounds of TAC.  As for whether it was the right decision, only time will tell. Round 4 next week.

linn65

I am doing TCH chemo for 6 weeks, then surgery, then radiation as for as I know. However, everytime I go to the ONC which is after each treatment the only thing he asks me is; What am I doing for fun???? That is a loaded question....My goal this weekend is to do something FUN, so I can tell him about it Tuesday! I understand what you mean about a 2nd opinion. I was scheduled for surgery, and everyone kept telling me to get a 2nd opinion. So I did do to pressure from everyone, and I assumed he would just validate what the 1st doctor said, but he didn't. He did everything the opposite! Needless to say I had an hour and a half drive home from the 2nd opinion and cried like an insane person the whole way home. I ended up canceling the surgery and going with the 2nd opinion. Everything was moving so fast I didnt have time to think, and my 2nd opinion was on a Thursday and my 1st opinion and surgery was scheduled for the following Wednesday. I took the weekend to ponder it all over and decided I was not ready for a MAST, so I went with Chemo first. Every decision is hard and we are not doctors!!! I feel ya!

NicoleJasien

Dauntless, you mean my abandoned blog lol. I really need to update it!