Choosing No chemo?

Eleni

Hi,

I've posted this a week ago and haven't got any reply. Isn't there anybody who chose not to do chemo?

I'm dx for the second time with triple negative BC. I had the operation, 1.9cm, no nodes involved. I had radiation and now they're talking about chemo.

What are your experiences with triple negative BC? Has anyone opted not to do the chemo? It was hell the first time. I feel I want to be normal and there's no normal anymore. They told me 69% chance I won't get metastases, the chemo will bring this percentage to 85%.

Thank you

Sahila

hey there...

I'm 2nd time around too... last time (2005) left breast high grade DCIS, E&P neg, SLN biopsy (no nodes involved), had mastectomy, TRAM reconstruction, other breast reduced for symmetry...

This time, right breast invasive ductal carcinoma (3.2 cm tumour, near chest wall), Her2 pos, E & P neg, grade 3 with lymph node involvement (5 nodes seen on MRI, biopsied, all malignant with one swollen to 3.5 cm)...

Recommendation is lumpectomy with lymph node dissection

then adriamycin/cytoxin every 2 weeks X 4 cycles, with nuepogen injections daily for 5 days with each cycle

then weekly taxol X 12 weeks

then 1 year of herceptin

then daily radiation 5 days/week X 6 weeks...

I'm 54... currently homeless, jobless, single mother of 9 yr old ...

I cant do this regime... I dont have the support to pull this off in these circumstances... I'm right handed so lymphodema would be really incapacitating, I cant get real numbers out of the doctors to do a (personal) cost-benefit analysis, and I'm not convinced that chemo etc will not do more harm than good - I've had several friends who died from chemo side effects/destruction of the immune system... 

has anyone skipped surgery/chemo/radiation and only done herceptin and alternative therapies such as turkey tail mushroom, cannabis oil, melatonin, Vitamin D etc?

chonkala

I'm also looking for others who opted out of the traditional treatments for various reasons..Chemo SEEMS like such a risk to me, even being Her2+..All of the hroiible side effects and other cancers it brings scares me to pieces.

exbrnxgrl

check out the alternative forum.

bluepearl

Being triple negative, chemo is the ONLY treatment available for you. Alternative treatments have the placebo effect of making you feel better but doing 0% to halt it in its tracks. Cancer from chemo is rare, involves only one of the drugs I believe and it can result in a very rare leukemia but again, it is very, very rare. Cancer isn't to be taken lightly and triple negative is aggressive and has a poorer prognosis than other types. Her2+ also means an aggressive cancer with poorer prognosis. I was prepared to accept chemo if it had been offered I but had good prognostic factors (mostly) but triple negative and Her2+...don't play around with that!!!

elimar86861

Maybe post this question in the TN thread also.

jenjenl

So sorry to hear of your reccurance.  what chemo did you do the first time?  what are they recommending this time?

As a sister TN I would do chemo, aside from eating, exercising and vitamins chemo is what we have up our sleeves.

arby

I was told  Herceptin was the big gun in the arsenal; I had far fewer side effects from it than the taxotare and carboplatin.  Yet, here I sit with a new primary, my 3rd go-round with cancer..  

I wish there were natural health foods and supplements.  We often trade a very expensive, grueling treatment for a wishful extension of time that doesn't pan out. 

Surround yourself with prayer warriors.  Perhaps you will see a different path with better quality of life and more joy along the way.  You're in my thoughts and prayers.  its a heavy decision.....

bluepearl

By passing evidence based treatments is very unwise. Triple neg has only chemo as a treatment and is a very aggressive form of breast cancer that must have an aggressive form of treatment, 1.9 cm is large enough to be concerned about vascular invasion and already, this cancer has been sneaky enough to recurr