I need advice

dobby

My 82 year old mother's BS didn't really give me an straightforward answer when I asked him if her HER2 was positive or negative.  He said it was a 1 but we should speak to the MO....I think that means she is triple negative and he didn't want to say it so he is leaving it for the oncologist.  He mentioned chemo but didn't seem thrilled with someone over 80 having it.  Is it pretty much a  given that without chemo, this is going to spread quickly?  She had the lumpectomy and was going to have rads, now I don't even know about the rads.  As I understand it, the rads will only kill any localized cancer.  It feels like it's just more bad news.  QOL is important and I don't want her to suffer.  Any thoughts on chemo at her age?  I feel like there is no good choice here.

Luah

My aunt was 87 when diagnosed with breast cancer. I have no idea if it was TN or not. She had a mastectomy and nothing else, and lived for 7 more years, dying of something unrelated. That's one case, only. I think your mother's onc is in the best position to advise on chemo as he/she would have seen hundreds of cases... and will know her exact pathology (grade, stage and type), risk factors, personal health, tolerance etc. RO can advise on rads, depending on her surgical choice. Her age is a factor obviously, but there are youthful, otherwise-healthy 82 year-olds and there are older, weaker 82 year-olds with complicating medical conditions. I'm sure you and your mom will find the choice that's right for her once you have more information.  

Babs37

My grandma was 76 when she had TNBC. She had LX, she did chemo and all went well and had rads after. Her onc said that at her age it doesnt spread as quickly as if she was younger because the cells dont regenerate as fast and that she would probably die of something else not cancer related. And she was right. My grandma lived through it all and died of something unrelated.

dobby

Hi babs-

My mom's MO didn't offer her chemo; not sure she would have taken it, she was very afraid of it having seen my grandmother do so poorly on it (but that was years ago).   So is TN still slow growing because of age, even if it is an aggressive form of cancer?  The rads will probably begin next week sometime.   Even though your grandma is no longer here, I'm glad she was able to move on from the bc and it never returned.