Oncotype Dx - Regrets?

gemini4

Brigitte, please don't let the dirty margins scare you in to thinking that the cancer has spread beyond your breasts. It's not uncommon for ILC to require reexcisions, and many women with ILC end up with mastectomies as you did. Your clean nodes are reassuring that the cancer did not go beyond the breasts. I had an OncoType score of 16, which was still considered low. Your score of 4 is one of the lowest (if not THE lowest) that I've seen posted here. 

Finally, think of your aromasin (or any aromatase inhibitor that you might be taking)  as a daily dose of chemo. I'm still premenopausal and on tamoxifen, but my MO said this daily pill is a very effective weapon in the battle to keep recurrence or distant mets at bay.  I believe the new recommendation is ten vs five years of hormone therapy. 

gemini4

had a chance to reread this thread and wanted to add something ... You mentioned cells "outside the clear margin" ... Were you offered or did you have radiation?  

SoCalMom71

hi Caryn,

Loved your response. So true what you said. After having been diagnosed in February and the ups and downs followed I can finally breath and move on with my life. I didn't need chemo and I'm on tamoxifen. But there were people who looked at me and said you look so normal to which I felt like saying I'm normal or at least trying to be. 

You've to look at BC as journey you didn't enjoy but learned a lot from it and started appreciating things you've.

BrigitteBB

I'm backkkk! - Still struggling a little and moving to Florida!

Thank you all for your kind and informative responses! - I'm going to have a new Oncologist soon so maybe communication will be better wit this one!

I was fine until I started taking Aromasin. I had a blood clot so can't take Tamoxifen.... I seriously think the Steroid effect is to blame!

I find comfort in having something to blame for being a little cranky, I don't want to blame my body after all!

BrigitteBB

I was thrown into Menopause wit the Lupron and then an Ooph too! - That's going to have to take some of the blame too!

I'm really not usually a Grumpy person!

Meow13

My oncodx was 34 and I chose no chemo every fiber of me felt it wasn't for me but I am taking hormone therapy

I would like to strengthen my immune system. I spend little time worrying about reoccurance 

because I feel pretty good.

Cammychris

I am 34 years old had the double mastectomy , I was scheduled to do chemo, put it off so that I could have Oncotest done, I really thought it would be super low:(  It came back at 31 so now I have to start chemo next week.  I am bummed out, scared and anxious I keep thinking this is all a dream.  I do know this I can not live my life in fear everyday(I have a lot of fear) I want to try and have the best life I can with the ones I love.  I can not remember the person I was before all this, I do know that the person I am now is much kinder, loving, giving overall a better person.  I think we have been dealt crappy card but to sit and let it take complete control of your life chemo or no chemo Cancer will win.  We have to be stronger then this I am not saying we are not allowed a pity party or to be pissed off you are entitled to that but there is a saying that has stuck in my head "Have Faith ,not Fear"!!!  Good luck!

Evgeniya

I live in AUSTRALIA . Here we dont have any oncotype tests done. at all. and in my opinion it would be a blessing if we had. otherways to have or not to have chemo is a guessing game. Doctors HOWEVER! propose oncotype done in US but it cost $5000 and does not covered by medicare. i would be more comfortable with my desision not to have a chemo if i would have a backup of oncotype test.