CMF for Triple Negative

Tesoricx

Hi, I was dx with stage 1b TN with a micro metastasis (tiny microscopic spec) in 1 out of 3 nodes. Tumor size 7mm. My onc suggested cmf. My 2nd and 3rd opinion all thought ACT so that's what I did (though I used the dr who suggested cmf because I liked him best and he agreed to give me ACT. Only now am I researching things (was too scared before) and the latest research is showing cmf virtually as effective and much less toxic with less side effects. Plus your hair usually just thins! My hair was very thick so a little thinning would've been fine. Losing my hair has been so hard. Anyone had cmf for their TN please share your experience/success with it!

Tesoricx

anyone?

anotherNYCGirl

i was on cmf in 2000 for first bout. (i was er/pr+ then)

my current onc said cmf is hardly used any more, and never really considered anything other than ACT for trip neg, which is what I am now on.

Seems to me that you made the right choice!

Tesoricx

thx anothernycgirl. I am near you in CT just over the NY border. My onc said cmf is showing to be very effective against TN and he thinks that will soon become standard of care. I know dr clifford hudis at Sloan is becoming a proponent of cmf for TN too. Thanks for sharing your experience and good luck. 

Tesoricx

anyone else? 

VerukaNY

Have you seen any studies that show clear advantage for cmf over act for tnbc? I couldn't find any except a very small study in China and something else in Canada.  I think it is still an ongoing debate.  Are you through treatment already?  

Tesoricx

I am thru chemo, 6 more radiation treatments. I don't know where the studies originated from but if you google dr clifford hudis tnbc and cmf, you'll see the studies. I had act but now I'm worried it was overly toxic, that cmf could've done the job and been gentler on the body without the risk of heart/ leukemia. How long has ACT been around, does anyone know? Cmf has women who used it 25+ years ago and have no ill long term effect. My aunt (thru marriage) took it 23 years ago and is on great health now. Runs around with grand kids all day long. 

redheeledwomen

Can you please educate us on what CMF is?  I am also TN but due to age was only given the chemo option of TC.  Nothing else was offered or advised.  I have heard of ACT as an option in older women but, I wasn't a candidate here in WA State.  Thanks.

anotherNYCGirl

Hi

CMF is cytoxin, methyltrexate, and 5FU.

I did find it much easier to tolerate than Adriamycin, Cytoxin and Taxol.    I did not lose my hair on CMF, I continued working full time as a preschool teacher, and I did not even tell my elderly Mom about my situation then.      AC was an option for me then, too, and would have been less months of treatment, but I have a heart condition, so the onc opted for CMF.

I am currently being treated at a major oncological center on Long Island, and I have to assume they feel that the benefit of ACT outweigh the risks.     

Wishing you both GOOD HEALTH !

redheeledwomen

anotherNYCGirl- Thank you for the info.  I really enjoy bco because I learn something new everyday.  Thanks again!

Dleon24

I was just diagnosed age 48 with TNBC stage 2 , I went for three opinions and I found a great oncologist who attended MD Anderson as a student ( only 15-20 students per year are accepted) he is also triple board certified. He refuses to work for these big hospitals like Sloan etc because they all have standard protocols due to new types of drugs that they force the Drs to use them. Sloan and Summit Medical group all suggested ACT to me, however he explained to me on cellular level why CMF is just as effective if not more and less toxic, also less expensive which I find interesting, I read all about CMF and not one study showed that ACT works better. All it says it is the newest type of chemo. My Dr feels why bring out the :" big Guns" now when god forbid I ever have a relapse he can then go to ACT because once you use that you can never use it again. So for me he was extremely brilliant and stepped out of the box and customized a plan for me with no threat to my health. I researched all he said and it all is true. Statistics are no different. I look at it this way it is kind of like phones, old phones are out of date however still made the phone call just as effectively, today we have more fancy expensive phones where people make more money off of,,,,, that is how I compare CMF and ACT, I will be starting my chemo in three weeks. That's my analogy. Anyone else use CMF?

Farfalla6

hi:

I am also 48 and just diagnosed with TN; I don't meet with oncologist (at Sloane) till next week, so very interested in reading this. I really need to continue to work, so that is a big concern of mine, as I know I will need chemotherapy. I'm not sure what they will recommend, but a friend whose had personal experience a few years ago said AC+T was standard for TN tumors.

santabarbarian

Nobody but me seemed to get my chemo but it worked well and I believe it was easier to tolerate than AC with fewer long term SEs.

I had carboplatin and Taxotere... these are the chemos that seem to be given to Her2+ along with Herceptin and Peralta (?sp)

Dleon24

Yes Sloan will tell you ACT is the standard protocol now they will not give you anything else ,,, again my Dr stands alone working as an independent oncologust for these reasons . He is considered one of the best Oncologists in N.J. and as mentioned before in my previous message attended the best school in the country and is triple board certified . He is not forced to use any drug .He doesn't have contracts with pharmaceutical companies and uses what he wanst. Plenty of studies show that it is just as effective if not more ACT actually has a higher reoccurance rate

Steeler13

i also used CMF for triple negative stage 1(c) in 2017-2018. I was treated at University of Miami. I read the same things that you did. Thanks for sharing.

MountainMia

There's some comparison of CMF vs alternatives here

https://www.uptodate.com/contents/adjuvant-chemotherapy-for-her2-negative-breast-cancer/print

Deesav

I Was given a choice today the doctor strongly suggest act I’m leaning towards cmf. I’m very confused this is all new to me. Act seems to be very hard on the body. I’m a stage 2b one lymph node was compromised. Any input would be helpful

santabarbarian

I had yet a different chemo, Taxotere and Crboplatin. I think it is considered less awful than AC/ T and has fewer long term risks. Can you ask your MO what subtype they think you are? Basal-like TNBCs do well with carboplatin.

Deesav

May I ask the name of your Dr.? Did you have any lymph node involvement. I’m loosing my mind. I can’t seem to make a Rational decision

wombet

CMF chemo 5 cycles 13 years ago for TNBC. Didn't finish last treatment due to other medical issues 1.2 cm no nodes. Grade 3, stage 1C

Cancer free and am doing great. I am so glad I did this chemo. I wish there were studies of CMF with carboplatin for TNBC. They are really stuck on the AC and taxanes right now. Most concerning to me are the studies were they show great positive short-term results, but no differences on DFS and OF....that was a shocking thing to read on some studies I looked at

Very confusing but it does seem that profits may be driving some cancer decisions today.

santabarbarian

I was happy with Carboplatin and Taxotere. My hometown MO recommended it. He is Stanford/Stanford. I also had a 2nd opinion from Sara Hurvitz, head of breast oncology at the Jonsson Center at UCLA who agreed with that chemo rcommendation. My MO felt AC had too many long term risks (heart damage).

wombet

@SantaB.....Very good news on your reatment results. The studies with carboplatin are very encouraging. Given some studies showing CMF as effective as AC, I hope there are more studies done soon. It sounds like your doctor is a wise man. How hard was the carboplatin in terms of side effects?

santabarbarian

Not too bad, mostly fatigue. My friend did carboplatin alone for NSCLC and did not even lose her hair. But Taxotere will make hair come out. With 2 drugs its a bit hard to discern what drug caused which SEs.

I did tell m MO that my quality of life was very important to me and that I did not want to be "saved" just to spend the next twenty years with heart problems. He's a very good doctor and felt the combo would be as effective with fewer long term problems.