Is Chemo in UK Different from Chemo in US?

Cee67

Hi ladies,

Are any of you from the UK?

I was watching a video on You Tube discussing an alternative cancer treatment/cure and later was reading the comments. I realize comments are opinions, but one poster said something that made me curious regarding chemo cycles in UK vs US. Here is the part of the comment I'm referring to:

----There is a risk with some chemotherapies however that too much chemo can keep the body from recovering, in the UK the patient is given time between chemo treatments so that patients can stay healthy and the cancer has time to go into remission, in the US who knows?----

The remarks about the US healthcare system aside, do you guys receive your chemo with longer breaks in between than we do here in the US? Is this a case of someone who doesn't know what they're talking about?

BTW I'm not on chemo - just curious

rozem

no. Not at all. Im in Canada and we have similar protocols as UK. Chemo cycles for BC specifically are 3 wks and 2 wks (dose dense) the chemo combos are the same as the US other than FEC which is like FAC and A/C 

No i dont think they have a clue!!!

Trisha-Anne

I don't think the person has a clue either.

I'm in Australia and we have similar protocols as the UK although some are like the US too.  We tend to use FEC-T a lot or CT. With FEC it's usually every three weeks, Taxotere is every three weeks, but Taxol is usually weekly with a lower dose.

wintersocks

      I am in the UK.

I had 3 EC  and 4 TAX  ~   2 weeks between each cycle. Neo Adjuvant. 

That's pretty standard.  Most do not have dose dense.   

We are very fortunate to have free health care here.

Cee67

Ok, I thought he was wrong, but thank you for clearing it up for me As far as what he said about healthcare ; I do think there is disparity in the care that rich and poor receive, but the insurance companies make getting care difficult for many people regardless of social standing. I have lots of friends in AUS, NZ, Netherlands and UK and they all tell me how lucky they are to never have to worry over what ins will cover.

Anyway, thank you guys - I had a feeling he was wrong but I knew coming here would help clear it up

happygran

I too, think we're very lucky to have the NHS in the UK.

I was dx over 6 years ago, had surgery, chemo & rads within a very short timeframe.......

I consider myself very lucky that we're not like the US. I had the dx, treatment etc very very quickly (dx within a week) and didn't have to think about insurance etc........it was all paid.

I can't imagine having to go thro' all this when worrying about costs................that's the last thing you need.

RebzAmy

Also from the UK, and wow the NHS was amazing - I knew that some ladies in the past had had to fight for the treatment they needed and I was just given it boom boom boom at specialist cancer hospitals with top consultants and I felt so reassured and treated amazingly. I did have private healthcare and could have been treated by the same consultants privately but was advised to remain on the NHS as the treatment I would receive would be just as good - they did not say if not better however, when I needed to see somebody, they fitted me in immediately, I was treated as top priority - it was amazing. Anyway I received 3 x FEC 3 x Taxotere (3 weekly dose dense) followed by Herceptin for a year a double mastectomy and reconstructions and 3 weeks of radiotherapy with a bolus to the area where the lump was.

Cee67

You guys are really lucky. Of course, to hear our news tell it, everyone from over there comes here for our healthcare b/c theirs is so bad.

I don't believe it as I have friends all over the world and they are always happy with the care they're getting.

Kicks

I am VERY happy with my care here in the USA. I also happen to be a Veteran. VA iimmediately out sourced me to the local Cancer,Care Center. That was 5+yrs ago and I am still NED (as far as I know today).

Cee67

I have state health care due to blindness. My ins finds the cheapest doctors that they can. They referred me to a surgeon and yesterday, while at my GP, she told me that "He operates on anyone for anything - he's a prick."

She only tells me this stuff because we have a great rapport. The surgeon gets horrible reviews online as well. I had to request another and find another one, and she is better, though not very warm - no bedside manner but, she's a surgeon. She just wants to cut LOL.

I have gotten some fabulous care, but only if I research, find names of MD's I want, and then check with my ins co. to see if they're on the list. I don't mind researching but when I am ill like this, all I want to worry about is getting better - not whether my ins will cover a thing, and not live in fear every time I'm referred to a new specialist of what kind of care I will receive from that person.

My husband has ins through his job that costs several hundred per mo yet the ins doesn't kick in until he exhausts the yearly deductible of $1000 and then after that coverage is 80/20. It's like paying for coverage yet not having any. It's essentially catastrophic coverage.

I wish we did not have to worry about these things.