Difference Between Two Chemo Regimens

ThinkingPositive

IAdriamycin, Cytoxan, Taxol

or

Taxotere/Cytoxan

I have posted before on how to choose...just wondering if anyone out there knows any percentages of one over the other??

IDC, Stage 2A, 1.1cm, grade 3, 1/17 nodes, ER+/PR+ HER2 Negative,

I have high blood pressure, last bone density a few years ago, I was diagnosed as osteopenia... have read that Adriamycin is terrible on the heart, my maternal grandfather died of a heart attack and both my mother and father had high blood pressure.. not sure if this will make me more of a risk of developing heart problems. Going back to the oncologist today to discuss again, was there last Thursday..my husband seems to think the side effects and lasting side effects are not worth doing the chemo unless the percentages are going to decrease the risk by alot. Does anyone know how much these two regimens reduce the risk of it coming back and/or killing any thing that might be floating around... in addition to doing the 5 years hormonal drugs.. My husband is worried that I am 58 and will become 70 once chemo is done. I was told that I could do just hormonal if I so chose, but adding chemo to the plan would bring down the percentages of recurring and killing cells that may have strayed. What I was not told was the percentages for each one.. all I know is that there is the first one that is standard of care... I am guessing it was suggested since the tumor was grade 3 and one lymph node was positive. But it seems as though that is the standard of care for people with stage 3 as well...in some cases.. Just worried about being over agressive with treatment if there is really no need or benefit ??

Are there any other tests that they will do besides echocardiogram before starting chemo?

Kicks

IBC (Inflammatory Breast Cancer) is NOT IDC or ILC (Invasive/Infiltration Ductal Carcinoma or Invasive/infiltrating Lobular Carcinoma).  IBC is almost never DXd before at least Stage III because of it's aggressive/rapid presentation.  The SOP for TX because of how it presents is neoadjuvant chemo.  Why do you (or your Hubby) think that as Stage II you would 'be on chemo from 58 to 70;'?  Makes no sense. 

WinningSoFar

IBC (Inflammatory Breast Cancer) is NOT IDC or ILC

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Is this right, Kicks? I thought that my IBC was really IDC cell structure, just in the lymph system. Oh, now I remember, I had a solid tumor, which definitely was IDC, but the lymphatic involvement was also IDC.

ThinkingPositive

Sorry that was a typo...it actually is Invasive Ductal Carcninoma... IDC

ThinkingPositive

My husband is worried that I am 58 years old now and when done with chemo (in 3 months or 5 months) I will be as though I am a 70 year old woman after treatments. He seems to think this will age me and I will not be the same person I am now. I should have been more clear...I am sure you can understand that I cannot think very clearly trying to get through this...

Anonymous

Chemo makes you tired but doesn't cause wrinkles...and better a few wrinkles and aches and pains if it did cause them than not being here at all. Those are side effects that can be managed. What I'm curious about is your husband's idea that 70 year old women aren't viable--I have a 70 year old friend who does bikram yoga, bikes, runs, and generally loves life, which makes her beautiful. Is there something more he might be afraid of than this? I don't mean to pry, but if chemo kills the cancer, why worry right now about this?

SpecialK

Ask your oncologist to show you a calculator, such as Adjuvent, or use one of these below, so that you can have a more complete idea of how much your risk will be reduced by chemo.  Also, did you have an Oncotype Dx test done?  It will inform you about how much benefit chemo will provide when added to hormonal therapy.

http://www.predict.nhs.uk/predict.html

http://www.lifemath.net/cancer/breastcancer/therapy/index.php

Which tests are administered prior to chemo are individualized to each oncologist so you would have to ask yours.  Both regimens are used regularly and each have their particular side effects.  How you tolerate each regimen is an individual thing - some people breeze through, others struggle.  There does not necessarily seem to be a correlation to age, fitness, etc. - I have seen young and fit have a hard time, and ladies in their 70's do just fine.  What is your husband basing his worry about your accelerated aging on specifically?  Accelerated aging is not a given, with either regimen, and BCO is filled with ladies who had chemo in their 50's and have not had this happen - I am one.

 

Kicks

ThinkingPositive -  Your name says a lot that will pull you through much in life.

.We are each so unique that there is no way to know how you will or won't react to anything.  Chemo will be nastier to some than other but no way to predict.

I was 63 when DXd IBC - am 68 now and as far as I know today still NED (no one knows what 'tomorrow' will bring any of us).    I did 4 DD A/C neoadjuvant and 12 weekly.Taxol adjuvant, then 25 rads.  A/C was not bad at all and did not slow me down at all.  Taxol was not nice - I was completely and utterly exhausted.  I started rads a week after last Taxol and felt better every day.  I am still am as active as I ever was; I garden, now my own yard (and several others to heap others) with my push mower, I bicycle, I care for and ride our horses,  among so many other things.  I have always like to fish but have a new passion since - fly fishing, fly typing and rod building.  So yeah - chemo did not make me 'OLD' - only I can do that.  My body is more 'aged' but I refuse to allow my 'mind' to make me OLD.  Life is so precious and should be lived to the utmost as far as I am concerned. 

I went into TX basically 'healthy' and still am.   Was osteopenia (had been for many years and a huge family HX on both sides of family) and now osteoporosis (but expected anyway) and under control.  Arthritis in upper back (again there for MANY years) - it has progressed but would have anyway.

I probably have a few more 'wrinkles' but just normal over years.  I was so hoping that after chemo my hair would come back 'grey' - IT DIDN'T!  I am 'cursed' with Daddy's genes when it comes to hair color.  Mom's side 'greyed' very young, Daddy's side 'never' did.  Mine is still as dark NATURALLY as has always been.   It is amazing how many peebles I do not know will tell me that "you will look younger' if you don't dye your hair so dark" - I DO NOT DYE IT - IT'S HOW IT GROWS NATURALLY!

MEG2

ThinkingPositive, I did the A/C, Taxol regimen (diagnosed at 50, almost 51 and am now 52). There were two things I heard from my Onc. that led me to that regimen "we are going to be aggressive with your treatment because we want to give you 30 or 40 more years" and "there is no reason you won't live the same lifespan as that of your family tree" (mother is 83, grandmother lived to 84, great grandmother lived to 99)...that was all I needed to hear to move forward. I do have hypertension that is well controlled and had a heart scan/MUGA to make sure my heart was in shape to manage the A/C. My test results were excellent and we moved forward, I am aware of the risks however, the benefit definitely outweighed the risks for me. I have two fantastic sons, a large loving extended family and friends that I want to hang out with for a hell of a lot longer. I did chemo first, MX second and radiation last followed by tamoxifen/AI therapy for 5 - 10 years. it's been just 9 months since I finished rads and I feel great, and am 1 week out from my DIEP reconstruction. I am an active person and eat a healthy diet...the nursing staff during my recent hospital stay was amazed at how well I got through the major surgery of breast reconstruction telling me that I've done better than most women much younger. Saw my PS just Tuesday and he said you look fabulous and by the way that is a great boob! He may be a bit biased however...

My point is that even after A/C, Taxol, I feel great, look great and have the same love of life I had before...I have not aged one bit beyond the natural aging process and I am looking forward to being given the gift of aging!!

Everyone has a different experience with chemo and other treatments and you may feel older after in body, mind and spirit but you can recover and do well and thrive beyond BC treatment....best wishes to you.