Can u help me decide about my treatment, please ?

Chriisstina

Hi

I am taking A/C dose dense, still got 2 more to take, and the doctor has prescribed me after A/C - taxotere every 3 weeks ...

But I was reading that taking taxol 12 weekly is better from the researchers that I have read ...

I don't know what to do exactly , maybe he has'nt presribed me taxol because I had taken once before 10 years , I had ovary cancer stage 1 ,and taked 4 taxol every 3 weeks ...

What do you think ,I'm ILC 12 positive nodes, estrogen 100 % , progresteron 0 % , her2 negativ ...??

Is anyone there that could help me that it does matter that I have taken once taxol and that's why I'm not offered it ...? IF NOT -

Wich is better for ILC and estrogen positive please ...I feel confused now and need some help .

Thank you (Christina's mom) Hugs

pupmom

If you are uncertain/unclear about these treatment options, I suggest you get a second medical opinion (we're not doctors here). Best wishes!

Chriisstina

Pupmom - I know that you're not doctors thank you for wanting to help me with this, but saw some people here follows the news and are on update better than doctors lol

I would not make any decision without my doctor decision , even If I wan't I can't do that just askng... I just wanted some opinions from other experiences and when I meet my doc I can disscus with him wich is the best , can't wait till then ,thought I could learn something ,I hope you understand how I'm feeling , we all want the best treatment but I still have time to do the right desicion, wich has better outcome ok thank you ...

pupmom

I understand, was just worried you might make decisions based on what you read here.

hopefour

I went to MD Anderson for my second option. I decided to follow their treatment plan, which they had research to back, which had me do taxol once every week for 12 weeks. This was 6 years ago and I believe they still recommand. Yes, they recommend this for ILC BC as my friend who had ILC also folioed this protocol. Just passing this along..do your research then move forward with confidence!

muska

Christina, it takes a lot of medical training to read and understand research results. You need to ask your oncologist why (s)he prefers giving you taxotere over taxol, (s)he might have good reasons for that. As others suggested above, a second or even third opinion about chemo is something to consider if you are not satisfied with the answers you get from your medical team.

I notice from your profile you are IIIc which I suppose requires more aggressive treatment than IIIa. I was offered to choose between a regimen that included taxotere and the one I took (see my profile below.) When I asked my oncologist why she was giving me options, she said she was more inclined to think my cancer had been there for years before it was found, i.e. was not very aggressive. She also said, if she thought it were more aggressive she wouldn't have given me any options and I would be on dose dense taxotere. Bottom line, such questions should be answered by the specialists who know your case.

Good luck to you!

IAmElaine

Hi, there. I can tell you I had a very similar diagnosis as yours. My stats are below.

I was diagnosed March 1st, 2004. At the time there was a new protocol, just out of trials at UCLA Medical Center, that my onc wanted me to do. Since my bc was locally advanced and the tumor was huge, I had to do chemo before surgery. This new protocol called for TAC x 6 (with Taxotere). I did TAC x 4 before surgery which shrunk the tumor down to <1cm. It really was remarkable. I then had a bilateral mastectomy followed by the final TAC x 2. After I healed a bit, I had 30 rads and I have now been on some sort of anti-hormonal for over 12 years.

This is just one of many protocols out there. One onc will prefer one while another likes a different one. My own onc believes Taxoere is slightly superior but who really knows?

Kicks

Your Dr is the one to talk to/question why a particular drug is proposed.

I definately could be wrong on this but it is my understanding that once a particular drug (Taxol in your case) has previously been used for a cancer, it's not going to be used again.

Again - your Dr is the one who can address your concerns/questions. Your TX plan was probably what the Tumor Board at your Facility suggested. Just because there is some new protocohol published does not automatically make it correct for all of us individually. My TX plan was not what most did (or do) - neoadjuvant chemo, surgery, adjuvant chemo BUT it worked for me. Most who do neoadjuvant chemo will do 2 different drugs both neoadjuvant - not 1 neoadjuvant and 1 adjuvant as I did. We are each so unique and our Drs all have different, not just robots that are exactly the same.