Chemotherapy or Not?

Anonymous

Chemotherapy or Not?

starlove

Hello,

I was diagnosed with ER+ PR+ HER2+ Stage 2 breast cancer on January 2017. I have IDC. They don't know yet if it has spread to lymph nodes, but they have seen that one of the lymph node has thicken. I will have a PET/CT scan done to see more. My overall body CT scan was normal. I went to two oncologist and they both say they want me to have about 4 months of Chemotherapy which includes TCHP drugs. I have to take Herceptin and one more drug after chemotherapy. Fist oncologist also suggests removing my ovaries, but second one did not seemed to be concerned. They both want me to have double mastectomy. I definitely don't want to do chemotherapy because of I have read that years later, people get cancer in different organs. Is there anyone that had gone through what is planned for me and have survived more than 5 years? I appreciate all the answers I could get.

Diagnosis: Stage 2 IDC on left breast January 2017

Right breast: a lump that might be a tumor. Biopsy recommended.

No treatment as of now.

CT scan clear.

PET scan unknown.

Left breast has calcifications and couple small tumors as well.

BarredOwl

Hi starlove:

Stage 2 HER2+ breast cancer carries a substantial risk of incurable, distant metastatic "recurrence" if left untreated with chemotherapy plus HER2-targeted therapy. That distant recurrence risk substantially exceeds the risk of severe adverse effects of treatment, such as secondary leukemias. Please discuss these relative risks with your team to ensure your thinking about risk/benefit is sound.

Meanwhile, here is a link to the "triple-positive" group, where many with similar diagnoses have received and are receiving the therapies under consideration in your case:

Triple-positive Group: https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/80/topics/764183

BarredOwl

debiann

Starlove, so sorry you I to be here. For some types of breast cancer, chemo may not be recommended because the risks outweigh the benefits, however this is not the case with HER2+ bc. This type of cancer is more aggressive. Your risk of developing metastic breast cancer without chemo is far greater than the risk of developing a secondary cancer from the chemo. You need to treat the known, not worry about the unknown. Fortunetly, the targeted treatments available today for HER2+ bc (herceptin & perjeta) can be very successful. With chemo and hormone therapy your prognosis is likely very good

Christina313

Starlove,

If it were me, I wouldn't think twice about it. Take the chemo. It's not as bad as people make it out to be. My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer that spread to her liver. Right from the start. Without that chemo, she would be dead within a month. It got rid of all the cancer (so far). If you look at chemo such as Taxol. It is made out of a tree. It's designed to kill the cancer, even the microscopic cancer.

Other than my mom loosing her hair and being a little emotional. She had no other side effects.

It is worth doing. It is designed to get all the cancer cells that are missed from surgery. Even the microscopic ones.

MinusTwo

You're HER2+ so do the chemo. I don't believe you can have access to Herceptin without it, and that's a game changer.

Momine

Yes, I had extensive chemo (8 rounds) and I am 5 years out. There are risks with chemo, no question, but often the risk of the cancer untreated is greater

starlove

Thank you so much Everyone. I am sorry for the late reply. I only did herceptin perceta for three months and it made me really sick. I stopped the treatment. My husband did not contribute to any of my medical bills, I had to pay from my savings. I have so many issues with my teeth now because of that treatment. I have not been getting any treatment. I just want my life to be over. The tumor got bigger and second little tumor appeared in the same breast. My husband never once told me to get a treatment. He never encouraged me. All he does when he comes home is to play his board games in his office or read book or watch TV. He knows I am going to die, he never shows any emotion. I heard that he was complaining to his mother about me, and when I told him about it, he has said that I am paranoid. He did not take me out for valentines. He even talk about how long he will wait before he start dating again after I die. I can not believe it. I wanted to leave him all my savings upon mydeath, but since he has not paid a single bill for me (even though he has a lot of money in hi ssaving), I don't think he should get anything. I am lost. Life has no meaning for me.

Meow13

Does anyone know why herceptin is never given without chemo?

https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01104935?te...

Meow13

Also for this trial you must be between 70 and 80 years old. This has been going on for years.

SpecialK

meow - they work synergistically, and Herceptin only has an effect on the Her2+ aspect of the cells. When Herceptin was first in trials they found it prolonged DFS/OS when added to chemotherapy, since chemo was standard of care. It was not trialed without chemo due to the ethics of withholding potentially beneficial chemo just to see what would happen when Herceptin was used as a solo agent. There is a new study for Her2+ patients who are also hormonal receptor positive which combines targeted therapy with anti-hormonals, no chemo, but it is early in the trial process. The study you cited is in Japan only, and has reached the primary completion date, study end date is April 2018. Since it is a Phase III it should report out within a reasonable time period.