Nervous about recurrence!

DogLovers1992

Hi everyone,

The below information is about my mother. She's 61 years old and finished her final radiation treatment today (12/5/2017) which was fifteen doses. She finished her chemotherapy back in July, 9 out of 12 doses, due to the side effects being too much for her to handle. She didn't start radiation until November because the chemotherapy made her sciatic swell and she had to go to physical therapy to get that under control so she could handle the radiation.

Back in September she had her 12 month mammogram. Her next one is in March. My question is, what are the chances of a recurrence between then and now? I cannot really find a definite answer anywhere and her doctor told her in the beginning that her chances with chemo and tamoxifen (she's going to take an aromatose inhibitor since she's post menopausal) would be 14% over a ten year period, and that's all I really got out of him. Anyway, any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Georgia1

Hi there. It sounds like your mom has pretty positive aspects if the radiation oncologist let her do three weeks of treatment instead of seven. But do you know why it is classified as grade 3? The odds of a short-term recurrence is pretty low, so do try not to stress too much. A ten-year recurrence projection of 14 percent is fairly low and makes her odds pretty good overall I think, with a small tumor, stage !A, and ER+.

You are a sweet daughter to research things for her.

DogLovers1992

Hi Georgia,

The pathology report classified the tumor as a Grade 3, and her Onctotype came back at a 36 which told us that despite being caught early, the cancer was an aggressive (yet highly treatable) kind of cancer. Everyone we've spoken too over the course of this seems pretty positive about her outcome but I cannot help but worry.

KBeee

High oncotype means chemo was of benefit for her. I know it is hard to not worry, but worrying will not keep cancer away. It will however stress both you and your mom out, so please try to stay distracted. Hopefully it never returns. If it goes, deal with it then. Do not let cancer steal any other moments away due to worry. Focus on the here and now, support your mom. And make memories. Hopefully you will be making memories for the next 20+ years ago.

My mom has actually had breast cancer twice (30 years apart. I have had it twice (1.5 years apart). We're still making memories and moving beyond cancer

Hopeful82014

Regarding the number of weeks of radiation (3 vs. 7): The shorter protocol has been used for a number of years in the UK, Europe and Canada and is finally getting more traction here. That the OP's mother had 3 weeks of radiation indicates to me that her RO was using the so-called 'Canadian Protocol' rather than the longer protocol that has been commonly used in the US. It says nothing, one way or another, about anyone's estimate of her prognosis, good or bad. It indicates that her RO is up to date AND felt that she was a good candidate for that protocol.