What Percentage of BC Patients are Treated with Chemotherapy?

SummerAngel

I've been trying to find the answer to this question for a while now. Does anyone have links to an answer? I found one article that gave some general statistics about types of treatments and their use, but it wasn't specific to chemo vs radiation for each percentage and I'd really like a more accurate number overall, especially recently (after 2012 at least).

People are still surprised to find that I had bilateral invasive BC, Stage II, and no chemo.

gb2115

It's an interesting question---what %. You might ask the Johns Hopkin's nurse who answers questions online. That seems like something she might know.

I think the rates of chemo are probably going down, with the rise of genomic testing like Oncotype and Mammaprint, which are specifically for being able to weed out those who wouldn't statistically benefit from chemo. It's not that the cancer isn't as bad or severe, just that it won't respond enough to the chemo to make it worth it.

I feel like people around me have indicated that my cancer is not a big deal because I didn't get chemo. I would beg to differ, having experienced the misery of radiation. :-P

SummerAngel

Thanks for the reply. It is strange to me that it's not an easily-found statistic, even from years ago!

BarredOwl

I only have information on specific subgroups of patients.

According to one source, "chemotherapy use is under-reported in SEER. Although the magnitude of under-reporting is unknown, one study involving the Medicare population suggested a 30% relative under-ascertainment."

So, subject to certain limitations arising from the study design, here is one recent study in a group of patients with "invasive disease (stage I–II) that was ER-positive and HER2-negative." See also, references cited therein.

Kurian (2017), "Recent Trends in Chemotherapy Use and Oncologists' Treatment Recommendations for Early-Stage Breast Cancer"

https://academic.oup.com/jnci/advance-article/doi/10.1093/jnci/djx239/4718501

Free pdf available.

Related Medscape feature re Kurian: 'Powerful Trend': Chemo Use for Breast Cancer Drops

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/890227?src=medscapeapp-ipad&ref=email

Medscape registration is free. To access the full-text without registration, google the title of the article above in bold.

BarredOwl

SummerAngel

Thanks, BarredOwl!

MollyRiver

Hi,

I'm in England and I had a multifocal breast cancer - 7 invasive tumours and lots of high grade dcis, 12.4 cm in total. I really struggled with the no chemotherapy or radiotherapy, I still am. I was wondering were all of your tumours tested for HER2, and were all of them sent for an oncotype test? Only two of mine were tested for HER2 and one was sent for oncotype testing. Six years ago a woman I know was treated by the same people at the same hospital with the same diagnosis and histology was given chemotherapy and radiotherapy just to make absolutely certain that they get all of it. I've been told that they've stopped 'over-treatment' as women have been left worse off. I've been put on 5 years of tamoxifen and not 10 years because I'm a 'low risk' (oncotype for one tumour was 12). In my eyes, low risk doesn't mean NO risk!

If there is anyone else out there with a case like mine I'd love to hear from you.

Tracyne

Multifocal disease here.

Chemotherapy but no radiation. Had I not had Diep reconstruction I believe radiation would have been recommended. The MO I see seems to “feel" multifocal and tumor grade are aggressiveness indicators . Although he has never provided data to back this up or that chemo even works to prevent recurrence in this scenario. I've seen conflicting studies on the matter. But, hey when they can bill $26,000 for a single chemo treatment - chemo is the best choice . Jk I'm cranky tonight.

I think you will be well served by NO chemo.

Tracy

SummerAngel

MollyRiver, I understand your concern. Only my largest tumors (2, one on each side) were tested at all, only one (the left) was Oncotyped, and neither was tested post-surgery for possible differences in histology from biopsy. I'm not a worrier by nature, but it does make me wonder sometimes. It's true that women have been overtreated in the past (and sometimes still are), and side-effects from treatment can sometimes be severe and lifelong, but we all want to make sure we're doing the right thing for our particular diagnosis and circumstances.

Meow13

Just remember hormone therapy can just as effective or even more effective than chemo in certain cancers.