Chemo before surgery

Walden1

Did you have any pains, or other odd feelings in your breast during chemo? I've noticed some bruise like feelings near the tumors once in a while. Other muscle soreness in the arm, neck, chest, which may just be chemo SEin general. It's a little hard to describe, but my doctor is not concerned. It worries me though, would like assurance tumors are shrinking.

beauz

Hi Walden, I had neoadjuvant chemo. I experienced pins and needles sort of pain for a few days after each infusion. My MO and nurse both said it was chemo at work. I could feel tumor was shrinking, but not as much as I would like. After my surgery, my MO put me on Xeloda. I am still experience pins and needles pain on the tumor site. I guess it's Xeloda working on the residual cancer cells. Wishing you a smooth chemo time.

Walden1

thanks Baez! Hope you are recovering well. How long do you take xeloda? Looks like we have a similar size tumor(s). Mine is two 2cm tumors close together with DCIS around totalling about 5cm. I was told I needed a masectomy because I would be deformed other wise. I have DD breasts, so I was surprised by that. How did your surgeon achieve a lumpectomy? I think it was the DCIS spread that confirmed the masectomy for me. So far one of my tumors has shrunk significantly while the other very little. Not sure if the chemo will touch the high grade DCIS but time will tell. I was hoping for more shrinkage by this point too:(

What type of information did you get in the pathology report? Is that how they determine you should use Xeloda?

beauz

Hi Walden, I suppose to have 8 round of Xeloda. Each round is two weeks on and one week off. My tumor was one solid lump, diagnosed IDC by biopsy. The weird mixture was found after surgery. My MO said it doesn't make any difference in treatment options. My surgeon chose lumpectomy. I agreed because, I reasoned , my tumor was located close to the edge of my right breast, between 9 o'clock and 10 o'clock position. I have a long scar from close to the nipple to the back of my armpit. My post sugery pathology report was a mess. You can search my past posts for more information. I scattered bits and pieces of the result among many of posts. It's too scary to have the result in one post. For short, I didn't achieve clear margins, therefore on Xeloda now. I just finished my 4th round of Xeloda tablets. I will have radiation mapping appointment tomorrow and hopefully start radiation next week. Then I will go back to Xeloda for 4 more rounds. I am doing okay now. I wish I could have finised the full course of taxol therefore might achieved a better pathology result. I hope your MO make sure you finish full course chemo. Best wishes for you.

Walden1

Thanks Beauz! Sorry your path report wasn’t what you where hoping for. Sounds like your team has a good plan worked out for you. I had to cancel one of 4 paxlitaxel treatments due to allergy. Nothing I could do about that. My WBC is just high enough to continue so I hope it doesn’t drop more in the next round of AC. I have two more treatments to go.