How soon did you start Chemotherapy

Gingerobrien

I had my lumpectomy July 2 I have my first appointment with the oncologist on 25 July. After your first visit with the oncologist house soon was your first treatment? I kind of want to try to get away for a little trip before I start chemo

moth

Mine was 3 weeks from the first MO appointment and that included doing the Oncotype and having a 2nd appointment to go over those results. She booked my chemo slot right away at the first appointment even while we were waiting for Oncotype because she said it's easier to cancel and this way I wouldn't have to wait & could start right away - assuming Oncotype came back as we expected (& it came back as way more than we expected so yeah, I was glad to have the chemo all pre-booked)

You do have a bit of a window according to the research "Overall, the authors found no evidence of adverse effects when patients started chemotherapy between 31-60 or 61-90 days after their surgery as compared to patients who started their chemotherapy in 30 days. However, for patients who started their chemotherapy 91+ days after their surgery the results weren't so good. These patients experienced worse overall survival (hazard ratio [HR], 1.34; 95% CI, 1.15-1.57) and worse breast cancer–specific survival (HR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.05-1.53)"

https://respectfulinsolence.com/2016/01/12/breast-...

Runrcrb

take the trip.

Runrcrb

i don’t intend to be flip

You had cancer before your lumpectomy. You haven’t posted details on your tumor but it’s the exception not the rule that breast cancer is a medical emergency. You have time to plan treatment and make decisions

Schedule the trip and enjoy it. You have no idea how you’ll react to chemo and if radiation is in the plan you are stuck in town for the radiation duration due to the daily treatment.

Gingerobrien

Thanks for all the info. My tumor was 1.6 cm grade one and I am triple positive. This oncotype thing is new to me I just started hearing about it last night. It’s sometimes so overwhelming. I am glad I will have time to take the trip and I really appreciate all your advice.

Thnks

Ingerp

You’ll need some time to heal. I had a lumpectomy 3/13, didn’t meet with my MO until the third week in April, and had my first chemo 5/18 (right after my own fun family trip).

couragement

Hi Gingerobrien,

I am so sorry for what you have been going through. Indeed a trip is in order! Well done planning on one. I just wanted to pipe in and add one thing as a Her2+ person. Since you will most likely be having infusions for up to one year (Herceptin (specifically for Her2+, is usually every weeks for 12 months, although studies have been changing up a bit so your oncologist will let you know) they may want to put in a port. You may already know this but, a port is surgically implanted device and allows easy access to your system so that you don't have to have them find veins every time they take blood or give you an infusion of meds. They are vein savers! If it is the case that you get a port you might want to plan to have a little break between the time you start chemo and have the port implanted. In emergency cases they will give some people chemo on the same day you have a port placed, but it is a bit much if you have the time to rest and heal a bit. I had ten days to two weeks to let my port heal before chemo and it was very helpful. I waited 10 weeks before my first chemo from the date I discovered I had cancer. This was mainly because they were considering a clinical trial, I ended up having bilateral breast cancer and it took some time to figure it out, and I have several other illness' that had to be considered. My oncologists were very clear that I had time to figure everything out before we dove in and did chemo.

Rest up, get a good hit of joy, and come to chemo strong and ready.

Sending love and strength!

letsgogolf

I hope you had the Oncotype test. Yours was a very small, grade 1 tumor which may not require chemo. I didn't need it and I even had micromets. Not very knowledgeable about Her2+. Maybe that is the reason they are planning to do chemo.

edwards750

I totally agree with letsgogolf. I had a micromet in my SN. My MO ordered the Oncotype test. Thank goodness she did. My score was 11 so I dodged chemo. Definitely would ask my MO about it. It typically takes about 2 weeks to get the results.

My BC was Stage 1b, Grade 1 IDC. 7 years out next month.

Diane

couragement

Hi all,

Just for a quick understanding of Her2+, standard of care is chemo and Herceptin and often Perjeta. They often won't do Mammaprint or Oncotype once they have determined Her2 status as it automatically makes you high risk. Herceptin is an incredible drug and game changer. Great Lifetime movie you can order on Amazon about the story of its discovery and the doctors and individuals who championed his work to bring Herceptin to Her2+ women and men. Inspiring. But Herceptin and chemo go hand in glove in the United States, as it was the way it was done in clinical trials over 20 years ago.

Best to all!

NotVeryBrave

In most cases where chemo is determined to be needed after surgery (like your case with HER2+), a healing period of 4-6 weeks is usually recommended. Radiation is normally held off until 4-6 weeks after chemo completion - just the chemo regimen and not the Herceptin and possibly Perjeta.

Oncotype and/or Mammoprint are not typically done in cases of HER2+ because the standard of care is chemo drugs and targeted therapies.

WC3

A little over a month from diagnosis. It would have been maybe a week sooner but something came up. I didn't have surgery first though.

urmysunshine17

I started chemo 2.5 weeks after receiving my diagnosis.

WC3

urmysunshine17:

That sounds really fast. Did they do everything at the same facility?