Calling all Grade 1 ladies - sucess with neoadjuvent chemo?

summersday

I've just started my first neoadjuvent FEC-T cycle and was wondering if there were any other ladies out there with a similar diagnosis to mine who have had a good response? I was told I needed to have chemo before surgery because a) I'm small chested and the tumour needs to be shrunk to get clear margins (it's 1.9mm so that should give you an idea of exactly small chested I am!) and b) because there is lymph node involvement. Apparently 4 nodes looked 'suspicious' on the ultrasound I had but a FNA was only done on one of them which was positive for cancer. My staging is officially T1 N1 although this may change after surgery. The CT scan was clear and the only mention of the nodes was 'small axillary nodes'. I have no idea what that is supposed to mean!

I guess what I am looking for is some kind of reassurance that chemo can work on Grade 1 tumours. I'd hate to think I was doing all this for nothing...........

bam320

Hi there,

I am also grade 1 but had surgery first. I had three very small tumors and my surgeon did not anticipate it being in the lymph nodes but it was so I have completed 4 a/c and have completed 3 of 4 dd taxol. I will have 25 days of radiation also.

I have asked my oncologist about the effectiveness on grade 1 tumors and he has said that they are still faster growing and different enough from regular cells to be recognized by the chemo. I guess I just have to trust him and would rather do chemo than not!

summersday

Hi Bam320 - I was beginning to think I was the only one! It seems to be unusual to be my age (41) and have a grade 1 tumour. You're completely right in that the cells are different and so there's no reason not to get some kind of response. Although officially I only have one node definitely involved, the radiologist saw 4 that didn't look right. What I don't understand is how an apparently slow growing tumour can get into 4 lymph nodes? My tumour is 19mm and can't be felt. None of the nodes are enlarged. Cancer is so sneaky! The plan for me is FEC-T chemo then a lumpectomy followed by rads (I can't remember how many) and then the estrogen blocker drug for the next goodness knows how many years.

I'm right at the start of this journey and am feeling incredibly scared. Although the lovely ladies on this forum make me feel less lonely!

bam320

Both my tumor and nodes could not be felt either. I really don't understand how some have tumors that are 6cm and no node involvement while our little ones managed to carry on into lymph nodes. Think positively that your only have one node involved. I have seen many on these boards who had node involvement and are years out so that gives me encouragement.

I will be one zolodex( I think that is what it was called) to shut down my ovaries because at 53 I had not reached menopause yet and I will also have a hormone blocker. Prior to this I was on no medications. I dislike the thought of being on medication and the side effects that may come along with it but if it prevents cancer from returning I will do anything!

Best of luck with the chemo. I am not familiar with FEC -T but I hope side effects are minimal for you!