How soon after dx did you start chemo?

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ninel
ninel Member Posts: 168
edited June 2014 in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

I was diagnosed this June 27th. I have yet to begin my chemo. I had a SNB and then cat scan, bone scan, I'm going in for a MUGA this monday. I have more testing scheduled for my liver.

Is this normal? It's been almost a month and still haven't began my chemo treatment. I'm supposed to get chemo before my bilateral mastectomy. I'm getting nervous because this thing is still growing inside me. I just want to get on with it already.

Ninel

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  • FloridaLady
    FloridaLady Member Posts: 2,155
    edited July 2008

    Ninel,  Me againWink

    I think three weeks on the high side.  I think I would start pushing for some answer's of why? They doubled up on my scans to get them done quicker.  I know ladies that get into treatment now in less than two weeks.  A younger lady and early stage, I think all they do is Cat Scan and Muga and go for chemo if surgery is not first.  They wait on the Bone Scan and Pet until after you finish treatment to see if you have any disease left.

    Please feel free to PM me if you like Ninel.  I would be more than happy to talk to you on the phone if you wish.

    Flalady

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  • ninel
    ninel Member Posts: 168
    edited July 2008

    I didn't mention this in any other posts, but when I was pregnant with my first son I found out I was a hepatitis B carrier. I had no symptoms or signs of it. I had an ultrasound done on my liver and nothing abnormal was found, but Dr.Minton wants to be absolutely sure that my liver is in good condition and can handle the chemo. She even mentioned a possible biopsy. That will take another week or two. And I'm getting nervous about the whole situation.

    Ninel

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  • RuthS
    RuthS Member Posts: 16
    edited July 2008

    Ninel,

    I agree with FloridaLady!  You should question their delay in treatment.  I was a few days short of a month from dx when I had my mastectomy and I had a baby in between there.  I have not had a bone scan.  Had a PET the day before starting treatment, a Heart Echogram the day after starting and I think that was it. I just had my one yr checks (blood and PET) which came back clear.  

    Good Luck

    Ruth 

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  • HeatherBLocklear
    HeatherBLocklear Member Posts: 1,370
    edited July 2008

    Salut, Ninel --

    Adding my voice to those above. I was diagnosed (core biopsy) on Feb. 22, had PET, Muga, and bone scans Feb. 23-26, had port inserted morning of March 4 and began chemo that same afternoon. You need to light a fire under them, especially since you're also triple negative. We triple negs unfortunately don't have much time to fritter away.

    Let us know what the doc says.

    Hugs,

    Annie

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  • FloridaLady
    FloridaLady Member Posts: 2,155
    edited July 2008

    Ruth,

    I'm so happy that you have a all clear.  I hope you are enjoying those beautiful babies. And I'm so glad that Ninel has found you.  Can't imagine taking care of two small children in the middle of this. 

    Best Wishes to you and your family,.

    Flalady

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  • Negative3Grade3
    Negative3Grade3 Member Posts: 111
    edited August 2008

    I'll add my experience, too.  I was diagnosed on Sept. 1st, 2007 and started chemo on Sept. 17th.  I had PET scan and echo-cardiagram before treatment.  The sooner one starts the better but one has to push.  I had a friend wih Hepatitis B and they didn't do any liver biopsy prior to treatment since she was asymptomatic but of course, each doctor is different.   Good luck, Ninel.

    Christina 

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  • Jule
    Jule Member Posts: 250
    edited August 2008

    Ninel,

    Hi. I was dx April  and then started chemo on May 21 I think . It took a whole month and I was worried. If I remember right, I actually had more time because of the breast MRI which had to be coordinated under when the menstrual cycle started. From then consultations with the docs which only took a couple of days to get, then SNB with port insertion. Because nodes were positive, then I had to do more testing including the CT scan, bone scan, and then the MUGA. All that was determining what chemo to give me and what my heart could take.  I think all the testing took a few days to get with the results back before chemo. So...I think that it is longer but your doc is trying to get everything in order, see where your cancer is, and make sure that it hasn't spread before starting chemo. 

    It also sounds like you are going to get an aggressive mix for chemo (due to the MUGA), and so the doc has to do all some testing to make sure that your body can take it. Do you have the first chemo date set? 

    I know it is frustrating but know that the doc is trying to set up the best care for you. I felt the same way back in May but everything is moving along really quickly now!  Sending you good vibes... 

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  • HollyHopes
    HollyHopes Member Posts: 497
    edited August 2008

    hello Ninel - i was dx by mamo end of Jan07, lumpectomy on Feb 7, started chemo 3 weeks later...dose dense A/C  x4 followed by dose dense Taxol x4 then 31 rads with 6 boosts.

     i wish you well on the  journey...

    hugs from Holly 

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  • jeriss
    jeriss Member Posts: 15
    edited August 2008

    Found this article about timing for chemo, hope it puts you at ease...

    Home> Specialty Care> Oncology and Hematology> Summary and Comment
    Optimal Timing of Adjuvant Chemotherapy Following Breast Cancer Surgery
    Patients should be encouraged to proceed to chemotherapy within 12 weeks of primary breast surgery.


    For most women with early-stage breast cancer who will receive both postoperative radiation therapy and adjuvant chemotherapy (with or without adjuvant endocrine therapy), chemotherapy typically is administered before radiation therapy. For some patients, the interval from surgery to the start of chemotherapy is prolonged by various factors. Although a few reports have suggested that delays as long as 12 weeks do not compromise outcomes, data have not been available on outcomes after delays of longer than 12 weeks.

    Researchers now report on a retrospective population-based study from the British Columbia Cancer Agency, in which survival was analyzed among 2594 patients with early-stage breast cancer, based on the length of time from definitive surgery to initiation of adjuvant chemotherapy (4 weeks, >4 to 8 weeks, >8 to 12 weeks, or >12 to 24 weeks). This study, conducted from 1989 through 1998, included patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy for stage I or II breast cancer; median follow-up was 6.2 years. Relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were similar for women who started chemotherapy as long as 12 weeks after surgery; however, delays beyond 12 weeks resulted in compromised RFS and a statistically inferior OS.

    Comment: Practice patterns demonstrate that most patients who are destined to receive adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery do so prior to receiving adjuvant radiation therapy. The results of this and similar studies reaffirm that initiation of chemotherapy as long as 12 weeks after surgery provides equivalent protection from recurrence and yields similar overall survival rates to starting chemotherapy within 4 weeks. The time after surgery often is consumed with coming to grips with the diagnosis of breast cancer, gathering information, and obtaining first and second opinions on continuing treatments. Although in this study the authors were not able to determine the factors that resulted in prolonged delays (>12 weeks) until the start of adjuvant chemotherapy, these data provide a strong argument for encouraging patients to proceed to chemotherapy within 12 weeks of primary breast surgery.

    - William J. Gradishar, MD

    Published in Journal Watch Oncology and Hematology November 6, 2006

    Citation(s):
    Lohrisch C et al. Impact on survival of time from definitive surgery to initiation of adjuvant chemotherapy for early-stage breast cancer. J Clin Oncol 2006 Oct 20; 24:4888-94.

    Original article (Subscription may be required)
    Medline abstract (Free)

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  • Bastropian
    Bastropian Member Posts: 9
    edited August 2008

    Dear Ninel:  I had needle biopsy March 7, got results on March 14, and had my first (neo-adjuvant) chemo April 23.  Lots of diagnostics in there, plus I was traveling to a cancer center 130 miles.  No doubt, with a grade 3 tumor, it grew in that time, but I was still most fortunate to achieve complete pathologic response when I had my mastectomy.

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  • ryjuem
    ryjuem Member Posts: 64
    edited August 2008

    I was dx in mid April, had surgery in late May, started chemo july 15.  I feel confident that all is going to be timely.  There were a lot of things to do before the start of chemo and it was important not to let panic and fear drive decisions.  My oncologist and surgeon were on top of things and kept things moving but were great about not pushing fear and time at me.  Seems that all will get done and it's so important to make clear informed decisions.

     There is a lot of hurry up and wait on this journey!

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