Chemo for 71 ? Please Help ! Thanks !

lamplam
lamplam Member Posts: 5
edited June 2014 in Older Than 60 Years Old With Breast Cancer
Chemo for 71 ? Please Help ! Thanks !
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  • lamplam
    lamplam Member Posts: 5
    edited August 2009

    My mom is 71 years old. She had mastectomy on 7/29/09 . Tumor size 3cm , stage 2b , grade 3 , 1/16 nodes , ER+/PR+ , HER2+++ . Oncs had diverse opinions on regimen . 1. TCH (the most effective way they claimed) 2. Weekly taxol + cyclophosphamide every 3 weeks + herceptin without AC.

    I'm really worry about can my mom take chemo at her age ???  I really want her to be totally recoverd without  much suffer . My mom is depending on my decision ! It's really hard for me to do this . I'm worrying about making the wrong decision! I do really really love my mom. I want to pick weekly taxol but the onc said that is no figure shows the result and i can't search any info. about this ?? So please help anyone can share the experience about this? Thank you very much!

    lamplam

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  • FLtricia
    FLtricia Member Posts: 140
    edited August 2009

    lampam,

    I just saw your post.  My mother was 71 with IDC 2 cm, Stage 2 unknown grade.  I assume she was HER2-, and there was no node involvement.  But, doctor told us her cancer was very aggressive and she was given very poor prognosis for survival.

    She did do chemo, 6 treatments of CMF, then 5 years of Arimidex.  She just celebrated her 84th birthday.  I also had CMF chemo, in my mid 50's, and my mother tolerated it better than I!

    I will say my mother was very healthy going into this, walked 2 miles a day did her own yard work, etc., she still does most of the yard work!

    I just wanted to share a positive experience of someone your mother's age.  Each case is different, and we each have to do our own research and make the best decision we can regarding treatment. 

    I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers as you make this journey with your mother.

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  • TBird1964
    TBird1964 Member Posts: 58
    edited August 2009

    My mom was 69 when dx. She was in good health and had always taken good care of herself. Still very active at 69. Dx stage I, but a very aggressive cancer. She had 6 rounds of chemo (3 drugs). The treatments were every three weeks. I won't lie to you. By the 6th treatment it was ugly. But that was four years ago and my mom is healthy and active again. She knows her stamina isn't what is was before chemo, but this is a woman who still goes to the gym for exercise at least three days a week and is active in the community. She is a Survivor and I am thankful for every day I have her with me.

    Teresa

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  • Leah_S
    Leah_S Member Posts: 8,458
    edited August 2009

    My mother was 77 at diagnosis and tolerated chemo better than I did (at age 58). She's 84 now and NED.

    Leah

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  • swimangel72
    swimangel72 Member Posts: 1,989
    edited August 2009

    Lamplan - since your mom's tumor is aggressive (Her2+) she needs to get Herceptin. Herceptin isn't given without other chemo - but be sure whatever chemo she gets, that she gets the Herceptin for an entire year. Herceptin itself causes very very few side-effects (a runny nose was the worse thing I suffered) but the onc will check your mom's heart with a muga scan prior to starting, then every three months to be sure it's functioning correctly because a small percentage of women on Herceptin suffer decrease in heart function (which I'm told is reversible by stopping the Herceptin). For more information about breast tumors that are Her2+ check out the info at www.her2support.org.

    Good luck with these difficult decisions - you are a good daughter to your mom!

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  • lamplam
    lamplam Member Posts: 5
    edited September 2009

    Hi all,

              Thank you very much for you-all's share. Do help me and my mom making decision.You-all sharing of experience are very helpful and encouraging to me. I decide let my mom taking the chemo. We will talk to the onc before making the final decision. Hope God will lead us to choose the best regimen for her. 

              By the way, There is a naturopath told us eating more Strawberry can prevent the BC and reduce the SE of chemo. you-all may try , and there are info about it on www.ncbi.nlm.nig.gov/sites/entrez         Wish that my mom and all of sis here win the battle.

    lamplam

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  • lbrewer
    lbrewer Member Posts: 766
    edited September 2009

    There have been studies done regarding TCH weekly vs every 3 weeks.  This is one of them:

    HER2-Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer: Weekly Paclitaxel-Carboplatin-Trastuzumab Preferable to Every-3-Week Regimen.

    Interim Results of NCCTG Study

    Oncology Times. 25(17):67-68, September 10, 2003.
    Goodman, Alice

    There are other articles out there.

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  • lbrewer
    lbrewer Member Posts: 766
    edited September 2009

    forgot the link!

    http://www.oncology-times.com/pt/re/oncotimes/fulltext.00130989-200309100-00026.htm;jsessionid=KdGT78JZZSFbf0VnL25qv9RnKccWgB5QcJx21PS565nKTmlyRvlS!224925659!181195629!8091!-1

    According to the study, it is more effective and more easily tolerated.

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  • Jean09
    Jean09 Member Posts: 126
    edited September 2009

    Hi Swinangel72,

    I've been cruising the board looking for women with similar issues such as mine and found you may be able to help based on what I've seen you write. I have a pain in my right side, around the rib cage area. I've had this pain for years, it feels like my liver is inflammed and at times I have an achey pain and other times I have stingy pains. Recently, I've noticed a new symptom, a muscle spasm feeling in the lower right breast bone area - especially after I cough. I had my gall bladder removed in Sept 2008 but I still have the pains - so it's not a gall bladder issue.

    My onc thinks it may be a gall stone that was missed from my gall bladder removal sugery. I think it is a hernia. I know you had hernia surgery, what were your symptoms? How long did you have symptoms and did you find they got progressively worse over the years? Can a hernia been seen during an untrasound? Any help, advice you can give me would be greatly appreciated.

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