How many had chemo with ILC?

Hi MM,

I did not have chemo for my ILC.  My oncotype score was 9 so my oncologist said it would be of no help at all.  I'm approaching my 3 year anniversary next month and so far so good.  We are similar in the fact that we are both er+ and pr-.  Was your er+ really high like mine?  I scored the highest you could for that one. I think we both made the right decision based on all the research that I have done in the past 3 years. 

Take care,

Nancy

I also had an oncotype of 11, and was not offered chemo. The oncologist said that the risks from the side effects would be greater than any potential benefits for me. Also, since my tumor was highly er & pr +, I was a good candidate for Tamoxifen, which is allegedly reducing my risk more than chemo would have.

I remain relieved to have avoided chemo, and feel like I am "doing enough" with the Tamoxifen.

Coleen

MM, wanted to add that with an Oncotype of 11, hormone therapy is more effective than chemo on your tumor, like Kleenex's.

That's the whole deal with Oncotype--it measures how responsive your tumor is to hormone therapy. It's not that chemo is a better or more effective adjuvant therapy in general than hormone therapy--it's just more appropriate in specific settings. There are plenty of Stage IV women who are on Tamoxifen or an AI, and no chemo, and they have a good response.

So don't feel like you didn't do enough--you did what was appropriate for your situation.

I start chemo tomorrow.  I did sign up for the TAILORx trail, my oncotype is 24, and I was randomized to chemo.  Like Nash, my tumor as well as LCIS in both breasts is pleomorphic.  I am glad I got the chemo, so I won't have to wonder.  I have heard from many people that you should trust the oncotype.  At this point it seems to be the most advanced test for determining the benefit of chemo for node positive women.  I think with an 11 I would have been less enthusiastic to do chemo if I had been randomized to it.  I hope you are able to relax and not stress.  I think an 11 is a great score.  Take care.

Susan

I had chemo for ILC -- it was already in 4 lymph nodes by the time it was detected. No oncotype testing was done. 100% ES+/80% PR+ so should respond well to Arimidex.....I hope.

Deen,  Thanks for the excellent description of the different types of cancer tumors. 

I did not have chemo. My oncotype score was 20.5, and my Onc said no chemo was necessary, that Femara was where the benefit was for me. I was surprised- he was very insistent- I agreed.

MM, the Oncotype of 18 was only part of the decision for the chemo. Yes, the grade 3 played a part in it, as did the size of the tumor, the fact that it was growing into the pectoralis muscle, my age at diagnosis, and the fact that my ER/PR expression was only moderate. I got four opinions, plus my case went to tumor board four times, and all docs said to do chemo.

I had ILC and D.C. I wanted the most aggressive treatment I could get, had a mastectomy ,chemo, for me it was the right decision, I respect what others chose, I am almost 16 years from diagnosis.

Also I never look back or question a choice I made, what is the point?  It is done.

I was Stage 1 .

Mymountain, Yes I was surprised at the no chemo recommendation too. I just looked up the charts he gave me from Adjuvant online. (My cancer folder, do you have one too?) For my stats, without any further therapy at all, 70.3 out of 100 would be alive without a relapse in 10 years (5.3 die of something else). Femara saves 12.4 more. Chemo added would save 1.3 more. I guess that and the oncotype made him pretty confident that chemo and it's possible side effects weren't for me. And me? Well I'm hoping they all know what they're doing.

Had chemo.  AC x 6 dose dense, 4 before surgery, 2 after. No question that I needed it since I had a lot of tumor in my breast.