My mom's tx in 1990

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Sunflower64
Sunflower64 Member Posts: 166
edited June 2014 in Stage III Breast Cancer

Hi girls,

My mom was dx with bc in 1990.  All I know right now is it was early stage (I'm thinking stage III). She had mast, rad, and 10 years Tamoxifen. Recurrance 2000. Xeloda 2 years. Recurrance 2007. Xeloda now. Was curious if women had chemo back in 1990. My mom wasn't real in tune with knowlege of bc and just did what doctors told her. I'm wondering if she was offered chemo and declined it? I don't know. I'm in the process of getting her old medical records to get more details. I would like to know for myself and my daughter. I can't help but wonder if she did do chemo that maybe she wouldn't of had these recurrances, right? Let me know what you think. Any info would be helpful.

Diane

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  • Fidelia
    Fidelia Member Posts: 397
    edited March 2010

    HI Diane64,

    so much depends on what sort of disease your mother had in 1990 - if she was hormone positive tamoxifen was probably a great choice - don't think AIs came out until late 90s - she may have delayed recurrence by going on AIs post menopause. There is mounting evidence that hormonally responsive disease is more likely to recur many many years after dx and tx and that hormonal treatment is more effective than chemo. Your mother has managed to beat off 2 recurrences and she still has many more options - in terms of what is currently known about BC - you would have to say your mother is going extremely well - being cured forever would have been better - but with BC - NED for many years is a close second in terms of desirable outcomes :)

    Fidelia 

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  • SpunkyGirl
    SpunkyGirl Member Posts: 1,568
    edited March 2010

    Diane,

    It might be hard to compare your mom's treatment to what we have today, but surgical procedures are better now, and we now have the taxanes and aromatase inhibitors.  What you may want to do is get tested for the BRCA gene.  I did because my mom had ovarian cancer, and I did test negative.  The doc thought for sure I would be positive.

    Good luck finding answers.

    Bobbie

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  • jezza
    jezza Member Posts: 698
    edited March 2010

    I was dx in 1992. Even when you get your mum's records it will be hard to compare her dx with your own although I would certainly agree that you should get a copy. Back then they didn't do the tests they do now. Ppl often ask me if I am ER+ or - PR+ or- HER+ and I just don't know.They certainly did have chemo back then. Your mum would probably only have been offered it if her tumour was over over 1cm or seemed aggressive or if she had positive nodes.

    From what you say about your mum following Dr's orders I'm sure she wouldn't have refused it if it had been suggested. Unfortunately it is impossible to say whether she would have had a recurrence if she had had chemo.

    I hope she is going OK.

    jezza

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