How long and what kind of chemo did you get??

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mamaof3bugs
mamaof3bugs Member Posts: 198
edited June 2014 in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

I was dx in Jan with triple negative IDC.  I had my lumpectomy three weeks ago and all 12 nodes were clean and the margins were as well.  I go to my oncologist tomorrow for my chemo 'plan' and I am nervous.  Initially he told me to expect two rounds of ac with neulasta followed by two rounds of tc.  Now I am worried that that just isn't enough.  I was wondering what everyone elses protocols were like.  I know that there are numerous thoughts out there about what works best for TN but I am really starting to worry about the treatment.  Please help!

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  • Titan
    Titan Member Posts: 2,956
    edited March 2010

    4 rounds AC and 4 rounds of Taxol for me..dose dense!  Hope that helps!

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  • Scoobydoo
    Scoobydoo Member Posts: 499
    edited March 2010

    Hi Mamaof3bugs - our stats are very similar, except my tumor size was larger.  I had 4 rounds of AC and 4 rounds of taxol as well. 

    Anita

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  • Luah
    Luah Member Posts: 1,541
    edited March 2010

    I had micromets in one node. Treatment has been 4 x AC dose dense, then 12 weekly taxol.  

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  • vbabey
    vbabey Member Posts: 48
    edited March 2010

    I was dx'd in Sept 09, 9cm tumor in right breast, and 2.9 cm anxilla node, started chemo first, 4 X AC with Nulasta shots and then 4 X taxotere and Cisplatin...PET scan before op showed no cancer, hoped I had a complete response, then had bilateral maectomy and sentinal node 2 wks ago,  only one node removed, that one and all others were clean, but little tiny bit of micro cancer cells found in breast tissue, still planning to do radiation, not sure how much they will recommend yet. Good luck!

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  • chumfry
    chumfry Member Posts: 642
    edited March 2010

    In 2005, I had eight dose-dense treatments. (Dose-dense is every two weeks, with a Neulasta shot after each treatment to boost white cell production.) The first four treatments were AC and the last four treatments were Taxol.

    In 2007, I developed a second primary tumor, unrelated to the 2005 tumor. I couldn't take AC again, so I had 12 weekly treatments of Taxol/Carboplatin. "Weekly" was once every week for three weeks, then off for a week. Repeat three times. <grin>

    I've heard weekly Taxol is supposed to be especially effective, but not sure if that's really true.

    --CindyMN

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  • Issymom
    Issymom Member Posts: 264
    edited March 2010

    My tumor was 2.5 cm with no node involvement.  I just finished 4 dose dense AC treatments and am starting 4 DD Taxol next week.  My treatments are every two weeks.

     Good luck. 

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited March 2010

    Hey Sweetie,my stats are close to yours except for the ER and PR. Both were positive in my case. i was offered four chemo treatments as 'adjunctive therapy' of Taxotere and Cytox. One treatment every three weeks. To be followed by 35 raditaion treatments. In the meantime, I have to get off of Prempro to be able to go on the five year drug plan (estrogen blocker? I hope I am right?). Good luck and keep us posted. XXOO, SV

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  • JulieC
    JulieC Member Posts: 324
    edited March 2010

    Hi - I had 4 treatments of Taxotere and Cytoxin with a Neulasta shot the next day.  The treatments were 3 weeks apart.  I waited a month and then did 33 rad treatments.

    Hugs to you  - Julie

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  • Sugar77
    Sugar77 Member Posts: 2,138
    edited March 2010

    Hi, my treatment was the same as Julies -- TC x4.  I will start rads later this month.

    Sherri 

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  • mamaof3bugs
    mamaof3bugs Member Posts: 198
    edited March 2010

    I just got back from my oncologist and I now have my chemo "cocktail"  I will be getting four rounds of DD AC every two weeks followed by a neulast shot the next day.  My onc didn't seem to think I needed the Taxol...I did question him about it and he said that there are numerous treatments out there and he and his collegues thing that this is what's best for me but if I wanted to do TC instead he would let me.  We also talked about the platinum drugs as well as CFM.  I am concerned about not getting Taxol so give me some feed back...thanks ladies, Angi (stay at home mom to three beautiful girls age 11, 9, and 7)

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  • angelsabove
    angelsabove Member Posts: 363
    edited March 2010

    Hi- I was dx 4/27/2009.----double mastectomy 5/21/2009 (my choice)------started chemo June 2009

    12 weekly taxol then 4 tri-weekly FAC...........last chemo on Nov. 16th 2009

    Took three week break and started radiation.........32 total treatment......

    Friday will be 4 weeks post treatments.........have not yet done reconstruction....I am just too tired to even think of it right now. Trying to put life back to some sort of order.....I was Dx @36 wife and mom of three kids......

    Lots of love........May God Bless Us All 

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  • angelsabove
    angelsabove Member Posts: 363
    edited March 2010

    Oh Yea.........actually cleaned whole house today and DID ALL LAUNDRY.....it does get better.....I promise I thought I would NEVER get through this back in April......Cant say it is EVER easy.....because I do live in fear at times....well lots of times....but I promise it gets better with time.....I would have NEVER believed that but.....here I am saying that to you....Hang in there sister......

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  • Titan
    Titan Member Posts: 2,956
    edited March 2010

    angels...you sound pretty happy!  That is so great...and even though this a chemo thread..I too am amazed that it has been a year also...!

    On another thread we are talking about how to keep varmints from your veggie garden...sometimes it is nice to talk about SOMETHING ELSE besides bc with everyone...

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  • Claire_in_Seattle
    Claire_in_Seattle Member Posts: 4,570
    edited March 2010

    You could ask if you are a candidate for SWOG 0221.  Trust me, you will get more than enough chemo if you are.  They cover the Neulasta or Neupogen shots.

    I got into the group that gets 6 dose dense AC followed by 6 dose dense Taxol.  This is one kick butt protocol.  I have 3 more Taxol to go.

    The other groups get either weekly or once every two weeks, so all four combos. You are randomly assigned to one of the groups.  Both weekly and dose dense (every two weeks) are a bit better than once every three weeks.  The intent of this study is to prove which is better.

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  • chumfry
    chumfry Member Posts: 642
    edited March 2010

    Angi, I'd be concerned about not getting the Taxol, too. That's really supposed to be the go-to drug for triple-negs. But your tumor is smaller than mine was. On my second go-round, I couldn't have the A part of AC again because it's tough on your heart. I would be tempted to go TC.

    Are you getting treatment at a big cancer center? Maybe your doc knows about more recent studies or something. Has he had much experience with triple-neg? I'd steer clear of the platinum drugs for a first go-round. They usually reserve those for recurrences or mets. (Not that that's going to happen to you!!) :D

    --CindyMN

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  • dreaming
    dreaming Member Posts: 473
    edited March 2010

    I had all my chemo at home, I had Cytoxan, Metrotrexate and 5 FU, I will get slow and dense chemo and the following week I would get a booster; for 9 months.

    The same RN came and was better for me to get the treatments at home.

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  • chinablue
    chinablue Member Posts: 545
    edited March 2010

    4 treatments of AC (dose dense) given every other week + nuelasta

    12 treatments of Taxol (dose dense) given every week + neupogen

    28 radiation treatments given 5 days a week

    Zometa clinical trial

    I had a mx on Aug 6 with immediate diep reconstruction.  I will be done with all the treatments March 30.

    I will have stage II of diep reconstruction April 2011.

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  • rinna40
    rinna40 Member Posts: 357
    edited March 2010

    I had three treatments of FEC and then three treatments of Docetaxol, all of which were three weeks apart. Then I had 29 rads, given five days a week. Finished on Dec. 31. It does get better. I just went in for my first day back at work.....

    I do hope that the variances in all our treatments don't mean too much, as it seems I'm the odd man out here.Undecided 

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  • Morgan513
    Morgan513 Member Posts: 664
    edited March 2010

    I had 4 x TC and then radiation (because of lumpectomy).  I also had neulasta after tx 2,3, and 4.

    Lorrie 

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  • HairSprayMom
    HairSprayMom Member Posts: 251
    edited March 2010

    4 taxotere and 4 A/C all Dense Dose over a 5 month period. Nulasta after all of them...Yuck!

    Sending Love,

    Regina

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  • riley702
    riley702 Member Posts: 1,600
    edited March 2010

    I'm having chemo before surgery - a clinical trial of Avastin/Taxotere/Xeloda X 4, followed by Avastin/Adriamycin/Cytoxan X 4; then evaluate for surgery.

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  • Titan
    Titan Member Posts: 2,956
    edited March 2010

    Regina..I had the neulasta shots too..8 times...even with Taxol!  Didn't want them but everyone was like..well..you need them honey...you don't want to get sick so I freaked out and had the damn things..every time..I hated those...to be honest..if I wouldn't have had to have them I think chemo would actually would have been easy for me...I hated the fact that I would be "down" the day after the day after chemo because of that damn shot..excuse me for swearing but if I ever have to do more chemo I would refuse that shot...my wbcs were always fine..always in the high nornal range..I guess it was just protocol...or a nice insurance billing  OOPs..maybe I shouldn't have said that!

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  • cwrightrn
    cwrightrn Member Posts: 242
    edited March 2010
    I had dose dense ACT (neulasta shots too) as neoadjuvant, then surgery and after surgery I did carboplat and taxol along with rads to try to keep the beast at bay.  But after treatment was over, it came back, albeit small, and now I am doing abraxane/avastin.  Because chemo is the only thing that works for us TN'ers, I will have life long chemo...just working on finding a cocktail that works to keep the monster at bay.
     
    Blessings and hugs
    Carole 
     
    ps--I had to go back and make sure I was in the TN thread because there are a few responses from non-TN ladies--so be careful because their treatments are different and include hormones that those of us that are TN cannot have. 
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  • Nanalinda
    Nanalinda Member Posts: 826
    edited March 2010

    I started out stage 1 in July 2006.  Had lumpectomy with clear sentinel node, followed by 6 doses TAC (3 weeks apart), then rads.  Mine came back in July 2008, now I am stage IV.  Like cwrightrn;  I will also have life long chemo.

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  • pinkribbongirl
    pinkribbongirl Member Posts: 31
    edited March 2010

    I had 4 rounds of A/C, followed by 4 rounds of Taxol dose dense.  Now I will be on Tamoxifin for 5 years.  My tumor was around 3 centimeters, and I'm 39 years old, so that's why they did the treatment they did...I guess.  I didn't have any node involvement either.  Best wishes to you, I hope you sail right thru your treatments:)

    pinkribbongirl

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  • jenn3
    jenn3 Member Posts: 3,316
    edited March 2010

    I had 4 DD AC (w/Neulasta shots), followed by 12 weekly Taxol (I was in a trial).  I would be concerned about not getting the Taxol too.  Have you looked into a second opinion?

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  • carolinachick
    carolinachick Member Posts: 387
    edited March 2010

    I had four rounds of Taxotere and Cytoxan, with treatments three weeks apart.  Luckily I didn't have to have the Neulasta, but was on an antibiotic after each round. 

    I think the taxanes (Taxol or Taxotere) are very effective in treating tnbc.

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  • swiftbird
    swiftbird Member Posts: 177
    edited March 2010

    six rounds (every three weeks) of carboplatin and taxotere, with neulasta shot.

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  • kad22
    kad22 Member Posts: 191
    edited March 2010

    I will be starting Chemo in a couple of weeks after I have healed from my bi-lateral mastecomy. It is nice to hear everyone's opinions. Wasn't sure if I even wanted to do chemo but after reading - it seems it is the best thing to do - especially with Triple negative results. My onc wants me to have 4 treatments of Cytoxan and adriamycin then 12 weeks once a week of Taxol. He never once mentioned Neulasta? After reading a couple of posts I guess I don't want that! What happened that it was so bad? Any other advice would be much appreciated. Thanks.

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  • Titan
    Titan Member Posts: 2,956
    edited March 2010

    The neulasta shot is given 24 hours after ac treatment,  It is to keep your white blood cell count up.  You can refuse it but like"they" kept telling me..if your WBC count is low you won't be able to have treatment.

    I just didn't like the se's of the shot.  My bones hurt like heck for about 24 hours..other threads on here say to take claritin and aleve for a few days.  It did seem to help.

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