CMF vs TC for stage 1

Anna  Sorry you are here but glad you found this site for support. I was about the same as you my oncotype score was 17 (which is the last number in the low category) and I did 4 rounds of TC. I was relieved to do this treatment 1. because it was a shorter treatment 2. It was a newer more agressive treatment. I would ask your BS for his opinion on treatment. I am very close to my BS and trust him explicitely. I made my onc talk to my BS to make sure everyone was on board with my treatment. 2-3% difference is big when you are talking about your health.

I found the TC very doable, I made sure I had an extremely healthy diet avoided crowds and did all the things they tell you to do or not do to maintain my blood levels during treatment and never required Neulasta shots which I hear are horrible. I went to Chemocare.com for information on chemo treatments and side effects and was very prepared when I went to my first treatment.

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Good luck with your decision and with your treatment!

Diane

Anna - I had an oncotype of 23  was 44 and did CMF.  I also go to a large NCI hospital (top on the west coast from what I have read in the rankings).  My onc. recommended CMF and said she would do CMF with my stats.  It was 6 months, but very easy for me to tolerate.  I am pretty sure that the chemo the oncotype is calculated on is CMF. 

I have found that in my area, CMF is very popular with the breast cancer oncologists.  I did have two opinions early on, and my sister works at Stanford so they had all of my records, films and lab info and gave me an opinion as well.

My onc. likes weekly CMF as kind of a metronomic chemo and said that the longer time frame would work best for my cancer as it was not really a fast grower.

I have had lots of friends that I have met on here that have done TC and tolerated it really well.  Either way, you will be fine!

There is a CMF dedicated thread under the forum "help me get thru treatment" which may be helpful if you decide on CMF.

Good luck with your decision!

Anna - yes, I asked about TC.  My oncologist said that CMF was the best choice for me and TC was overkill for my case, and with my mitotic rate TC would not necessarily be the best at hitting cancer cells if any really did get into the blood stream.  This is for my case and it is really hard not to generalize on here, but each of our tumors and cases are so different.  She went into a long explanation about my tumor, its mitotic rate, how chemo works and why she felt that weekly CMF would be best. She left the decision up to me and did not push it, but the offer was CMF or no chemo (tamox or an A/I was absolutely necessary in her opinion).  Once I asked her what she would do if she were me and she said she would do CMF.

Now, I am one of the few on here that had weekly CMF - most have it every other week, or every third week.  My onc. happens to love weekly CMF.  I took the cytoxan orally and had the M and F in a weekly infusion.  The infusion is fast - a shorter infusion then my friends who have done TC (but I had many more infusions as it was weekly for 6 months).

At the time I did not see anyone on here having CMF until someone pointed me to the thread.  I found another CMF'e, who had recently finished BUT lives about 15 minutes from me.  She was so helpful.  Neither of us experienced many side effects and most don't which is why I didn't post on the "starting chemo 1/2009" thread.  I really had nothing to say, and most on the chemo thread are discussing hair/wig care and side effect management.  I took zofran on the day of infusion, did not need steroids or neulesta, your hair thins but you do not lose your hair, so that was not an issue.  No one noticed my hair thinning, except me!  I felt a bit "off" the day of infusion, but otherwise felt fine. 

CMF is really popular in my area, but I assure you I go to a top rate cancer center.  

I hate that they leave these decisions up to us!  TC or CMF you will be fine.  Both are successfully used for breast cancer.  

Otter - I agree!  It seems  odd that there are regional preferences.  I am also at a NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, but in the NW US.

At one point on the boards I read that CMF is no longer standard of care and my oncologist literally bristled when I told her that.  She told me that it is absolutely standard of care.  There are many options as we can read on here!  I also asked about A/C and she was adamant about that not being a choice in my case.  This center, of course uses all three with breast cancer patients, and I'm sure many more combinations that I am not aware of.

Anna,

which treatment plan did you decide on and how did it go?  I am in the midst of having to make the same decision...  Sloan says CMF X 8 over 24 weeks but Hopkins says TC x 4 over 12 weeks or CMF x 6 over 18 weeks.  I am completely overwhelmed with the decision!!  The surgery itself was way easier than this...

Char

I'm in the same boat-- trying to make a decision between TC and CMF...