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eric603
eric603 Member Posts: 4
edited June 2014 in Stage III Breast Cancer

Hello all.  I was just diagnosed last week with Stage III Breast Cancer.  Have gone through a battery of tests thus far and it appears the tumor in my left breast is just under 5cm.  It is most likely in 1 of my lymph nodes under my armpit but my CT scan today revealed that it probably has not spread anywhere else. 

My Oncologist is recommending a combination of Avastin and Chemo before surgery.  I have read much more good things about Avastin than bad but I am still concerned. There is material out there that the results don't justify the potential side effects. 

 Any advice for me?  Any input would be much appreciated.

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  • Gitane
    Gitane Member Posts: 1,885
    edited January 2011

    I can't give you advice as I don't know enough about this.  Just want to say welcome. Hopefully the oncologist who is recommending this will give you the information you need to decide.  Also, a second opinion may help you.  All the best, G.

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  • Bugs
    Bugs Member Posts: 1,719
    edited January 2011

    I'm so sorry about your diagnosis!  You came to the right place..we will help you through this.  I don't have any advise regarding the Avastin.  I had 4 cycles of Adriamycin/Cytoxin (A/C) every two weeks (dose dense) then 4 cycles of dose dense Taxol (T).

    Welcome to our stage 3 forum.  We hate that you have to be here...but now that you are here, come here often.  We understand what you are going through.

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  • Kathleen26
    Kathleen26 Member Posts: 210
    edited January 2011

    I'm sorry for your diagnosis, but welcome.   You're the first person I heard of getting recommended for Avastin for neo-adjuvant treatment, I'm kind of surprised by it actually, since supposedly it's being pulled for Stage IV BC.  Don't be afraid to ask a lot of questions about why it's being recommended and what the risks might be for you.  I like the others had chemo, AC x 4, followed by Taxol x 4, both double-dense.

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  • Letlet
    Letlet Member Posts: 1,053
    edited January 2011

    Did he explain why he is recommending Avastin? I'm surprised that he is recommending it too. The FDA dropped its support on it. You might want to check with your insurance company if they will cover it. Unless you doctor is enrolling you in a clinical trial?

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  • karen1956
    karen1956 Member Posts: 6,503
    edited January 2011

    Glad you found us, but sorry that you needed to.  I don't know anything about Avastin, so I can't help in that area, but want to say welcome....

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  • DCMom
    DCMom Member Posts: 624
    edited January 2011

    Welcome to the forum.  I know this is the last group you wanted to join, but you will find that this is an amazing place for support.  I also did AC and Taxol dose-dense.  I can't answer questions about the Avastin but wanted to let you know we are here for you and have been around long enough to say that your treatment is new.  In a few years you'll be telling someone else the same thing :)

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  • kimf
    kimf Member Posts: 334
    edited January 2011

    Welcome to our forum. I, too, had the dose dense A/C x 4 followed by Taxol X 4 dose dense. I also don't know about Avastin and its treatment of stage III breast cancer. I did also hear the FDA dropped its support of the drug, so do ask questions. Google FDA and Avastin and you will find the news release on fda.gov regarding the December 2010 decision to begin removing the breast cancer indication from the label for Avastin. I wish you the best during and after your treatment. Come here often for support....these ladies are not only full of knowledge and experience, but are the strongest, bravest ladies I've ever met! Good luck!

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  • weesa
    weesa Member Posts: 707
    edited January 2011

    You've picked a good bunch of women to share your stage 3 journey with!

    Your post concerns me--I am no medical expert, but I do read virtually every word on this stage 3 forum, and I have never heard of anybody starting out with Avastin. Do you think you might have possibly musunderstood--perhaps he said Aromasin? or maybe adriamycin? Both of these drugs would make sense. I know when you are sitting there listening it is hard to absorb everything your onc says, especially at the start. If you did hear correctly and he does want to start you on Avastin, get a second opinion.

    Keep in touch, we care!

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  • DCMom
    DCMom Member Posts: 624
    edited January 2011

    weesa- you may have hit the nail on the head.  It may have been just a translation error.  Adriamycin would make a lot more sense.

    Thinking of you  eric603.

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  • jdootoo
    jdootoo Member Posts: 253
    edited January 2011

    Welcome to our forum... sorry you need to be here. I did not have neoadjuvant chemo, so I have no advice to give you. Just wanted to offer my support... the ladies here are knowlegable, caring, and supportive. Smile

    Lots of love, Jackie

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  • eric603
    eric603 Member Posts: 4
    edited January 2011

    Thank you for all for your response.  It is Avastin and it would be a clinical trial.  I am aware that FDA has dropped if for treating breast cancer and that it has not been proven to extend life.  My Dr. was also up front about that.  He has treated maybe 9 patients with this method and claims that the combination of Avasitn and Chemo do a better job at shrinking the tumor than just chemo alone.

    I've been doing some research online and it seems like there is a lot more positive testimony than negative.  In fact many women are upset that it has been dropped from the FDA because it is not accessible anymore.

    If you can't tell I am leaning towards this treatment but I am still not sure. 

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  • eric603
    eric603 Member Posts: 4
    edited January 2011

    Hi Sherri, 

    Thank you for your reply.  The report from the biopsy says:

    Invasive tumor is positve for ER(84%). positive for PR(43%) and negative for HER-2/neu(+1)

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  • everyminute
    everyminute Member Posts: 1,805
    edited January 2011

    Hi and welcome. 

    Weesa/DC - I was offered the Avastin trial at initial treatment also at Memorial Sloan Kettering too.  It is not standard of care but trials are how we get new standard of care right :-) ?  I decided against it - can't even remember why. 

    My cousin had Avastin with her initial chemo as well.  I think what they are thinking is that it shuts down blood supply so chemo can shrink it and surgery can get it out.  I had surgery first and was/am really hoping there was/is nothing left!

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  • SpunkyGirl
    SpunkyGirl Member Posts: 1,568
    edited January 2011

    Eric,

    My husband has been on Avastin off and on for the last several years, and the only issue he ever had was reduced kidney function (which we're not sure was related to the drug).  He has been on Avastin for the last nine months, and I believe it is why he is doing well.  All of the medications we have to take for BC have risks and benefits, and sometimes it's hard to determine the right thing to do.  How many treatments is he recommending?

    You'll get through this.  We are here for you!
    Many Hugs

    Bobbie

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  • eric603
    eric603 Member Posts: 4
    edited January 2011

    Again, Thank you for your input.  Bobbie, my oncologist is recommending 8 treatments.

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  • weesa
    weesa Member Posts: 707
    edited January 2011

    Erica, I stand corrected! I'm so far out of the chemo phase of treatment, I don't keep up with the newer protocols. We'll all be looking forward to your posts.Sending you healing thoughts anad very best wishes...Weesa

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited January 2011

    Hi eric603

    Welcome to the stage III forum. All here are very loving and encouraging.  At this point it's good to be honest with your onc about everything, and learning to trust that he know's which chemo "cocktail" will be best for you to fight this.  My onc originally wanted me to go into a trial that included the Avastin along with the standard of care Adriamycin, Cytoxin, and Taxol. Dose Dense, but in my medical work up and history, of a brain hemorrhage a few years ago, he chose not to let me do the Avastin. 

    image

    Barb

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  • AnacortesGirl
    AnacortesGirl Member Posts: 1,758
    edited January 2011

    Welcome Eric603!

    I've been really busy lately and haven't had time to get on the forums so I'm just catching up and saw your post.  I did a trial with Sutent added to the standard ACT protocol.  Sutent is very similiar to Avastin - it inhibits the vascular growth that cancer needs in order to grow.  In theory it chokes off the blood supply and the cancer cells die.  Because it affects the body's ability to regenerate the capillaries they flipped the normal routine so I got Sutent and Taxol first and then AC.  That way the Sutent affects were completely out of my system by the time I was ready for surgery.

    Another theory was that this protocol works well for multi-focal tumor such as mine.  That it is better for the multiple, smaller tumor than one large tumor.  But everything is a theory when you're on a trial!

    I had a lot imaging performed while I was on the trial so they could try and monitor the effects on the cancer.   During the Taxol and Sutent the breast MRIs and lymph node ultrasounds indicated that the drugs were shrinking the tumors.  But during the AC we saw re-grow in the breast tumors.  Final results from the surgery biopsy is that I had no response from chemo. 

    Would I do it again?  You bet!  I got the same protocol I would have gotten except they added one more drug.  So I still would have shown no response after chemo was done.  While I was on the Sutent I knew that if I started have any serious side effects (especially the intestional bleeding) that I would immediately stop Sutent.  But I only had the SEs that are just bothersome - nothing that affected my overall health.

    I felt like I was doing something extra for myself and trying to help the researchers figure this stuff out for other ladies too.

    I encourage you to join the trial if you are leaning that way.  But if you're not comfortable, don't be talked into it.  Chemo is too rough of a path (at least for me!) to be doing something that you don't really want to be doing.

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