Anyone else only get 4 a/c?

Lizardbeth:

I was 62 at diagnose (but a young 62!!!) and am a widow, work full time and raise my teenage grand-daughter, so my plate is pretty full.  I had the most agressive treatment I could have at the advice of my onc, and must admit, had a really rough time of it all in that I had sooooooo many side-effects, but did manage to get through it with the help of this board and my own personal cheerleaders.  Most gals DO NOT have all the side-effects I went through, so please don't let me scare you - I tell you this only because I was still able to work totally throughout it all, minus the one week I was hospitalized for febrile neutropenia and cellulitis in the surgical breast.  I work for a very active head partner of a large law firm, so I am always busy.  I had my chemo on Thursdays (missed work of course that day) - started to feel "chemo lousy" on Saturday afternoons, Sundays - ugh - Mondays' not so hot, but still managed to get into work.  Work was never a problem for me, although some days I didn't feel so great - but still managed to go in and live through it.  Just wanted you to know that even at an age as old as dirt - it's still manageable.

Hang in there, and know that you are giving it your all - and that's a good thing!  As everyone said to me during chemo - trite, but true - "this too shall pass."  Whether you go with the 4 dd taxol or the 12 weekly doses - it just seems to be a preference of the individual oncs.  I didn't have a choice - mine only does it in the 4 doses.  I too know gals that only had the 4 A/C, as that was what the protocol was when they were diagnosed, and they are all doing fine.  Even in the two and a half years since my diagnose and treatment - it is changing.  At present, a lot of oncs are giving the Taxol first, and the A/C last.  Some swear by the A/C and 4 Dd Taxol and others the A/C and 12 taxols - other oncs love to use the 4 TC's -so none of us really know what is best for us.  Just have to have confidence in our oncs and run with it.  I know it's depressing to think of another round-about with chemo, but I think you have made a wise choice, since it seems to be the "normal" protocol for the present time.

All the best,

Linda

Lizardbeth: I did 4AC followed by 12 taxol. I found the taxol very tolerable, almost felt normal, and yes, I did work through it at about 75% capacity. Even my hair started growing back, which was nice.

12 weekly has been shown to be more effective than tri-weekly. http://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/chemotherapy/new_research/20080417c.jsp

I'm not sure any study compares weekly with biweekly, so you're probably good with either. Weekly seems to have fewer SEs, but biweekly is less of a time commitment.

Hey Lizard..thought I would put my 2 cents in...glad you are going with the taxol...and yes..you may get some hair growth during the taxol..I hope you do!

My co-worker is tn..out at least 7-8 years..she had 4 AC's also..and she is doing fine.  Her tumor was a little over 1 cm.

I had 4 AC, 4 taxol dd...so far so good.

I did 4 DD A/C and then 12 weekly Taxol, both with Avastin (I was on a trial). 

I found the Taxol to be pretty tolerable at the weekly dose, although my white count plummeted about week three or four of Taxol and I had to do Neupogen shots three times a week for the rest of chemo.  Those shots I hated but they were also tolerable, just kinda crappy.   My biggest side effect with Taxol probably wasn't the Taxol itself, but the Benadryl they drugged me up with first, which knocked me out.  I slept during the entire Taxol drips and for at least a few hours when I got home but then I was good to go.