Just diagnosed, chemo first!

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drwendy
drwendy Member Posts: 47
edited June 2014 in IDC (Invasive Ductal Carcinoma)

Hello ladies!  Just got my diagnosis last week (IDC stage 3, scans show no obvious mets or enlarged nodes).  The mass is friggin' huge, 5-6 cm which makes me feel like a total moron for not realizing it was a mass sooner (I've had lots of benign thingies, and this didn't feel like a lump, just firmness where things are no longer firm).  Doc is recommending chemo first to shrink it down (and presumably to make sure they pick the right chemo drugs, we'll have an obvious place to look for evidence that it's working).  Then mastectomy (I prefer bilateral, what am I going to do wiht one D cup and one flat side?), then radiation, then reconstruction (at least they'll sort of match).   Anybody else been down this particular crap-road?  Any advice for a noob? Thanks for anything anybody can tell me...I'm not terrified but honestly kind of pissed off about the whole thing.  :)  I'm only 40 and was in the middle of training for my 5th marathon...one day I ran 12 miles and the next day they told me I had cancer! 

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  • coraleliz
    coraleliz Member Posts: 1,523
    edited November 2011

    I've heard of neoadjuvant therapy. Where chemo is give prior to surgery. Maybe seach neoadjuvant. The way to search on this site is kind of hidden. It's right below "log out". As for not recognizing a lump, I can relate. If not for lumps I would have had no breasts.

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  • MizMarie
    MizMarie Member Posts: 332
    edited November 2011

    Hi drwendy, I am currently getting neoadjuvant chemo (two more to go - yay!).  My tumor wasn't as large as yours, but, relative to my breast size, it took up a lot of real estate, and surgeon recommended chemo first to shrink the tumor, in hopes of avoiding the need for mastectomy.  I had an ultrasound after the third treatment, and it is definitely shrinking.  The downside of doing chemo first is that staging is only an estimate, since no lymph nodes are tested.  For me, there appears to have been no node involvement based on the scans and no physically palpable nodes were found.  I'm hoping that will be confirmed when I do have surgery...  Hang in there! 

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  • drwendy
    drwendy Member Posts: 47
    edited November 2011

    You sound just like me, MizMarie!   So glad your tumor is shrinking....I should be able to feel if mine is.....and I'm a vet, so nobody is saying I can't measure it on my own ultrasound just to keep tabs...:)  I meet with the onco tomorrow to see what the chemo plan will be....then probably hat shopping tomorrow night!

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  • mumito
    mumito Member Posts: 4,562
    edited November 2011

    Hi Wendy sounds alot like my situation.I was upset with myself as well for not having gone in sooner when I first felt it.

    The chemo kicked butt for me I had a complete  response.Yes you can feel the tumor shrink.

    Good luck with  your treatments any questions you can PM me.

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  • khuja
    khuja Member Posts: 3
    edited November 2011

    Hi Wendy,

    I am currently doing neoadjuvant chemo therapy, I'll have my 5th of 6 cycles next week. The goal to shrink the tumor prior to surgery, plus research showing better results with neoadjuvant treatment.  I'm on a TCH regime every 21 days with Herceptin (for Her2+) weekly. My turmor was 4.4 cm and it has definitley shrunk, or as my BS said..'It's breaking apart'. I can feel the difference and it's my hope that in the end I'll have lumpectomy vs masectomy.  I've handled the chemo treatments well with minimal side effects, definitely feeling the tired effects of chemo.  Did the first two treatments with oral steroids and anti-nausea meds, now just anti-nauseal meds for 3 days after, steroids given only in the infusion bag.  I feel more tired, but it beats the wired/agitation I felt on the steroids.  I'm working full time but have the benefit of working from home as I need to.

    Chemo is different for each person, even if on the same 'cocktail'. There's lots of good info on the forum. I have a great oncoogist and feel comfortable asking her anything...there are no dumb questions when it comes to your treatment!

    Stay positive...find the humor and take it one day at a time.  PM me if you have any questions, will be happy to share. 

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  • mdg
    mdg Member Posts: 3,571
    edited November 2011

    I am sorry you had to join us.  Just know that you can get through this!  It is overwhelming - especially at the beginning.  I had chemo after surgery because my tumor was smaller and I did BMX with reconstruction.  It is doable.  Some people do well during chemo...I excercised an hour a day 5 days a week all through chemo.  I finished chemo in May and now I run 5-6 miles a few days a week and do other excercise the other days.  Keep moving if you can through treatment...I believe that helped me a lot.  Best of luck with treatment.  Hugs!

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  • KSteve
    KSteve Member Posts: 486
    edited November 2011

    drwendy - Yours is similar to my situation.  My tumor was larger than yours though and I, too, kicked myself for not finding it sooner (although it didn't show up on my mammo 10 months earlier).  I did chemo first, and by the time I had my BMX, there was no evidence of cancer in the breast or in the lymph nodes to were originally positive.  I had what they call a "complete response".  That was awesome news when I woke up from surgery.  Now I don't wonder if the chemo worked or not, I know!  Good luck to you as you begin your journey.  The last year has flown by for me and I hope it does for you as well.

    Kathy

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  • inLA
    inLA Member Posts: 20
    edited December 2011

    drwendy - Sorry for the bump in the life road. I have a similar story. I am 38 and was diagnosed in June with stage IIb cancer in one breast. My tumor was 4.9cm with lymph involvement. I underwent neoajduvant chemo and am grateful I did. By the time I had surgery (11/16/11), my tumor was only 1.5cm. I opted for a nipple sparing BMX with immediate reconstruction with silicon implants. After surgey, I found out that I still had positive lymph nodes so I will be starting radiation in January.

    Being pissed of is totally normal. This isn't supposed to happen. But the good news is you sound very healthy and active, which is to your advantage. My main advice to you while doing chemo is to keep moving. My body handled it very well because I forced myself to walk and do yoga. I was particularly afraid of the chemo brain side effect and do not suffer from that because I went to work when I could and stayed engaged. This is a lot to deal with but you will get through this.

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  • Beebop
    Beebop Member Posts: 206
    edited December 2011

    I also had neoadjuvant chemo and by the time I did the BMX, ALND and TEs (5 days ago), my MRI was clear. Still waiting on the path reports to come back. I did second guess my decision of going ahead with the BMX, but am now glad I did.

    I was part of a study, and my oncologist said they think all breast cancers will be treated with neoadjuvant therapy in the future. It also helps them to know for sure that a particular chemo drug is working.

    Good luck to you all!

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  • drwendy
    drwendy Member Posts: 47
    edited December 2011

    Beebop, you're so right, my mass has shrunk by about 1/4 after the first chemo and we would never have known if this chemo was effective without having the tumor there to measure.  I am so much more optimistic feeling it shrink down, makes my baldness feel like it's for a good reason!

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  • PinkShirtNow
    PinkShirtNow Member Posts: 134
    edited December 2011

    Dr Wendy - It feels so good to know that your tumor is shrinking, doesn't it?!  It makes it all worth it to be able to have physical confirmation that the chemo is working.  I am also doing neoadjuvant chemo and my tumor is less than half the size that it started.   I did 12 rounds of weekly taxol and just had my first AC (biweekly for 4 sessions).  I'm hoping the AC takes care of the rest of it and I can have the same result as Beebop had. I hope your tumor continues to shrink so that you can keep your spirits high and know that your treatment is getting the job done.

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  • Momine
    Momine Member Posts: 7,859
    edited December 2011

    Interesting what your onc said, Beebop. I also had neoadjuvant chemo, due to a large tumor with skin involvement. Apparently my surgeon started using this approach almost 20 years ago, and he insists that it is better in many cases than immediate surgery. I agree that it is very nice to know that the chemo is working, which it did in my case thankfully.

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