Neoadjuvant Chemotheraphy

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hmessenger
hmessenger Member Posts: 5
edited June 2014 in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

I was diagnosed 2 weeks ago with Stage IIb triple negative Invasive DCIS.  My surgeon and oncologist have recommended neoadjuvant chemotherapy, with reconstruction after treatment.  We are going to attemp skin/nipple sparing mastectomy, depeding on outcome of chemo.  Has anyone out there been down this road?  Everyone I have talked to has always had surgery first.  I am anxious to hear from someone who hasn't! 

First treatment was Thursday with AC...felt kind of weak over the weekend, but back to my old self today (Tuesday).  I can do this!

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  • tisthyme
    tisthyme Member Posts: 49
    edited March 2012

    Hi hmessenger.  I had neoadjuvant chemo, 12 weekly taxol followed by 4 AC every 3 weeks.  I finished these Dec. 27 and had a mastectomy on January 23 of this year.  I had never heard of chemo before surgery and I was initially quite nervous because I wanted it out of me right away.  During my 5 months of chemo I had 2 ultrasounds and they showed that the tumor was shrinking, this is when I started feeling much better about neoadjuvant- you know if it is working or not.. and if not they can adjust it in the middle of treatment.  My pathology from my mastectomy showed no cancer in the original tumor site or anywhere else; the chemo had killed all of it.  

    Yes, YOU CAN DO THIS!!  

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  • Babs37
    Babs37 Member Posts: 455
    edited March 2012
    Yes you can!!! Hi hmessenger. I had neoadjuvant chemo back in september 2010. I did 4 DD AC and 12 weekly Taxol. Then I had uni radical mx (7 nodes removed). After that did 25 rads. My onc chose to go with neo because he could know if chemo was working on my tumors and maybe go for lumpectomy if we could. But because I had 3 tumors in my breast in different quadrants, mastectomy was still my best option. After chemo, I still had a bit of cancer in my breast and a bit in 1 node so after surgery, I had rads too on all the breast area, under my arm and up to the collarbone. To this day I'm doing great. Best of luck to you. Keep the faith!
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  • hmessenger
    hmessenger Member Posts: 5
    edited March 2012

    OK...I feel much better now. They have me scheduled for 4 treatments of AC, then 4 treatments of Taxol.  The oncolgoist gave me the choice of doing it every 2 or 3 weeks. I chose the latter, due to young children at home.  My surgeon and oncologist both told me that if all goes well, then nothing will be detectable at time of surgery.  Your news is exciting to hear...my husband and I both have been pretty anxious.  My sentinal node biopsy initally came back negative, but pathology proved it wrong. Did you have lymph nodes removed at time of surgery?

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  • Babs37
    Babs37 Member Posts: 455
    edited March 2012

    Just so you know, I did it all, chemo, surgery, rads, with my 4 year-old little boy at home with me at the time. I think he help me focus on "why" I was going to beat this BC crap all the way no matter what!!!

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  • tisthyme
    tisthyme Member Posts: 49
    edited March 2012

    I had 8 axillary nodes removed and all looked normal and were negative for cancer.  Before chemo I had one axillary node that was biopsied and came back negative, but my MO was always suspicious of it.  SO .. just because of her suspicion, I am doing radiation right now.  They said they wanted to hit it with the big guns the first time, I agreed.  

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  • bak94
    bak94 Member Posts: 1,846
    edited March 2012

    Add me to the list! I did neoadjuvent and had no sign of cancer after the surgery. I also did radiation.

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  • christina1961
    christina1961 Member Posts: 736
    edited March 2012

    hmessenger,

    I did chemo first then a unilateral MX.  I still had 2 positive nodes and 2 cm of tumor left after chemo, so I did additional chemo with a clinical trial after surgery and radiation.  The radiation was also my choice - I was told it was a 50/50 decision with the 2 positive nodes but I wanted to do everything I could to help my chances.  I think neoadjuvant chemo is the way to go because you are able to know if the chemo is working.  I worked though chemo although I took about 5 days off following each cycle (but I had TACx6.)

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  • Meggy
    Meggy Member Posts: 530
    edited March 2012

    I am in favor of it.  You will get to see which chemo works best  on you...and if at surgery, there was remianing cancer in the breast or nodes....you can decide to do more chemo to be sure you cleaned it out of your body. 

    Meg

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  • lrr4993
    lrr4993 Member Posts: 937
    edited March 2012

    I hate to point out the negative, but I want to mention in case you don't already know that there is a risk of spread during neoadjuvent. It was recommended to me and this risk was never mentioned until I asked. I decided to do surgery first for that reason. There are very compelling reasons to do chemo first and I am not advocating against it. I just have the impression that this risk is not often discussed by the oncos.

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