Anyone had adjuvent chemo & then needed more after surgery?

alcb70 · April 2013

alcb70 · April 2013

I had 3 months of TC. After my mastectomy, they still found active disease. They felt that the chemo treated about 60% of the cancer (my tumor shrunk by about 2.5 cm). It was decided at tumor board that I needed 2 dose dense AC treatments before radiation. It was crushing. Now I'm more worried than ever for mets.

Anyone else have this happen? Thanks! -Andrea

SpecialK · April 2013

I am assuming you meant neoadjuvent chemo, chemo before surgery, right? You might want to correct your thread title so as to get answers from those who had neoadjuvent chemo rather than adjuvent chemo. I know there was someone in my chemo group (Feb '11) who had this also, and she continued with chemo after her surgery - her screen name is charlottesmama. I believe it is not uncommon to have tumor shrinkage, rather than CPR (omplete pathological response) with neoadjuvent chemo. Wishing you the best!

alcb70 · April 2013

Thanks....I meant neoadjuvent....at 2 in the morning your brain starts going. Unfortunately, it won't let me correct the title. I know that CPR is rare, but mine was enough to have a tumor board suggest AC instead of letting it go. Just makes me even more nervous. Thanks for the suggestion of Charlottesmama. I will keep an eye out. I have a follow up PET scan Monday & I'll have them every 6 months for a while. (spine issues I have will mask mets symptoms, so he's being extra cautious)

heather214 · April 2013

I am currently in neoadjuvant chemo as well. Just curious where they found the cancer after your mastecomy?

Heather

PeggySull · April 2013

Andrea,

I am potentially facing more chemo after mast/recon because my tumors did not shrink enough. Oddly, perhaps, I got the DD ACT in the neoadjuvant phase, while it seems n you are getting it after surgery. Can you tell me the rationale for your first chemo regimen, and why they didn't start you with DD ACT?

Thanks,

Peggy

rozem · April 2013

hi ladies

i had neoadjuvant chemo

i believe how it works is that you get a full chemo regime and thats it - most times its the entire thing up front. However ALCB70 since you only had TC and not an anthracycline then that is why they are suggesting the AC - you already had a taxane. (the T). If you had AC-T up front they would not give you more as you had the entire chemo regime. I have read that sometimes with a less optimal response they sometimes try trial/later stage chemos (for example TDM-! for her2 positive BC).

Peggysull - ALCB got TCH which is a very common chemo for her2 positive BC - The H being herceptin. Some doctors prefer not to treat her2 bc with an anthracycline (the A) since Herceptin can cause heart issues and so can A. However, seems like the docs are thinking that the A may be beneficial and that is why they are suggeting this after surgery - i thinkit can only be administered with C so that is why she is getting AC

alcb70 · April 2013

Sorry for getting back so late...I've been out of town.

Heather: my cancer was at the original spot. It hadn't spread, it just didn't "die off" as they had expected. The tumor shrunk about 3 cm, but it was still active enough that they wanted to be sure they got any "seeds" that may become active.

Peggy: They did the TCH to avoid the cardiotoxicity of the adria & herceptin. I had to stop herceptin while I did the adria. Also, my original path showed I was a weak ER+ and they thought I would have tamoxifen x 5 yrs. They redid my path after surgery with a different assay. It came back negative. So, chemo & herceptin is all I get. They wanted to give it all they could. I hope you don't have to have more chemo! My body snapped right back to where it left off from my 1st round. I didn't feel like I had a break at all.

Anyone had adjuvent chemo & then needed more after surgery?

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