Stage 1 clear nodes no radiation or chemo?

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Taramay
Taramay Member Posts: 13
edited June 2015 in Stage I Breast Cancer

Hello all, I see the oncologist on 6/16 & we are awaiting results for my oncotype score however I do know this. My cancer is stage 1, 1.1 cm, no lymph node involvement, hormone positive, her2 negative. I am only 32 years old so I've been told tamoxifen is a guarantee for probably 10 years. I had a skin & nipple sparing bilateral mastectomy with tissue expanders this past week. I'm thinking all my results have been good so far so I was wondering if anyone who had a diagnoses & treatment similar to mine still had to do radiation or chemo.

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  • keepthefaith
    keepthefaith Member Posts: 2,156
    edited June 2015

    taramay, sorry you found yourself here! The stage is only one piece of the puzzle. Do you know what grade it is? The higher grades are said to have a better response to chemo. I am sure you are concerned about further treatment. Just get as much information as you can, seek a second opinion if you need to. As you can see from my profile, I did both chemo and rads,w/LX. My onco score was 21. I was fortunate to tolerate both pretty well. Wishing you the best moving forward.

  • regatta21
    regatta21 Member Posts: 42
    edited June 2015

    Mine was Grade 3, and I needed chemo (ACT) with all the same stats. Everything was a surprise with this cancer thing

  • Taramay
    Taramay Member Posts: 13
    edited June 2015
  • Taramay
    Taramay Member Posts: 13
    edited June 2015

    It's grade 2, I am hoping very much to avoid those additional treatments if I can. So far everything has gone well.

  • Meow13
    Meow13 Member Posts: 4,859
    edited June 2015

    Taramay, being both ER and PR positive is good, hormone therapy may work the best for you. Oncodx is only another piece of information. I hope you are low risk and don't need more treatment. I was 53 at dx and my oncodx was 34. ER 95%, PR negative. I did not do chemo against doctor recommendation. I am almost 4 years no reoccurrence. I did what I was willing to do and i thought it best for me.

  • JJOntario
    JJOntario Member Posts: 356
    edited June 2015

    I am very similar to you but I did a Lx followed by 6 wks of rads. I wanted to do a mx but I wasn a candidate for nipple sparing and I found myself more attached to my nipple in a surprising way.

    I know this is insane but I'm really tired of explaining to people why I didn't do chemo. I will be on Tamoxifen for at least the next 5 years.

  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited June 2015

    Taramay-

    We want to welcome you to our community here at BCO. We're so sorry for the circumstances that bring you here, but we're glad you've found us, and hope you find the support and encouragement you need!

    You've already gotten such great feedback from the community, so we don't have anything else to add, other than to suggest checking out the Tamoxifen boards for info and to connect with others in your shoes. You can find them here: https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/78.

    Please let us know if we can help in any way, we'll be thinking of you!

    The Mods

  • ml143333
    ml143333 Member Posts: 658
    edited June 2015

    Hi there!

    Even though I was stage 1, grade 3 I had an oncotype score of 23 so I had chemo as well.

  • PatRN10
    PatRN10 Member Posts: 332
    edited June 2015

    I had Lx so doing radiation. Awaiting Oncotype result.

  • sailorbev
    sailorbev Member Posts: 75
    edited June 2015

    I just came across an article on this site that says some older women may not need radiation after lumpectomy.

    "This suggests that some women older than 60 diagnosed with luminal A disease -- hormone-receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer with low levels of Ki-67 -- who are taking hormonal therapy after surgery may be able to skip radiation therapy.

    While the results of this study are very encouraging, more research is needed before doctors can say for certain if some older women diagnosed with luminal A breast cancer can avoid radiation therapy."

    Even though the study says more research is needed I think I will discuss this with my surgeon. I fit the profile in the study, I am 61, stage 1, grade 1, ER positive 100%, PR positive 10%, HER2 negative, Ki-67 <10%.

    Has anyone else done this or considered it

  • sweetjam
    sweetjam Member Posts: 27
    edited June 2015

    I was stage 1 grade 2 but biopsy was triple neg. I had 6 chemo treatments prior to surgery. I also had nipple and skin saving. I had no node evolvement either. My post surgical biopsy was hormone positive so. They think I actually had 4/5 markers. If your oncotype score is low you might not need chemo. I have a friend whose score was a 2 so no chemo for her but another who as in the middle and she had chemo. God luck! The whole business stinks

  • bw49
    bw49 Member Posts: 36
    edited June 2015

    I was stage 1 grade 2 ocno score 18- no chemo- if I did it would only help me 2%- finishing 34 rounds of radiation tomorrow- and then 10 years of tam-

  • Taramay
    Taramay Member Posts: 13
    edited June 2015

    If you don't mind my asking, did you have a lumpectomy or mastectomy?

  • sandyhook26
    sandyhook26 Member Posts: 8
    edited June 2015

    Hi Tammy,

    Very similar to you except I had a lumpectomy. I am doing radiation. That seemed to be a given. But maybe not for you because you had a mastectomy. I had the onco test and my score was 16 therefore I did not do chemo because statistically I would have no added benefit from it with my score.

    Good luck with everything.

  • debiann
    debiann Member Posts: 1,200
    edited June 2015

    The need for rads will be determined from the pathology of your MX. For example, if there are any other concerning areas found, if the cancer was close to the chest wall or if there was any positive nodes then radiation is still recommended, even with an MX.

  • Janett2014
    Janett2014 Member Posts: 3,833
    edited June 2015

    I was Stage 1, Grade 2, hormone receptor positive, HER negative, had bilateral mastectomy, Oncotype 16, no chemo, no radiation, and I'm on Arimidex now. All in all, I'm doing well.

  • Taramay
    Taramay Member Posts: 13
    edited June 2015

    Thank you for the response debiann. My final pathology of lymph nodes is clear and I also have clear margins so I'm thinking I'm ok with no radiation but I'm still figuring all of this out. I guess now it will all depend on my onco score correct?

  • Taramay
    Taramay Member Posts: 13
    edited June 2015

    Oh and the "my risk" testing was negative.

  • Taramay
    Taramay Member Posts: 13
    edited June 2015

    Thank you for the response Janett2014, I hope to do the same. I'm glad you're doing well!

  • Judyf
    Judyf Member Posts: 1
    edited June 2015

    I' m ER /PR +,HER -, stage 1B, Grade 3, post BMX 4/9/15. I had a MammoPrint results that was low risk of reoccurrence. My oncologist has started me on Anastrozole for 5 years, no chemo, no radiation. I was worried about not having chemo or radiation. I find it comforting to see others with the same treatment plan.

  • Mag1913
    Mag1913 Member Posts: 20
    edited June 2015

    I'm er+ 100%/pr+ 100% her-, stage 1, grade 2, 8 mm IDC...I will be having 7 weeks radiation (go for planning on June 25th) and 5 years tamoxifen...anxiously awaiting my oncotype score - the MO feels confident it will come back a low number (fingers crossed she's right) - should know next Friday!

  • Lmonelli
    Lmonelli Member Posts: 95
    edited June 2015

    Taramay...are you saying you need chemo and radiation?

  • Lmonelli
    Lmonelli Member Posts: 95
    edited June 2015

    Hello,

    I think I am stage 1. I am also er/pr + her- I see my oncologist today for the first time since my surgery which was April 29th. I am assuming I have nothing to worry about since it's been such a long time waiting. If there was a problem I probably would have been called in to see him sooner.

    A nurse came into my room after surgery and told me she had same diagnoses and BMX as I did but had to do chemo because of onco score. I have a positive feeling that all will be okay.

    I'll check back and let you guys know my results.

    Lori

  • Lmonelli
    Lmonelli Member Posts: 95
    edited June 2015

    I know someone who took tamoxifen and had to have hysterectomy due to uterine cancer. I don't know the percentage of women who get this. Has me a little worried about taking the drug.

  • ml143333
    ml143333 Member Posts: 658
    edited June 2015

    My oncotype score was 23.  Even though my cancer was stage 1 with no nodes involved, it was grade 3.  Grade 3 coupled with an intermediate oncotype score = chemo for me.  It was tolerable and I'm glad I did it.  Gives me a little more peace of mind that I did all that I could to ward off distant recurrence/mets.

  • Taramay
    Taramay Member Posts: 13
    edited June 2015

    Onco score came back yesterday 14 low risk. Final pathology of nodes clear, still stage 1, ER/pr+, her-, negative my risk test, grade 2 but mitotic count of 1, so I'm assuming no chemo due to minimal benefit. No, limonelli I wasn't saying I had to do those treatments but I'm curious what others like me have been recommended to do since I still have yet to see the oncologist. With my score & testing results I think I'll be okay without however the main concern for the doctors still is my age.

  • Mabs
    Mabs Member Posts: 36
    edited June 2015

    Hi, I was dx stage I, grade 2, er/pr positive (90%) her2 neg, no positive node, oncotype 11. I'm 36. I did Bilateral nipple and skin sparing (direct to implants). Didnt do chemo and rads...

    Wish you all the best!!!

  • teachermom4
    teachermom4 Member Posts: 101
    edited June 2015

    Hi Taramay,

    I am Stage II but with my oncotype and clear margins, no chemo or radiation, just AI--though I am older than you. If in doubt, don't hesitate to get a second opinion. Best wishes!

  • hummingbirdlover
    hummingbirdlover Member Posts: 421
    edited June 2015

    I was stage 1, with a grade 3 tumor and dodged the chemo bullet due to my oncotype score. I didn't need rads either but am taking tamoxifen and doing great.

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