What is the general order of treatments?

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MelanieBC
MelanieBC Member Posts: 74
edited September 2015 in Managing Side Effects of Breast Cancer and Its Treatment

My mom had her RMMX on Friday. It went really well. Initially she was supposed to only have chemo but the tumours grew a bit between the biopsy and surgery and now she will have radiation and chemo.

What order does it usually go in? Will she have chemo first or radiation first?

How long does radiation generally take?

Thanks!

Mel

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  • Sjacobs146
    Sjacobs146 Member Posts: 770
    edited September 2015

    I had chemo first, followed by radiation, I think that is the usual order. I had 7 weeks of radiation, 5 days a week. The radiation treatments themselves take only 15 minutes or so

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

    I had chemo, waited 3-4 wks, then did 33 rads in about 6-7 weeks. Once/day, M-F.

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited September 2015

    For me: lumpectomy (which was also considered the biopsy, excisional, with clear margins). Chemo: four every-other-week tx of combo drugs, then 12 weekly txs of Taxol. Then six weeks of radiation tx, five days a week. Then the following year, a BMX and immediate reconstruction with implants.

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  • jacee
    jacee Member Posts: 1,384
    edited September 2015

    lumpectomy, mastectomy with ALND, 6 months chemo, radiation, Femara, reconstruction with DIEP

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  • KittyL
    KittyL Member Posts: 30
    edited September 2015

    Question: Most things I've read say chemo, then radiation, then hormone therapy--but everything I've been given here says radiation, then chemo, then hormone therapy. Clinically, I'm stage I, surgery scheduled. MO & RO will be contacting me next week to set up. I know I'm getting ahead of myself, but does it make a difference which is first?? Not sure they'll even schedule chemo, think the SNB will steer that? Looks like hormone therapy is always last. I think. (That's the problem, I think too much!)

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  • Kicks
    Kicks Member Posts: 4,131
    edited September 2015

    You must have been reading very different posts than I've seen here!

    Talk to your Drs - they are the ones that can explain what your TX plan will be and WHY.

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  • Spookiesmom
    Spookiesmom Member Posts: 9,568
    edited September 2015

    Agree with Kicks. For me it was chemo, surgery, rads, still on AI.

    Good thing for me it went that way. Was one positive node BS couldn't get out. Was wrapped into a vein. Would have bled to death if removed. RO cooked it really hard.

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