Need advice on doing BMx first or Chemo.

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Phillipians4
Phillipians4 Member Posts: 21
edited March 2016 in IDC (Invasive Ductal Carcinoma)

This is my first time here although I have been reading a lot of your posts. I met with my breast surgeon on Friday and was advised that I have a choice to do chemo prior to the bmx surgery or I could do it after. I am just wondering how many of you have had that decision and if you would do it again.

There's no choice of not doing chemo as my mammaprint came back high risk. The cancer is multifocal so they did find five spots in one breast from the MRI. The good news is that my BRCA tests came back negative and there is no indication it has spread to my lymph nodes.

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  • rainnyc
    rainnyc Member Posts: 1,289
    edited February 2016

    Phillipians, have you consulted with a medical oncologist yet? I'm not sure I would feel competent to make that decision without hearing what the oncologist had to say. At least you could hear a bit about what the likely chemo would be, and for how long, and what kind of results they feel they're likely to get with both scenarios. Another question I'd be wondering about is if the chemo pre surgery might change the nature of your surgery or the likelihood of radiation. Good luck with this tough decision.

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  • Spookiesmom
    Spookiesmom Member Posts: 9,568
    edited February 2016

    I didn't have a choice. Chemo came first. And I'm glad it did. It shrunk the tumors noticeably, made it easier for BS to get it all with clean margins. Then for me, on to rads.

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  • Skittlegirl
    Skittlegirl Member Posts: 428
    edited February 2016

    I also did chemo first. I had a complete response, so there was no evidence of the IDC at surgery.

    Check with your MO. One thing to keep in mind is if you have a complication from surgery (infection, slow healing, whatever) it could delay chemo starting.

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  • flipflop
    flipflop Member Posts: 38
    edited February 2016

    same as above. And that's a very strong point about complications of surgery delaying chemo. I didn't have the option but if given the option and what I know now I would have still done chemo first, surgery second.

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  • 3-16-2011
    3-16-2011 Member Posts: 559
    edited February 2016

    I did surgery first because my MO and breast surgeon were concern about my multi focal tumors and the great liklihood of brca positive due to hx of male breast ca in my family. I now have mets and wonder what would have happened if I had chemo first. Would it have showed it didn't do enough.

    Good luck

    Mary

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  • NancyHB
    NancyHB Member Posts: 1,512
    edited February 2016

    I have a small TN tumor, but it's a local recurrance from 4 years ago. I had rads then, cannot have them again so I must have an mx. My life is incredibly chaotic right now and I simply don't have the option of taking time off for mx and recon right now, so I'm starting chemo on Tuesday. My BS and MO are both unhappy with my decision but admit it's not outside the NCCN guidelines so they'll agree to it.

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  • Phillipians4
    Phillipians4 Member Posts: 21
    edited February 2016

    Thank you for the responses. I did meet my MO for the initial visit and presume I will meet them again after my decision. I confident I have a good team of doctors. I am leaning towards chemo first just because of certain events going on in our lives that any complications from surgery would prevent attending. Although I don't know how chemo will affect me till it actually happens.

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  • rleepac
    rleepac Member Posts: 755
    edited February 2016

    I did chemo first and I was glad I did because otherwise I wouldn't have known for sure if I had a complete pathological response (which I did). It was pretty reassuring to get that path report after the BMX

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  • Phillipians4
    Phillipians4 Member Posts: 21
    edited March 2016

    Rleepac that is a very good point. Thank you.

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