Time between neoadjuvant chemotherapy and surgery(6 vs 8 weeks)?

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yan123
yan123 Member Posts: 13
edited June 2016 in Chemotherapy - Before, During, and After

I wonder if waiting 7-8 weeks is acceptable? My mom has IBC (stage 3, HER+, ER+). She received a chemotherapy, and is waiting for a surgery. She has an option to start a surgery in 5-6 weeks after the last chemotherapy. Another option is wait to have a surgery with a doctor that they highly recommend considering that she had a treatment complications (pulmonary edema during paclitaxel administration). Then, she would have to move the surgery to 7-8 weeks after the chemo.

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  • KayaRose
    KayaRose Member Posts: 183
    edited June 2016

    I'm not sure what the standard of care is regarding the wait between chemo and surgery but I had my mastectomy 2 weeks after my last chemo treatment. My MO and BS seemed to want my surgery to be done as soon as possible after the chemo. I'm sure others on this board will provide you with a lot more information than I can.

    Your mother is fortunate to have such a caring daughter.

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  • Angtee15
    Angtee15 Member Posts: 209
    edited June 2016

    I thought the standard was 4-6 weeks, but every case is different...I had my BMX just 2.5 weeks after my final chemo like Kaya. I was worried it was too soon, but was told it would be just fine and it was (knock on wood!)

    So it's possible your mother's team might feel waiting just a bit longer for the specialist is best. But I think if you are nervous about waiting too long you should absolutely convey that to them. Perhaps that specialist could be available sooner. If not your mom will have that time to rest/recover and prepare for surgery.

    Hugs and best wishes to you both!

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  • yan123
    yan123 Member Posts: 13
    edited June 2016

    Thanks for your responses. She completed chemo (3 AC+ 3 paclitaxel+3 herceptin+3 cisplatin). They would have probably given her more chemotherapy but they feel like moving towards the surgery instead as she had a bad reaction to paclitaxel (pulmonary edema, and they saved her life by miracle). She had a nice response but not complete, i.e., her tumor decreased from 4.3 cm to 1.3 cm. Continuing herceptin is a good idea but I think they would be worried of giving her anything before the surgery as they would like to make sure she has recovered after the complication (pulmonary edema).



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  • Kicks
    Kicks Member Posts: 4,131
    edited June 2016

    I'm IBC. My TX plan was different than most do. I did 4 DD A/C neoadjuvant then 2 weeks after last A/C had UMX. 3 weeks after UMX, I started 12 weekly Taxol adjuvant. A week after last Taxol I started 25 rads. There are no 'absolutes' - we are ea h unique and our Drs have different ideas as to what is best for us individually.

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  • yan123
    yan123 Member Posts: 13
    edited June 2016

    Thanks. They think that the pulmonary edema was a hypersensitivity to paclitaxel as it happened during the paclitaxel administration. But she received herceptin a day earlier. Thus, I am not sure what triggered the reaction, but I think it was most likely paclitaxel.


    I am also surprised that they do not plan on continuing any chemo after this, just herceptin and hormones. I guess they got scared by pulmonary edema which was triggered bu high pulse and hypertension which was not noticed on time . Considering that it was not a complete response I would perhaps do more chemo but my mom is being treated in Russia and she can't choose between doctors.


    I think paclitaxel might be out of the table but wonder if there is any other chemo comparable to this so that the doctors might try if somethign goes wrong.

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