Vague Idea of Type, Fast Growing??

* It's probably IDC; about 80% of breast cancers are IDC.

* Nah, if your Mom's cancer were 8 cm with one positive node, she'd be like me (Stage IIIA).

* I got a PET scan before chemo, too. It provides a baseline image that can be compared to the post-chemo PET. My post-chemo PET showed that chemo had wiped out the active cancer in my breast and node.

* Chemo for IDC generally comes in two flavors: Taxotere + Carboplatin or Adriamycin + Cytoxin and then Taxol. Since she's getting it every three weeks, she may be doing the Taxotere + Carboplatin regimen. Of course, some women get Adriamycin + Cytoxin every three weeks, but Taxol is often done weekly and might be too inconvenient for your parents. I'm wondering -- since she's getting an echo, she may be getting Adriamycin, which can affect her heart. If she is getting AC, her MO will monitor her heart carefully. Another possibility is that she's HER2+ -- with that kind of cancer, your Mom would be getting Herceptin which can also affect the heart. If so, she might be getting Taxotere + Carboplatin + Herceptin + Perjeta.

* Chemo packages would vary according to individual. Is there anything your Mom might like to do during chemo, like knit, crochet, or read? Lots of people just sleep through it, to be honest.

* In a chemo package, food would be unwelcome because chemo can change the flavor of foods, and you never know what food you will tolerate during treatment. (I became very fond of French fries; never liked them before.)

* While doing chemo, it's important to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Are there non-caffeinated beverages your Mom likes? Some of the gals on my chemo board got soda stream machines so they could find something tolerable to drink. (After the first month of chemo, I was sick of water.)

* Some women require a lot of rest during chemo. Does your Mom subscribe to Netflix or a service that might help her pass the time?

* Your Mom will probably lose her hair. But, she will probably want to figure out her own way to address the hair loss.

* Every woman reacts to chemo differently. I had a rather easy time of it, but I was relatively young (46), and didn't have any pre-existing conditions.

* Yes, chemo can harm the immune system, though her oncologist may prescribe Neulasta to provide some protection against the loss of white blood cells. So, many doctors advise that chemo patients avoid crowded areas with lots of germs. But, I think if you all use hand sanitizer liberally, you could pay some visits to Mom with the kids in tow. (By the way, I taught university students during chemo, and only got sick once.)

Good luck!

I am undergoing chemo and have three young kids myself. My oncologist told me not to worry too much about catching anything from them (while still being careful, but it was infections within my own body that were an issue (eg. urinary tract infections)

Linneam,

Yes, different scans will show different assessments -- my original scan suggested that my cancer was 3.9 cm, but that turned out to be 5 cm+. I thought I was Stage II, but ended up Stage III. No matter; I still had to to do five months of chemo and 6+ weeks of radiation. Hope your mom does do some a*** kicking!!!