Anyone who was Stage 1 Grade 2 who did not do chemo?

Sunnyone22

When I was first Dx, a coworker of mine was right there telling me that I could beat this. That it wasn't a death sentence. At the time, she was 19 years out of a Stage 2, 2 node positive, ER-/PR - diagnosis. I clung to her story during my diagnosis and treatment, as it gave me so much comfort and hope. Not long after my diagnosis she had a second primary in her other breast, this time DCIS. She's now around 35 years out from her first Dx and 16 years out from her second.

There are a lot of long term survivors out there ((((hugs)))

yes, love hearing of these success stories too. Gives me hope that I may not get a recurrence.

I was stage 1, grade 2 with an oncotype of 18. Under those circumstances and the fact that I was 63 at diagnosis and had already had a total hysterectomy/oophorectomy, my MO was very confident that I didn't need chemo. I did the condensed, Canadian fractionation radiation schedule of 18 treatments and then started on Arimidex. Unfortunately, I didn't tolerate that AI or Femara due to joint pain and developing a trigger finger that had to be surgically corrected. I've been on Tamoxifen now for about 18 months. I worry because I know it's not as effective as an AI would be for me and the only antidepressant I can tolerate is NOT recommended with Tamox. I still worry.....
All that being said, my mother is 94 and a 33 year survivor from back in the day when they did the mastectomy and sent you home.

Generally, the higher your ER+ % the more effective endocrine therapy (AI or tamox., depending on pre-or-post-menopausal status) will be. The one caveat is if you are PR-, which tumors tend to be more aggressive. I was 75% ER+ but 97% PR+, and 10 years postmenopausal, so AIs were recommended for me. I just finished my 5th month on letrozole, and depending on formulation (Roxane is the gentlest on me, then Femara, then Teva) side effects have been no picnic but still bearable. W/in the past month I developed trigger thumb on my R (“picking” rather than “fretting”--I’m a professional guitarist) hand, which is also my dominant and LE arm. I asked my LE doc today what I should do and he said the cortisone shot should be fine and require no precautions except for a couple of days on antibiotics or even just bacitracin on the dressing. Should I need the tendon-release surgery (as I eventually did on my L, or “fretting hand” thumb in 2011 before bc), he says his LE patients do fine even on carpal tunnel surgery--which is more complex and has longer tourniquet time. I shouldn’t even need wrapping, provided my LE stays at Stage 0. The triggering is getting very painful when I first awaken, but once I’m up & about and the Celebrex kicks in, it’s painless and sometimes even goes away till the next morning.

I get night sweats. but running the AC takes care of that. I have severe startup pain in my hip (previous injury causing bursitis & IT band syndrome) the first 20 or so steps after sitting for awhile but it quickly goes away. Insomnia? 1/4 mg. of Xanax at bedtime drops me like a plugged buffalo and I can sleep 9 or even 10 hrs. if I have no reason to get up earlier (though my usual is 7-8). I’m noticing no skin or hair changes, but it is slowing my metabolism and caused a 13-lb. weight gain. But going back on low carb made me lose 7 of those lbs.. I just joined a gym, and am determined to be 10 lbs. below my dx weight when I next see the MO in August.

hi. I'm new to group. Testing to see if this post is sent

ChiSandy - your words give me hope. I was 95% ER+ and 80% PR+ so perhaps having to take Tamoxifen instead of an AI will be ok.

I had a cortisone injection in the trigger finger which totally helped for about 6 months. It came back with a vengeance, so I had to have a release, but it was on my non BC side, so I wasn't worried about that. I do have osteoarthritis and can't tolerate any NSAIDs, including aspirin. I've seen a lot on this site and others about the benefits of Turmeric, ginger and VitD, so I'm doing my research to figure out the best way to add those to my daily routine.

The hot flashes can be so bad that if I were to take something to make me sleep through them, I'd literally soak the sheets. We have no heat in our bedroom (in Maine) and I'd still have to get out of bed and go out to the dining room where I can turn on a ceiling fan and wait for it to pass. But, I've had them for so long, (they started about 8 years before my BC diagnosis) it's just a way of life for me.

DenvMom - Wow, what a strong family history with such positive end results! Despite growing those BC cells, there must be some very strong cancer fighting genes in there too.

well, I am 65...stage 1 with an oncotype of 28...while most recommend chemo, for me the benefit is in the single digits so I am refusing chemo but will do radiation and a hormone...I realize you need someone younger to answer your post and this is just a personal choice so I would check with others for sure

If insurance covers the Oncotype, demand it if the cost is not high for you. You are a Grade 2 and this is the grade where Oncotype really helps. This doesn't cost your MO anything. What % was your ER and PR? Do you know your Ki67? If ER and PR are high and Ki67 low, your MO may be correct. Still the Oncotype score helps you make decisions down the line, such as whether or not to stay on AIs if you are having serious SEs.

ChiSandy, my mo said if I were both pr and er positive he would not have suggested the oncodx. We were all suprised at a score of 34. I still chose no chemo even though it was recommended. So far so good almost 5 years later. I did bail out at 4 years of hormone. I feel so much better I can't go back to it.