Anyone with stage 2a or 2b opt to skip chemo or rad?

9lives70
9lives70 Member Posts: 127
edited December 2016 in Chemotherapy - Before, During, and After
  • Hi there I am newly diagnosed with stage 2 a ER PR positive HER 2 negative mixed ductal lobular cancer l, two tumors in left breast. Ki 67 is 10% grade 2. The largest tumor is 2.1 CM. I am planning Mastectomy and am not sure what systemic treatment protocol they will recommend yet but, I'm assuming it will be the traditional radiation chemo and hormone therapy even with Mastectomy. I'm 47.

As someone who has rarely been sick other than a minor cold and typically never takes medicines all these chemicals are scaring the hell out of me as I'm sure they did all of you as well.

Did anyone out there skip one or part of the traditional treatment protocol and feel fine about doing that? Anyone regret treatments that they received? Anyone feel they would've done things differently had I had more time to research? I read a study last night that said 20 to 40% of all early-stage cancer will metastasize no matter what treatment you throw at them, no matter how aggressive which does not make me feel good about putting my body through that hell with those kind of odds

I would love your thoughts;)

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  • Meow13
    Meow13 Member Posts: 4,859
    edited December 2016

    I was stage 1, with 2 tumors similar to yours no nodes. Mine were 1.2cm and 1.1cm, my oncodx score was 34 indicating chemo probably because I was er 95% and pr less than 1%. I did mx and DIEP, I was 53 and postmenopausal. I chose to not do the chemo and try the AI drugs. From what I have found AI drugs are much more effective for er+ pr- people than tamoxifen. Being both er and pr+ I have read tamoxifen and AI are about equally as effective.

    I am very happy I did not throw the toxic cocktail in my treatment and preserve my overall health. Some people don't have long term side effects but many do. The AI drugs have taken a toll on me but I am off them now.

    I believe the stats you quote are high on recurrence. Go with what you think as far as treatment.

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  • ElaineTherese
    ElaineTherese Member Posts: 3,328
    edited December 2016

    Since you are ER+PR+, your tumor should be submitted for an Oncotype test. Depending on the results, your oncologist will either recommend chemo or no chemo. Even if your oncotype score is high (as was the case with Meow), you may still choose to skip chemo. For ER+ women, as Meow notes, hormonal therapy is an additional systemic treatment that is available. Of course, some women who are prescribed hormonal therapy don't care for its side effects and quit.

    Radiation is not systemic treatment; it is localized. Depending on your situation, your doctors might not recommend radiation because you are getting a mastectomy. However, mastectomy doesn't always rule out radiation.

    I got "the works" -- chemo, surgery, radiation, targeted therapy (due to HER2+) and hormonal therapy (Zoladex + Aromasin). My cancer was aggressive (Grade 3, HER2+), so I treated it aggressively. But many women have cancer which is far more indolent, and it might be over-treatment to undergo all possible treatments. That is what the Oncotype and Mammaprint tests seek to determine.

    Best wishes!

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  • coraleliz
    coraleliz Member Posts: 1,523
    edited December 2016

    You'll know more after the pathology comes back after surgery. I went in thinking I was stage I but they found a couple of positive nodes. This made me stage II. I was hoping to skip RADs by having a mastectomy but ended up having RADs instead of an ALND(removal of additional lymph nodes). Chemo was offered but the decision was left to me. I asked for the oncotype test & it came back "4" which is low. I chose to skip chemo. Sometimes things aren't really clear & you have to decide. Good luck with your upcoming surgery.

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