How soon after chemo did you feel a change in lump size?

SkiChick86
SkiChick86 Member Posts: 55
edited February 2018 in Stage III Breast Cancer

Hi ladies,

I had my first round of AC on Tuesday. Symptoms have been almost nonexistent which has been wonderful, but it has me worried that it's not actually working for. I know it has only been 5 days, but my lump doesn't feel smaller and even feels a bit like it has spread out to both my nipple and the outside of my breast. I have a large mass (8 cm) of DCIS that is highly (95%) ER+/PR+ and I have two smaller multi focal masses inside the DCIS that are only 20% ER+/PR+. The masses are grade 3 and has a KI67 of 80%.

I know it has only been a few days but I am very worried by what I am feeling. Did anyone here have any experience with feeling their tumor shrinking after chemo, and how long did it take? Because the mass is already so large and so close to the edge of my breast, I am worried about continuing with chemo that isn't doing anything. I am also worried because I am not doing the dose dense chemo because I am pregnant so I have to wait two more weeks for more chemo.

Anyone else have a similar experience? Or any thoughts? Even if you just want to tell me to chill out because it's only been five days I would love to hear it

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Comments

  • stephilosphy00
    stephilosphy00 Member Posts: 386
    edited January 2017

    I had weekly Taxol first. I started feeling the shrinkage around #3 Taxol, now after 11 rounds of Taxol I can barely feel the lump.

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  • sbelizabeth
    sbelizabeth Member Posts: 2,889
    edited January 2017

    SkiChick86, I don't have anything to contribute here. My lump was the size of a tic-tac and was removed with a lumpectomy before I started chemo. BUT--if my team had known that the 4-inch pink, orange-peel textured circle of skin ABOVE the tic-tac was loaded with breast cancer, they would never have done a lumpectomy. It should have been chemo first and then mastectomy.

    I just wanted to say hang in there. It's early days, as you know. Talk to your onc about your fears, but give this chemo a chance to get a foothold and do battle.

    Sending gentle hugs to you and your little one.

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  • SkiChick86
    SkiChick86 Member Posts: 55
    edited January 2017

    Thank you both for your responses. Stephilosophy00 it's good to hear it took you a few treatments to feel anything (and I'm glad you can barely feel the lump now!) and I'm probably worrying prematurely. Sbelizabeth, I'm sorry about your experience but hopefully things are going well now. And you are absolutely right, it is still quite early (not even a week since chemo).

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  • Kat1984
    Kat1984 Member Posts: 47
    edited January 2017

    hiya, I remember a week after my first AC thinking the same thing as you, it was hard not to touch the lump all the time! I noticed it felt softer after a couple of weeks but that was it until after the 2nd AC. After that it was definitely smaller and by the time for the 4th one I could no longer feel it. I know everyone is different though and a lot of people don't notice any chance, that doesn't mean the chemo isn't working though. Best wishes to you

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  • kae_md99
    kae_md99 Member Posts: 621
    edited January 2017

    hi all,

    i notice that neoadjuvant chemo is done a lot nowadays. is there a standard size of the mass that warrants it?


    kae

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  • SkiChick86
    SkiChick86 Member Posts: 55
    edited January 2017

    Kat1984 thanks for your input! I really appreciate hearing your perspective and that it takes time (which I know, but it is good to hear). Kae_md99 I am not sure what the deciding factor for neoadjuvant chemo is. In my case I have a HUGE mass of DCIS. I'm also pregnant which complicates things a bit too, although I'm not sure if it factored into their decision at all.

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  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited January 2017

    Kae - I had neo-adjuvant chemo because I was ER/PR negative and HER2+. And partly because of the size, to shrink the tumor before surgery. There would be no more treatments available after chemo, surgery & rads.

    I hope you will have the chance soon to post your stats in My Profile. It makes it so much easier to answer your questions as you move around the different threads.

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  • Kicks
    Kicks Member Posts: 4,131
    edited January 2017

    Neoadjuvant has been the Standard for IBC (Inflammatory Breast Cancer) for years. Neoadjuvant chemo is becoming more common in today's world for other types of BC.

    IBC is different than other types of BC - it forms in 'nests' or 'bands' with no clean/clear margins. Neoadjuvant chemo has to be used to get the mass to form into 'lump' with margins and to shrink so that the surgeon has a chance of getting it all. Because of it's rapid and aggressive presentation it is seldom (if ever) found before it is at least Stage III. Most will do 2 different batches of chemo neoadjuvant but some of us will do 1 neoadjuvant and 1 adjuvant.

    It is becoming more common now for neoadjuvant chemo to be used for other types for some. The idea is to get 'it' to shrink and get good margins for better surgical outcome and prognosis. Some will get a complete pathological response.

    For me, it did start forming into a 'lump' after the first DD A/C and did continue to form better, get margins and shrink during those 4 DD A/C. For me, a complete response was never expected - just to get it to form, shrink and get good margins for surgery - it worked. Then did 12 weekly aadjuvant Taxol as 'insurance'. That was 7+ yrs ago and I'm still NED (No Evidence of Disease).

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  • SSInUK
    SSInUK Member Posts: 245
    edited February 2017

    hi there - a week is way way too early to know what's happening or see response and it's almost impossible for your imagination and touch not to play tricks on you during chemo. It's also amazingly common for the response that scans report not to match the final pathology. It's oftenvery hard to tell what's what..Your Onc may have told you that only a very very few ladies with hormone positive cancer get a complete response to chemo but that doesn't mean all is lost. Finally I've been told that while some tumours shrink from the outside in so they get smaller, some are attacked in a 'Swiss cheese' pattern. The overall tumour bed stays the same same size but cells die out across it. Courage. Progression on chemo is very rare. Lending you strength

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  • BG46TN
    BG46TN Member Posts: 286
    edited February 2017

    HI! I also had AC and after my first treatment my lump felt bigger! it was sore and my whole breast hurt! I was worried....by my second treatment it started shrinking! My MO said that the swelling etc was the chemo attacking the tumor....which was good!

    Now I finished my 5th treatment (now on taxotere) and my surgeon and I both can't feel the lump at all!

    Becky

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  • Walkingintheclouds
    Walkingintheclouds Member Posts: 52
    edited October 2017

    I'm on a 6-round Abraxane(Docetaxel)+C chemo plan and finish d 3 rounds so far. I can feel the lump softer but no change in terms of the size. I feel a li

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  • Jenaus1
    Jenaus1 Member Posts: 5
    edited February 2018

    I was on 4 rounds of AC, then 12 of Taxol. I noticed the lump literally disappear after the second AC infusion. Please let us know how you get on after the next chemo treatment. Wishing you the best SkiChick86 from Melbourne, Aust. Jen

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  • Momine
    Momine Member Posts: 7,859
    edited February 2018

    I had neo-adjuvant chemo. No noticeable change after the first treatment. About a week after the second AC, however, it about halved.

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  • buttonsmachine
    buttonsmachine Member Posts: 930
    edited February 2018

    I noticed no change after my first AC. After the second and third AC is when I began to notice changes, which is consistent with what my MO expected. One more AC to go... I still have palpable tumors though.

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  • Legomaster225
    Legomaster225 Member Posts: 672
    edited February 2018

    My tumor may have felt slightly softer but I could still feel the 3.5cm mass after chemo. The path report after surgery stillshowed a tumor bed of 3.5cm but there was only a “rare” amount of viable cancer left-and it was scattered over 2mm. I guess what I’m trying to say is don’t get discouraged even if you don’t feel a big change. It may be working better than you emagine and you just don’t realize it.

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  • IAmElaine
    IAmElaine Member Posts: 87
    edited February 2018

    I received TAC x 6 (with taxotere). I will never forget the very first day of chemo. I received the cytoxan first. Then the taxotere. When the nurse began the red devil push last, it was less that a couple of minutes that I actually felt the tumor jerk and move about. I had a large lobular mass in my right breast that was laying in a thin sheet right below the surface of my skin. When the nurse was pushing the adrimyacin I can tell you the cancer had a big reaction to it. The nurse saw the look on my face and asked what was wrong. I told her what I was feeling and she smiled and said she had someone else tell her the same thing. She said the cancer apparently didn't care for the red devil. Anyway, it was so creepy feeling that I peeked down my shirt front!

    As the treatments went on I could start really feeling the mass disintegrate and seem to shred apart. I completed TAC x 4 before surgery. At the time of surgery, all that was left of the tumor was <1cm. After I healed from the surgery I did the last TAC x 2 for good measure. My onc left it up to me and I wanted to complete the entire protocol.

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  • NotVeryBrave
    NotVeryBrave Member Posts: 1,287
    edited February 2018

    I had TCHP every three weeks for six rounds. I couldn't feel the lump by the time of the second round but was afraid to be hopeful!


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