B/C in your 40's, newly diagnosed

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  • sunnyjay
    sunnyjay Member Posts: 238
    edited June 2017

    Has anyone got a 2nd opinion for treatment? I had a UMX 4 weeks ago so still in recovery mode. I just met with my ongologist last Friday. He said that there was no evidence of cancer after surgery. yay! However, he still recommends taxotere and cytoxan chemotherapy for treatment since there was 1 lymph node involved, as well as tamoxifen for hormone therapy. This is what I was expecting based on what I've seen here from other survivors. But then he gave me some additional info. He showed me a model of a 10 year survival rate for a woman with my same situation if I choose not to get therapy. The model showed that the 10-year survival rate with just surgery as the treatment is 91%, and with the additional chemo & hormone therapy the survival rate goes up to 95%.

    I also shared my pathology results with a friend that works for a pharma company that is developing BC drugs, so she works with other oncologists for their clinical trials. she shared some info from my pathology with a couple of their oncologists, and they both thought I would not need chemotherapy. Because this was just an inquiry by my friend, these oncologists don't have my entire history which is why I want to get a 2nd opinion.

    I just keep going back and forth in my mind if the side effects of chemo is worth the additional 4% chance of survival. The continued side effects post-chemo is what I'm worried about.

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  • letsgogolf
    letsgogolf Member Posts: 263
    edited June 2017

    I would suggest having the Oncotype DX test. You are grade 1 as was I and my Oncotype score was only 3. In fact, with chemo my survival stats were worse than without chemo. As my oncologist said, chemo is usually not even effective for grade 1, slow growing tumors. Chemo works on fast growing cells.

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  • letsgogolf
    letsgogolf Member Posts: 263
    edited June 2017

    sunnyjay Have you plugged your stats in at cancermath. It is online and free. My results there were exactly the same my Oncotype results. There are a few other online calculators that were very close.

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  • RedJo40
    RedJo40 Member Posts: 21
    edited June 2017

    I'm in my late 40's and just finished radiation and chemo for endometrial cancer stage IIIa. Thought I was done and well. Nope! My PET/CT Scan showed an area in my left breast. One Mammogram later, needle biopsy and here I am with DCIS. Met with BS and she said Mx, I was so shocked! Thank goodness DH was at appointment or I would have lost it. She took my case before the tumor review board and they all agreed. I've also been diagnosed with Lynch Syndrome and I'm waiting to hear from my colonoscopy and endoscopy biopsies. I'm more anxious with this cancer than the last one. This is something everyone will see and know what is going on. Surgery date is set. DH and I are going away the week before to celebrate 25 years. Trying to keep my smile and humor which is what got me through the 18 weeks of chemo and 28 days of radiation. I know I can handle this, most days. I'm just not as confident that this won't impact my emotional well being.

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  • MTwoman
    MTwoman Member Posts: 2,704
    edited June 2017

    RedJo40, I am so very sorry you've had to join our club, and just when you thought you were in the clear! . I also had to have mx for DCIS (when I was 38). The 'good news' about having mx for DCIS is that you won't need radiation. The only other potential treatment (based on current NCCN standards) would be an anti-hormonal if you're ER+/PR+. You can do this! There are forums for every step of the way and so many women here who've been through it for support. please message me if you'd like to ask more questions. Sending you warm wishes and gentle ((hugs))

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  • EastcoastTS
    EastcoastTS Member Posts: 864
    edited June 2017

    Welcome, RedJo40, to the club no one wants to join. But, boy, what a great, supportive group it is. We're here for you!!!


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  • SuzyFL
    SuzyFL Member Posts: 29
    edited June 2017

    My surgery is only 2 weeks away! I have not enjoyed the waiting, but I think staying busy has kept me thinking about it all day. Today they placed the Savi Scout inside me, it really didn't hurt at all, much easier procedure than the biopsy, and less pain and soreness afterwards. Not sleeping very well lately, anyone else experiencing this? I just can't seem to sleep through the night, worrying I suppose!

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  • JenRuns
    JenRuns Member Posts: 350
    edited June 2017

    SuzyFL, have you tried mindfulness or meditation? I had the same issue when I was diagnosed and waiting... tried an app called Headspace. What a life changer. I say it calms the monkey chatter in my brain. I try to do it four nights a week, about a half hour before I go to bed. It only takes 10 minutes. Huge difference.

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  • Leatherette
    Leatherette Member Posts: 448
    edited June 2017

    Hi all, originally posted on page 3 of this thread (now will be referred to as, "the good ol' days") on May 29. I had my UMX on Monday, and Pathology came back today with good news/bad news. Good news first: the surgeon removed all of the known cancer with clean margins, and the two sentinel nodes that were removed were negative. The bad news: We had only found DCIS in the biopsy, with "suspicious " areas of calcification that suggested the presence of IDC, and it was there. That means I will be delaying reconstruction and doing 6 months of chemo. Boo.

    So, could be better, could be worse, but sadly was not best case scenario.

    I am 45, married, and parenting a 13 year old girl and a 16 year old boy. How do teens process this? Mine are very quiet. I want to find a book or something about it, so I can understand what kind of supports they may need.

    Anyway, thanks for reading and just being here. XOXO

    L

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  • christinarose
    christinarose Member Posts: 26
    edited June 2017

    leatherette, So sorry about the bad news part of your post. I just found out last week that I don't have to have chemo and can start radiation next week. I feel so lucky about that, but then of course I can't help but think what if I should do it. What if this "luck" really just means a future recurrence? Ugh. Cancer sucks.

    I've been wondering the same thing about teens and how we should be handling them. Mine have also been quiet. I'm 41 and have a boy 14 and girl 17. Also have two daughters that are 22 and 24 and a 2 yr old grandson. The older girls have been vocal about their concerns and opinionated about treatments and stuff. The teens are just rolling with whatever the day brings and keeping to their regular schedules, which is great, but I wonder if they should be talking more, asking more questions, etc. I have noticed my 17 year old is way more tired/sickly than usual. She said she hasn't been sleeping well but doesn't know why.

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  • Leatherette
    Leatherette Member Posts: 448
    edited June 2017

    Thanks, christinarose. I am glad you don't have to do chemo and hope the radiation goes smoothly. I'll share if I find any good info regarding teens. I'm kind of new, and this site is massive. Maybe I'll find something here....

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  • toughcookie_21
    toughcookie_21 Member Posts: 185
    edited June 2017

    leatherette, I'm so sorry to hear of your bad news but it's good that you got clear margins. I was hoping to avoid chemo but then my biopsy came back as her2 positive and they won't give herceptin without chemo. I have an 8-year old daughter and my son will be 11 in a month. We haven't told them yet but need to soon. I met with a social worker who works for the oncology department and he gave me a list of books and pamphlets. Perhaps you can ask your oncology office if they can give you any suggestions

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  • christinarose
    christinarose Member Posts: 26
    edited June 2017

    Worse than telling them about me was telling them that they will now need to consider themselves high risk. I know most of us mamas would go through cancer a thousand times over rather than subject it to our children.

    I agree leatherette, this site is massive! I am new here too but have already learned so much. I wish I would've started reading here at the very beginning of my DX. I think I would have made different decisions.

    Toughcookie, I wish you the best when telling your kids. Finding the right words can beso hard.

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  • SuzyFL
    SuzyFL Member Posts: 29
    edited June 2017

    JenRuns thank you for the recommendation for the Headspace app, I will have to try it! I seem to be sleeping a little better this week, I need to try it soon, surgery is less than 2 weeks away!


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