How many percent reduction in 10yrs recurrence shall do chemo?

cathy67 · October 2019

Kamboka,

Last Wednesday, MO ordered the oncotype dx for me, I just checked my bank account, has not been paid yet. The company said, once they received the tissue, they will charge credit card, so just waiting.. I am in Canada, the company is in California.

I just want to be more responsible for myself. I guess your insurance covers this test, right? If so, why not...

I guess I may also get a some what 40 plus score. I found 42 means 10 % chemo benefit is using their node positive chart. If you say, during chemo, you can still go to office and then back, maybe I can spend through. I am not working.

After chemo, did you find your body any changes? Did your health get big problems due to chemo, in other word, the percentage of this ACT regimen's side effect we shall reduce from percentage of chemo benefit?

Kamboka · October 2019

cathy67: I had chemo from AC first. I tried to do taxotere but had a bad reaction. I then stopped and did surgery. After surgery, I started on taxol every two weeks. I had the worst time with the taxotere and taxol (they are cousin drugs). It's been about six weeks since the last taxol and I feel really good. I have energy and my mood is great. I don't have any of the lingering fatigue from AC and all my blood work comes back normal. I do have some neuropathy in my fingertips and feet caused by the taxol. I hope it goes away in a few months. I'm in radiation now and so far, so good.

I think the oncotype test took about two weeks to come back but I can't remember exactly. With my 45, I think I get a 15% absolute benefit.

I've got to run now but will check back in the morning and respond if you have any other questions.

I think we are all stronger than we think we are! If you decide to do chemo, you'll find a way to get through it.

cathy67 · October 2019

Kamboka,

ACT is 4 plus 4. I think I can start to try it, if very bad reaction, may just stop it. Or just completed the first four. Don't know how to feedback to MO on time, may need followup every round.

I did lots of study before surgery, my surgeon said, you studied too much. She is right, surgery went very smoothly. Hopefully chemo as well. But still pray for low score back. Just wonder why MO said only five percent for me, positive node patient.

I am in Canada, thanks for your sharing again, time to bed here.

moth · October 2019

cathy, the MO reviews your file before every treatment (you also get sent for bloodwork before every chemo). You don't always see the MO but the MO sees your file and communicates with the chemo room nurses & prescribes any required dose adjustments or cancels chemo if your blood values fall too low. If someone is having adverse effects or problems in between treatments - like my hospitalizations - you end up seeing the MO to discuss how to proceed. My MO even called me on the phone while I was hospitalized (I went to the nearest emergency not the hospital where I was getting my chemo so he wasn't on site).

cathy67 · October 2019

Thanks moth,

Lots of patients said their doctors called in for reports, but my surgeon never did, and I don't think my MO will. Sounds chemo is quite similar to pregnancy, not a pleasant journey, but a journey filled with hope. As for personal reaction, someone said okay, someone said terrible, .. thanks everybody let me know this, I am waiting for my score which I will treat as second opinion. To follow the guideline, MO can only prescribe ACT, but I can treat it as AC and T, AC is the light dose that I am looking for, though two weeks round, if I feel okay, then go for T, if cannot do, then cancel T, then get 4 round AC.

Ingerp · October 2019

I'll also add that chemo is not what people have in their heads from decades ago. I visited a friend with lung cancer probably 15 years ago, was surprised she looked pretty good, and she told me back then that if you're getting nauseous from chemo your doctors aren't doing their job. I also never had any nausea, although I took the prescription anti-nausea meds for a few days following treatment, mostly because they helped me sleep. I mean a lot of women gain weight on chemo--I certainly did. I never felt awful on my worst days--more like very heavy, like it was hard to get up out of a chair. But that was really only a day or two for each treatment. Other than my husband taking over most of the cooking, I pretty much had a normal life through chemo. Only took a half day off of work on treatment days. I didn't go to the gym quite as often, but did go 2-3 times a week. I definitely lost my hair but I knew that was coming so was mentally prepared. I never wore a wig--just a bandanna to the gym and baseball caps when I went out.

cathy67 · October 2019

Thanks Ingerp,

But you only did Taxol, is that the reason? If nausea can be cured by medication, and hair loss can be mentally prepared, I am not working, and my teen daughter can care herself, and I hire someone to come here for routine cleanup, I can do brief cooking, sometimes can dine out. .. Sounds ready for chemo! If blood test is bad, MO will stop treatment, right?

I just wonder, are pregnant women still suffering from nausea nowadays? i know how anti-nausea works, It works for me! When I waked from surgery, I felt very bad, nursery said they already gave me shots in operation room, then she gave me another shot, she said that is very strong shot, and it works very fast. Then, the bad feeling is always there, but i can handle, just like my pregnancy. But I know it will go away days after injection, at least I have time to rest and eat a lot! Better than pregnancy.

Thank you dear ladies, I've never found a place with so wonderful friends. After I got diagnosis, I told some friends, but then more people know. A lot of them are helping, really helpful, but a few made me unhappy.

Today I got to take a flu shot, hopefully I can finish it, to prepare for the chemo. I only did once previously, I am not working, so basically is okay.

How many percent reduction in 10yrs recurrence shall do chemo?

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