Chemo before surgery

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Cassandra6430
Cassandra6430 Member Posts: 27
edited March 2020 in Chemotherapy - Before, During, and After

hello everyone, here’s my very first post. I’m scheduled to get my port placed this Monday March 9th 2020 then I start my chemo treatments of tchp once every three weeks for 6 rounds then will go to surgery. This option has given me more time to think of my surgical options. I enjoy reading all the threads and am working on my grocery list as well as preparing my house. I’m not sure what to expect as everyone seems to have different experiences. I didn’t see any posts about chemo first so wanted to hear from you all that have done this and how’s it going or went!

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  • Del13
    Del13 Member Posts: 198
    edited March 2020

    I had chemo first,TCHP, surgery was February 10th

    You can do this!! Hugs and positive vibe

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  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited March 2020

    Most everyone who is HER2+ has chemo first. I'm assuming since you're doing TCHP, you are HER2+? I believe some triple negative people also have chemo first.

    If you have a complete response from the chemo, then likely you'll have surgery, probably radiation and herceptin (&/or other) for the rest of a year. I did not have a complete response from TCHP, so after surgery I had AC chemo before continuing the rest of the plan.

    If you go to "my profile" and fill in your diagnosis & treatment plans, people will be better able to answer your concerns.

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  • Legomaster225
    Legomaster225 Member Posts: 672
    edited March 2020

    I did chemo first,( I'm not HER2+). My team wanted to do the chemo first in attempt to shrink the tumor for possible lumpectomy and to possibly clear the cancer from my lymph node that tested positive. I ended up wanting a BMX anyway but the lymph node that was positive upon biopsy was clear upon surgery. That was good news. I did not have complete response to chemo on my tumor but the viable cells were less than 5% so the chemo was very effective for me. I guess that is one of the postive things about doing chemo first, you know if it worked. I'm thinking positively that any stray cells that had escaped my breast were also killed off by the chemo but who knows?? Good luck with your chemo Cassandra. Be kind to yourself, accept help when offered and stay strong!

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  • HeartShapedBox
    HeartShapedBox Member Posts: 172
    edited March 2020

    I did neoadjuvant TCHP last year, from Aug to Nov. I won't lie- it was hard on me, I was pretty ill and I absolutely hated it (although many others have done well on TCHP, worked throughout etc). But that being said, as awful as it was for me I DID recover fully. It does end and get better! About a month after I felt pretty darn good again, and now a few months out from it I have a good head of hair again (just looks like a short haircut).

    I also appreciated the time to think about surgery (in the end I decided on a single mastectomy with no reconstruction, and I still feel good with that choice, but was glad I had those extra months to grieve losing my breast, and to research reconstruction options). You'll be so glad to have a port, esp since Herceptin continues after!

    It may be hard to plan for food; I tried to eat healthy balanced meals (which I usually do), but even without nausea your appetite can change. If your taste buds go "off" (many do) it changes the way everything tastes, even water, and (commonly) only sweet, sour and salt taste decent. I never drink soda, ever, but I sure drank a lot of ginger ale on ice while on chemo! Flavored electrolyte packets, Gatorade, or pedialite are good things to have on hand, to help hydrate as well as replenish you if the perjeta diarrhea gets you. (Get lots of immodium!) Stock up on favorite beverages and try to stay as hydrated as possible. Good luck!

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  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited March 2020

    Cassandra - below is a link with lots of suggestions.

    https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/69/topics...


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  • Cassandra6430
    Cassandra6430 Member Posts: 27
    edited March 2020

    Thank you for your response, I had filled it out but needed to update the settings to allow you all to see. Thanks for letting me know. And thank you all who have shared. I have read them all and am so grateful.

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  • ElaineTherese
    ElaineTherese Member Posts: 3,328
    edited March 2020

    Hi!

    I did chemo first, but I did AC+THP, not TCHP. I'm glad I did it because I was able to see how well chemo worked for me. I went from a big tumor (5 cm.+) and a compromised lymph node to having no active cancer left by the time I did surgery. (My pathology showed a tiny pocket of DCIS, but that's not invasive.) Also, because we knew that chemo had reduced the size of my lump, I felt comfortable opting for a lumpectomy rather than a mastectomy. That was important for me because I didn't want reconstruction, which can involve multiple surgeries. (I have twins with autism and need to be a hands-on Mom.)

    I worked during chemo, but increased the time I spend working at home and I (temporarily) gave up some responsibilities to a co-worker. So, it was doable. I wasn't the energizer bunny, but I survived.

    Hope you have a good go of it!

    ((Hugs))

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  • Cassandra6430
    Cassandra6430 Member Posts: 27
    edited March 2020

    thank you for sharing Elaine. You give me hope

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