Is chemo working?

Hi,

My first bc site was in my right breast.  I had a large 7mm tumor that was treated with ACT.  First chemo no response, 2nd shrunk 50%, 3rd grow and by 4th cover my whole breast. The orginial site died and it moved to bottom half of breast.  1st mast surgery 25/27 notes positive.

My bc was so aggressive I could tell the doctors when it was growing and when chemo was working. (And I also could tell when it went to other breast.)  I ran a high fever the night I got the 50% reduction. My breast was smaller the next morning.

For me this was the first sign I was going to be chemo resistant. And 7 different chemos and 25 tx it still does not work except on the second tx of the new drug.

Living in hope,

Flalady

Natalie,

I had a similar scenario with yours.  My tumor was clinically assessed as 3x4 cm but the MRI measured it as 1.8 x 1.8 x 1.9 cm which was close to the US and mammogram (there was a lot of inflammation and internal necrosis due to the high grade).  After 3 treatments of AC, the oncologist and the surgeon couldn't feel a thing, so clinically they said there was nothing left.  I requested a mid-treatment MRI using as an argument that the tumor was rather small to begin with and there was a lot of inflammation when it was felt, and I shared with them some of the research on MRI that is being done at UCSF in addition to what I had found out from Sadie and others in the network.  The response that I got is that usually they go with the clinical evidence (palpation) unless one is interested in using MRI for research (like UCSF does).  The oncologist, though, did agree to order one and the insurance covered it. The tumor had shrunk 1.2 x 0.8 x 0.7 but it was still there.  I'm now done with AC and have moved to taxotere (second dosage out of four due this coming Wedensday).  I hope that by the time I finish some further reduction may take place (post-treatment MRI to be scheduled soon).      

Hi. I will just put in my two cents here. I started chemo on 11/13 and just had my second round yesterday. I go every three weeks for treatment. I am doing the 'AC' chemo right now. Two weeks after the first chemo my onc said that my tumor was 'softer'. I know I'm feeling much better. The pain is certainly decreased. I can get around much better now and seem to have more energy. I'm so positive it's working. I also feel like I can sometimes feel it and then I mentally talk to the 'drugs' and say, "Kill it, kill it, kill it." I know that might sound kind of morbid, but we do what we can to keep our sanity and positive attitude.

Good luck to you & cheers, Jodi

Hi Natalie

I just wanted to say that i've been out or treatments since October 2006......triple negative double mastectomy and doing just fine...Hope this helps.....Best of luck on Friday

Linda

Natalie,

I was diagnosed last January, IDC, triple neg., 3.5 cm (est).  I started with AC with little effect.  The tumor seemed to become less 'dense' according to my surgeon, but dimension-wise, it stayed roughly the same size.  After one Taxotere, I could feel a difference but by then I'd decided to proceed with a bilateral mastectomy.  I carried on with Taxotere and had my surgery.  The tumor was negligible at the point of surgery (path report measured it at less than 2 mm).  By then, though I had three positive nodes (post surgery path report showed micro mets).  I followed surgery with a full axillary node dissection and a course of more chemo -- carboplatin this time.  I have no idea whether the carboplatin whacked any remaining cancer cells and was convinced (by the rad oncs) to cap this whole year off with 33 radiation treatments to the area.  So...AC, Taxotere, bilateral mastectomy, axillary node dissection, Carboplatin, Radiation...  I think I've done what I can.

Good luck to you.