Hello! This is my first post on to the website, although have been reading through threads - it’s reassuring and addictive once you get going.
I have been diagnosed with BC recently and given the tumour was grade 3 was fully expecting chemo then radio. But was expecting to go with 6 xFEC and then 5 weeks radio. My oncologist has now recommended I take 4 X FEC followed by 4 X taxotere. He says although not officially recommended by NICE for UK BC treatment in early breast cancer for younger women there is new evidence that says this regimen can provide some advantage over 6 X FEC, the current standard treatment. I’m just wondering how many others are being told this and whether other oncologists are recommending this too.
Hi Alicat I’m not in the younger women category but I have had 4 FEC to be followed by 3 x taxotere of which I’ve had one. My oncologist said that this had been recommended by NICE last year and the PCT had until march 2007 to agree to fund it. It took my PCT until last month to fund it - it was touch and go. My oncologist said that the taxotere is more “powerful”. I had a bi-lateral mastectomy in March, followed by chemo (only 2 to go now!) and then radiotherapy.
I had 4 FEC and 4 Taxotere last year after emergency mastectomy and FNC, started Feb 14th and finished July 12th. I also started 18 herceptin alongside the taxotere, I know my onc had to apply for the extra funding as neither Taxotere or Herceptin had officially been approved by NICE for primary BC, (I think both were eventually passed around Oct 06). I am under Oxfordshire and at that time woman were still appealing and fighting for herceptin and all other ladies I met having chemo for primary were receiving the standard 6 x FEC, I had done some reading on this site and knew with my node involvement taxotere would be the better plan for me.
From what I have read on this site, its becoming more common however I personally feel its a post code lottery as 6 x Fec still seems to be the standard here and when we had access to profiles there seems to be a wide variety of path reports and prognosis on taxotere. If you check out the under going treatment forum you will find loads of recent threads on taxotere.
8 chemos are quite tough, try and rest as much as possible.
I’ve just finished 4 FEC and 4 Taxotere, and about to start 3 weeks & 3 days radiotherapy and Tamoxifen for 5 years. I had a lumpectomy Dec06 with a grade 3 tumour with lymph nodes involved.
It does mean you’re on chemo for 5 months, but it does end! Listen to your body and rest whenever you need to.
I was grade-3 with 4-of-14 nodes positive. I also had 4xFEC + 4xTaxotere (Jan06-Jun06). 6xFEC would’ve been the default, but I asked about Taxotere and the oncologist agreed there might be a tiny advantage in my case. I agree with Debsy … it seems to be rather more commonplace now (although nowhere near standard). I found the FEC pretty tolerable, and the Tax harder work, but everyone is different.
Hi Guys - thanks so much for the info and good vibes. It’s really reassuring to hear others have had it and made it through what sounds like a tougher regime.
Hi All
I am from Northern Ireland and I am getting 6 Taxotere - I have lymph involvement and was told it may work better in younger women with lymph glands involved. Apparently it is expensive but isn’t that what we pay our taxes for - I have one done and all being well round two on Friday - happy days!!
Someone mentioned £1000 a go - but maybe that isn’t correct. When I asked my nurse about the cost she just said its expensive but that’s not your concern which I appreciated rather than being made to feel ‘lucky’ that i was getting it.
I am 44 and have a 1.4cm grade 2 lump with 4 lymph nodes affected. I am having 3 FEC and 3 Taxotere (the last 2 Taxotere are given with Herceptin) and then followed by 16 further Herceptin. I am her2 positive, er and pr positive too. My onc tells me that this regimen is ‘gold standard’ for people like me with lymph node involvement and her2 status (my nurses keep telling me how lucky I am to be having it - apparently it is very expensive). A trial has been done which shows an excellent response of her2 women to this combination but with my chemo brain I cant remember the name of it! Taxotere has recently been approved for use in primary BC she says although my PCT has been giving it for over a year and has always funded Herceptin too.
I asked my onc why some people had 3 FEC and 3 Taxotere and others 4 of each. I was worried I wasnt getting the full set!! However, apparently when you have 3 and 3 you have a higher dose! This was also the quantity used on the successful trial that was completed. Another very good combinations for her2 women is AC and Taxotere apparently.
However, I think that decisions are made person by person as well as by postcode by postcode so just because you’re getting something different, I dont think it necessarily means you’re not getting the best thing for you.
I’m having 3 and 3. As a comparison to the UK, in the US, taxanes have been gold standard treatment, for, ooh, at least four or five years. I’m afraid because of the expense there has been a reluctance by PCT’s to fund them. I think a lot of the data comes from French trials, by the way.
I had 3 x FEC and 3 x Taxotere. I was pleased to be having Taxotere because studies have shown good results with this combination. Have a look at the article below.
Hi, I have just had my first fec and am to have 2 more ,then 3 taxotere,then radiotheraphy and hormone treatment(which hasn’t really been explained to me in detail as yet). Hoping you all get on well with your treatments and they are successfull for us all. Del xx
I am 34 and have a 6cm trip neg lump. I am about to have FEC #2 of 3 and then either 3 or poss 6 Taxotere (it depends on whether the tumour has shrunk during the FEC).
I have been told I am one of the first in Norwich to have this combination and the chemo nurses were actually very excited as they had been talking about it for a few months but hadn’t had anyone who ‘qualified’. Hmmm then I was worried that I seemed to tick all the boxes, but anyway I felt better when told how expensive TAX is and how it is now viewed as the ‘gold standard’ chemo drug…lets just hope the side effects are gold standard too…
Hope you all get on OK wherever you are up to!
LOL
Ali
x
I have just had my first bout of FEC yesterday and have 2 more to go, then 3 lots of taxotere. Feeling quite drained and lifeless today, but not been sick, but taking all antisickness stuff was given. Still terrified about it all, but not treatment started it makes me feel something being done. Heard that FEC and taxotere is best treatment around, very aggressive on the cancer cells. So heres hoping. Good luck to everyone and hope we all have great success rates.
Hi I had 4 EC and then 4 Docetaxol last year. I had a WLD and ANC, no nodes involved. I was told by my Onc that this has a higher success rate combination. This was expensive! I had private insurance through work so I saw all the bills!!