I’m told I’m borderline for chemo and should I just have hormone therapy?
58 years old I had a lumpectomy and node clearance over 2 weeks ago. Results show strongly hormone receptive, 3cms lump, 3 out of 24 nodes affected and grade 3.
What do you think?
I don’t know what to say! Why can’t the experts decide? Surely they know best.
Absolutely gutted with the result. Having a few stiff drinks tonight!
Hi
I was in youre position 4 months ago.Mastectomy for invasive lobular cancer.Had one node affected. 44.Was told I could have it if I wanted but it would probably only give a very small extra percentage to my prognosis, as my treatment was surgery and hormone therapy for 5 years. Decided to have the 6 sessions of chemo followed by tamoxifen as I wanted everything to give me a chance of it not returning.
Its very personal thing and lots of people on here will probably tell you a similar thing.
It also may seem unfair that you have to make the choice because you worry that you have made the wrong choice. But if its a comfort if you really needed it youre oncologist wouldnt have given you a choice he would of said you re having it.
A lot of what he informs you is from research.
Chemo not nice but Im nearly there. 2 more sessions to go.
Lyn x
I’d do it too as the tumour was grade 3 and you have a few lymph nodes involved.
I’m currently on a course of FEC chemo and have done 2 of my 6 and it’s not as bad as I thought. You can then be sure you’ve done everything offered to give yourself the best chances and don’t forget that you can back out at any time so even if you only do a few you’ll get some benefit from it.
I chose to just for the extra piece of mind in the end but in my case it gave me an extra 12% chance of being here in a decade and I decided that each round of FEC was equal to 2% (it’s not that simplistic but I like ticking things of 
so I’ve bought myself another 4% chance this month alone.
Hi,
I’ve just finished radiotherapy, preceded by chemo, preceded by lumpectomy, followed by herceptin for the next year. Also on Arimidex for the next few years, so it’s a long old job!! I was also told that to have chemo or not was my choice and like you really wanted someone to make that choice for me. I decided to have it as I thought at least I was giving myself the best possible outcome. As Lyn says, it’s not nice, but probably not quite as bad as you think…and I still managed my 2 glasses of red wine a night all the way through!
Good luck,
Jac x
Thanx for the prompt emails.
I was thinking of going for chemo for piece of mind. If it get the blighters - why not? But nurse says that hormone therapy zaps them just the same. Is that right?
I’ve been so positive to everyone but me! Now I think ‘grade 3’!!! I don’t normally post on here although I read them often and some of these women are ’ AMAZING’.
Sorry - I’m feeling a bit sorry for myself
Mal x
iI’d give the chemotherapy a go…especially being grade 3 and with lymph node involvement…I was grade 3, no no nodes involved, 43 when dx and managed 4 out of 6 FEC…can’t quite understand why nurse is saying hormone therapy zaps them just the same…in my case hormone treatment was considered an extra treatment available as I am ER+.
Don’t worry about feeling sorry for yourself…your entitled to feel that way…we all have!!
I would get a second opinion re., nurses comments.
karen x
Thanxs again.
I don’t know!! They say if I was was 10 years younger I’d have chemo. If I was 10 years older I wouldn’t have chemo and I’m somewhere in between,
I’ll see what the consultant says tomorrow.
You want the best chance. Everyone does…
Malx
I was 55 when diagnosed, small tumour, grade 3, no lymph nodes. I was given the choice about chemo but when I got the stats decided it was really worth it. I also needed to have chemo in order to have Herceptin, so no choice really. I had 4 out of the 6 FEC because of complications but wished I could have finished the course. I am also on Arimidex as strongly oestrogen positive. You could ask for the stats to help with your decision, but if I were you I would go for the chemo.
Good luck with your decision
Anne
I was also borderline for chemo - 51, grade 2, 2.8 cm and no node involvement. I wasn’t expecting chemo to come into the equation at all and was really resistant to having it - but, having posted on here and asked the same question of my friends and family really got me thinking - a lot of people came up with slightly different angles and eventually I decided that, for me, I couldn’t face a “what if?” potentially down the line. Even as I went for my 1st treatment I wasn’t sure I had done the right thing - I had my 2nd one last week and I now know, deep down, that it was right for me. It may not be right for you, but I would say give yourself time and listen to what those around are saying to you… Good luck with your decision.
Liz x
I was diagnosed 18 months ago when I was 60 and was told that chemo would increase my chances by only 3% or 4% (I had a Grade 3 tumour, 1.2 cm, 2 nodes involved, HER and hormone positive).
I decided to have the chemo. I wanted to feel that I had done everything possible and that if the cancer were to come back and I hadn’t had chemo I wouldn’t forgive myself.
The chemo wasn’t nice but it is ‘doable’ and I’m glad now that I had it.
Good luck
Anthi x
Maltomlin, i know you are in the UK ?(i assume you are sorry if wrong) BUT had you been living in France you would be told that you are having chemo-end of. Surgeon here says that if a lump is larger than 1.5 cm then you have chemo. If its under 1.5 cm BUT you have at least one node involved you have chemo.
Thanks a million for all the replies.
I met with consultant yestderday and am going for chemo, rads & 6 years of arimidex. Like you all said, you have to throw everything you can at this. But now I have to start thinking about finances! I work in a school and have been told that I can’t work until after treatment because of all the bugs around. So half pay soon and then no pay!
Thanks again.
Mal
Mal,
I don’t know how long your half pay lasts…but when my SSP finished after 26wks I was entitled to Incapacity Benefit.
I too was the same and unable to work during treatment due to working with children…it’s such a sad state of affairs when we have to worry about our finances when we’re having treatment for a life threatning illness isn’t it.
I hope your chemotherapy goes as well as possible.
karen