DECISION,DECISION,DILEMA!

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Please,please,please,ladies.

I really need some solid advice about a decision i have to make regarding chemotherapy.

I saw my oncolgist today and i am fortunate in one sense because my cancer was stage/grade 2,{i always get these mixed up},clear margins,no lymph or vascular invasion,2.5cms.er and pr positive herc2-. If my tumour had been smaller i would have fallen into low risk of cancer returning somwhere in the body,as it is i’m moderate.

Now here lies my dilema. My oncolgist would normally strongly recommend chemo under these circumstances,however i have a heart condition that affect the electrical side of my heart. It isnt anything that normally causes too many problems and apparently is quite common but unfortunately mine didnt present in the normal way. Chemo carries a 1 in 1000 risk of heart failure and he doesnt know how much more my risk would be because of my complaint. He is going to write to the cardiologist but he says to be truthful i dont think she’ll stick her neck out with a figure.

So what to do? I have a 88% chance of being here in 10yrs with just surgery,rads and tamoxifen. By having chemo i get 3% more. I could also have my ovaries removed to make me menopausal as i’m 45yrs and then i could have femara which is slightly more beneficial than tamoxifen.

What makes it difficult is that to have such a big % to start with, how can you warrant such toxic drugs for 3% when i have the added risk of the heart complaint.

I suppose if i don’t get a defintive answer from the heart specialist i will have to decide against chemo and take my chances. The oncologist also said as my cancer was very positive hormonally that the chances were i’d be in the 88%. But of course as we know with cancer there is no guarantees.

If anyone has been in a similar position with a heart condition while also needing chemo i’d really appreciate hearing from you. Also if anyone decided against chemo when they were advised to have it, and if anyone developed secondaries after having no chemo.

Sorry it’s so long,but other than tossing a coin,i don’t know how else to make a decision. After all its not like deciding what to buy, its a decision that may or maynot make all the difference to my life.

Thanks for taking the time to read this

Traceyxxx

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HI Anxious Tracey

I’m not surprised you feel like tossing a coin. On balance, given what you’ve said, I’d say no to chemo. But that may be cos I’m having a horrid day 4 of taxotere. Good luck whatever you decide.

Kinden
x

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Hi

You say you are herc2 so are you having herceptin ? Dont you need to have chemo first before you can have this ?

Good luck

Lisa

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Hi Lisa.

no i’m herc negative so thats not a problem

take care Tracey

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Hi Tracey

I’m sorry to hear of the decision you are facing. I was fit and healthy at point of dx … apart from the cancer of course… and my tumour was 16mm grade 1 no lymph nodes involved, so that said no chemo… however I did have an intermammory node involved so this brought the chemo/no chemo question up for discussion by the MDT. After much discussion and looking at it from all angles the majority decision was I was to be classed as grade 1 node negative. I was given a high % on the 10 year survival with sugery/rads/tamoxifen and a rise of 1-2% if I also had chemo. I was lucky in that the MDT took the decision not to offer me chemo - their view was the increased % did not justify the risks of chemo. Obviously the issue with your heart is a major consideration as chemo comes with it’s risks in a ‘healthy’ person. I do not want to say take the chemo or don’t take the chemo, but I would wonder if a 3% increase is worth the risks.

Good luck in making your decision and good luck with the treatment ahead.

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Hi Tracey

I am in a reasonably similar situation this week in deciding whether or not to continue with my herceptin because it has affected the heart. It will only give me 7% extra. Without it my chances will be 85%.

I found it hard to make this decision but then I felt slightly enlightened after doing some relaxation. I decided that if I made the decision to halt treatment, in order for this to be the right decision, I’d have to completely let go of any anxieties about my future otherwise if I didn’t the decision to stop treatment would be the wrong one because it would not be worth the stress on my body for worrying I’d made the wrong decision. So then I thought, right well if I can’t make that decision with a peaceful heart and mind, I should give the treatment another chance… I am still unsure whether it’s worth it but they are repeating my heart scan to make doubly sure of those results. Once I have that information, I’l make an informed decision based on what’s best for my heart and long term health.

I think you might be better having a chat with your cardiologist and finding out their perspective on it all and whther they think it’s worth the risk.

I have had chemo and much as you do get through it, I’m afraid ‘getting through’ is about the best and most positive description for the whole process. It really does take it’s toll. Therefore I think if the cardiologist thinks your heart would be at risk and if it’s only for the sake of 3%, personally, I would be inclined to decline chemo.

It is so horrid being put in these situations of having to make big decisions like this, it would be easier in so many ways if they just said ‘this is what you need’. If they did feel you definitely need it they wouldn’t give you any choice. We now live in an age where we can be active in these decisions and take control of our situations a little bit. If you feel you could live happily with a decision not to have chemo, then I would not have chemo. Like I said, it’s what you personally can live with. Good luck with your decision, make sure you have as many facts as possible before you make your decision and ask as many questions as possible from your docs.

Carrie xx

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Hi Tracey

Please feel free to call the specialist nurses on our helpline to talk things through if you feel it would help on 0808 800 6000, the line is open tomorrow 9am-2pm and weekdays 9am-5pm.

Best wishes
Lucy