Do I or Don't I?

Has anyone over 60 benfitted from chemo in a similar situation to me?
I am DCIS 1.7 cm tumour with positive sentinel lymph node and hormone positive. The rest of my nodes were clear after axillary clearance. I was initially told that I would have radiotherapy and hormone treatment.I go to see the onchologist on Monday and I am now told he is going to suggest chemo, which I DO NOT WANT!!!
The statistics my surgeon gave me seem to indicate that prognosis will be little different if I do not have chemo. I really don’t want to spend a year of my life on chemo, losing my hair and feeling ill if it is not going to make much difference in the long term. Do the risks outweigh the benefits at my age? I would love to hear what you all think.
XM

I think the key is the positive node-once the cancer is in a node there is no way of telling if it has moved on.You are fortunate in having a smallish tumour and DCIS but that node suggests chemo might be a good idea.I was 62 at dx IDC 2cm trip neg and had chemo as well as rads and WLE.I dont think oncologists offer chemo lightly[it isnt cheap!]so even in your shoes I’d probably have it.However I would first ask the oncologist exactly why he is suggesting it if it makes little difference to prog.
Good Luck
Vx

I would suggest getting a second opinion. One of the benefits of being borderline for chemotherapy is that there shouldn’t be a huge rush in making a decision over whether to have it. I was in a similar position and it was a huge relief when my oncologist suggested taking time to think about it. Oncologists aren’t always known for their people skills and it might be good to have a comparison. It might also be worth asking if there was any vascular invasion around the tumour - because that would have bearing on whether chemotherapy is a good idea or not. Oh, and comparing the statistical benefit of hormone therapy over chemotherapy. It was made very clear to me that they were happy for me not to have chemotherapy but hormone therapy was a must.

Thanks for you help
I know my oncologist advises nearly everyone to have chemo. I want to have everything clear in my mind before I go to see him. I know I have to have radio and hormone therapy and I’m quite happy with that. Statistics seem to indicate that I could live about 6 months longer if I had chemo as well. I’m not sure it seems worth putting myself through it. Perhaps a second opinion might be worth it- however my oncologist has a good record for treating breast cancer so I might have to go along with what he suggests.
Thanks
XM

Do you have a good BCN? I found that they gave good, practical advice - especially if chemotherapy might exacerbate another underlying condition. I can see where you’re coming from if chemotherapy only added another six months, incidentally! And doctors completely understand about the second opinion.

One of the (many) experts I consulted said that in cases like mine (and everyone is different), chemotherapy is sometimes given for reassurance rather than for any medical benefit. A friend who was diagnosed at the same time of me, who had a very high-powered oncologist, was told not to have chemotherapy even though she had micromets but every case is different. I asked a lot of people for advice, but ultimately I took the advice of an oncologist I trusted.

I am struggling to decide whether to have Chemo or not. I had a 1.5cm tumour removed, clear margins, clear nodes. I am fit and healthy (51) - my oncologist has recommended Tamoxifen, and I will be having Radiotherapy. He has also offered Chemotherapy, although is not actively recommending it -( my choice!) but has said that the benefits are very limited, being an possible 1 - 2% over 10year survival,and 6% improvement from a relapse point of view (taking this up to 88%). I know my outlook is excellent compared to others.
The thought of relapse is worrying me, but I know that Chemo is not to be undertaken lightly either.

I had WLE and SNB 2.4 cm invasive ductal carcinoma ,clear margins,clear nodes and have just had rads and tamoxifen - no mention at all of chemo (I never thought to ask ! no idea whether I was borderline or not0 I am fit and healthy and was 50 at dx.

I had WLE and SNB, 1.9cm invasive lobular carcinoma, clear margins, clear sentinel node and have started Femara and due to start rads next week. I am 55 and my oncologist said the risks of the chemo would outweigh the benefits.

I would try and talk it over in more detail with the present oncologist if it were me, to try to get a feeling of what he/she really thinks. Good luck with your decision.

Ann x

Thanks Ann, Chipper.
I did talk it over with my oncologist and have decided to compromise on a 4 cycle course of EC starting beg of Jan.
Feel much better for having made decision

well done Chris fwiw I’d’ve done the same xxx

I found all your comments on borderline treatment chemo choice very interesting. Have been asking about this for myself and several of you have been so helpful in your comments. My Lobular tumor was 8mm not big in the great scheme of things but although the nodes where clear they couldn’t get a clear margin near the chest wall also oestrogen positive no idea of score ( whats 8/8 - is higher the better?)still waiting for HER2 score.do I actually need chemo! Onc says that it would carry more risk and with only 3% increase hardly seems worth it He wouldn’t advise but gave me the option but… a tiny bit of my brain says do a ‘belt and braces job’ so I can reassure myself that at least I did everything …then again I’ve been told that you can only have chemo three times …should I save it up for the future - God forbid I’d need it!! sorry to be a pain how do you go about getting a second opinion? Have a good christmas L X

Hi there missm, These are hard decisions to make and getting a second opinion from another medic may not help but reiterate what you have already heard!
You could explore the holistic route to health, looking at ways that you can boost your immune system through diet, lifestyle, ie stress levels, exercise and all the other parts of your life that make up you as a person.
There is a view that Chemotherapy will knock out all your immune system. I would research chemotherapy from other view points and then make a decision, one should never rush in just because you are scared!
There are plenty of ladies who choose not to take the chemotherapy route and plenty that do. Only you can decide and I would give yourself plenty of time to make a decision.
Best wishes
Leadie