Just read on the Nov thread someone was told to have 8 lots of chemo becuase she has it pre MX and that would be the American way, if she would have had mX first and then chemo she would only need 6.
I have neo-adj chemo and have only 6, not 8.
Would love to know how much chemo others had pre-adj.
Is it because I have a grade 2 I get six not 8?
Thanks,
Christine xx
It is mainly by oncologist preference really - there is actually no good evidence to say 6 or 8 is better. What they do know is that 3 is the minimum and that after 4 resistance to a drug can start to occur, which is why they use FEC T a lot now.
I actually only had 4 FEC neoadjuvantly, which is uncommon, but my team operate if you go into complete remission (no tumour left on examination or scan) and then decide what chemo you need after to finish off. I went to a pathological complete response after 4 cycles (no tumour at all at operation or in the lymph nodes) so I didn’t need more chemo.
My situation is uncommon though, but just thought it would help you see the full spectrum of what happens.
I did push my oncologist for more chemo, and he felt strongly that it would not benefit and only risk toxicity to me.
I had 6 Tax neo adjuvant chemo, I was stage 4 from the start.Anything that was left in the breast and lymph nodes was hopefully removed with the MX, or finished off with the 15 Rads.
That’s interesting Manny. It’s all quite confusing. I had a mammo and ultrasound after the third FEC and they said the tumour was barely measurabl, considering it was 7.5 cm x 5 cm in a B-cup breast, they were very happy with the response.
Tillybob sorry to read you’re stage 4 at initial DX.
Thanks for answering you two, truly appreciated.
Christine xx