What do I do… it’s basically left to me to decide if I want chemo
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Hello, can you provide some more details for others to relate to? That might help. Your age, pre or post menopause, cancer type that kind of thing. So many factors to take into consideration with diagnosis these days
Age 37. Left breast 19 mm grade 3 invasive ductal carcinoma. Clear margins. Clear lymph nodes. Pre menapause.
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Hey @ige09, Does 21 put you in the grey area?
My predict score came back in the grey area so it got sent off for oncotype testing (I’m 34, pre-menopausal, grade 3, stage 1, 13mm IDC, hormone positive, her2 negative, clear margins and lymph nodes), before it came back I made the decision that if it came back in the grey area I would give chemo a go to know that I’d have no regrets in the future and that I tried everything. It’s a very hard decision to make, I feel for you! Mine came back at 31 so there was a clear benefit to chemo, I’m 1 round of 6 in and it’s not something I would say I enjoy but it’s honestly nowhere near as bad as the media would have you beleive (that’s my experience so far anyway).
Maybe ask for some advice off other ladies in one of the older chemo threads who are going through it and possibly were in your shoes too.
Sending lots of love your way xx
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Yes in the grey area. Would only be a 4% benefit for me to have chemo. I really am stuck to be honest. Thnaks for your kind words. Hope you are doing OK x
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Maybe think about if a friend was going through this decision what advice would you give them? I’m good thank you, living life to the full apart from around day 4 after chemo when I just want to nap and eat carbs 
I think my benefit was around 6/7% with the score of 31 which doesn’t sound a HUGE amount but I’ll do anything to hopefully not have to go through any of this again!! Xx
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Hello
My oncotype was 26 but I am post menopausal and for post menopause this is a grey area score. I did have chemo, started this time last year. I remember the day I got the score, coming home and crying because I had really wanted a low score (0!!!) and to avoid chemo. I knew though that if it came back later, I would regret not having chemo and would always wonder if that might have stopped it. But then again, it might never come back anyway. I just wanted to give myself the absolute best chance.
It’s such a difficult decision. There’s no right or wrong. It has to be something you are ok with.
I was absolutely dreading chemo but I have got through it and it’s for such a relatively short period of time. I’m overall glad I did it. Though obviously wish I wasn’t in this cancer club at all.
Whatever you decide, there’s so many lovely people on here to support you.
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I had an identical cancer to you, pathology wise, but was 9 years your senior. Oncotype was 29 and was told chemo was a >15% benefit. I’m surprised they’re saying the benefit is as low as 4%. Does that mean overall survival rate or recurrence risk?
Other than the hair loss being a bummer, I didn’t find chemo too gruelling. I actually have more long term effects from the radiation, and the hormone treatment has given me more ongoing side effects. But everyone is different. I struggle a bit with the hormones so I like to think the chemo has given me a safety net. Have they discussed what your hormone treatment is likely to look like?
it’s a rubbish situation to be in, sorry xxx
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Recurrance risk of 4-5%… they said would be few injections to shut down my ovaries then hormone tablets after that. And also radiotherapy. What side effects have you had from both if you don’t mind me asking?
I think it’s a lot to ask you to make such a decision. My results were similar but when all details were entered into Predict, my outcomes were better with chemo. This was largely because I was pre menopausal. I asked my consultant what he would advise if I were his sister. He didn’t hesitate and said chemo. He then explained that if the cancer is a primary, it is far more treatable. So he would attack it with everything.
I’m 4 weeks from the end of my chemo. It’s been a struggle but Atleast I know I have done all I can to avoid a secondary.
I found it helpful to come home and look at predict with all my details in, as the graphs are quite helpful.
Wishing you lots of luck.
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My oncotype was 29. No spread to the nodes. Multifocal with both flavours of tumour. Strong family history with recurrence so I took the chemo.
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The ovarian suppression puts you into medical menopause with all the symptoms you’d expect from that: hot flushes, vaginal dryness, mood changes. Some people cope ok though so I don’t want to scare you! I was on the path to menopause anyway at 46. Have you completed your family? I was asked this and laughed out loud at the thought but I guess it’s a consideration. I’ve not been great at taking my hormones so I do see the chemo as a bit of a safety net.
I think I was just unlucky with the radiation, I’ve got a bit of lymphoedema and fibrosis (hard, lumpy tissue). It’s not awful, just annoying.
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Hi . I was in your shoes a few years ago . My score was 23 .. it was my choice as well . Took me a while to. I asked a lot of people in similar situations. I made the choice to have chemo .. not the best thing to go through but I felt if I didn’t and it came back I would be always thinking what if . Sending lots of love
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I had a score of 21 & they said chemo was not appropriate as under 23 
I did have radiotherapy.
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And how are you doing? How wS radiotherapy?
Ok just exhausted as feel non stop last 5months. I had two tumours (ILC & IDC), didn’t get full clearance after mastectomy so I had 15 sessions of Radiotherapy. It was ok although I did get infection in some dressing burns I had. Worst part has been fatigue. You have a planning scan but then no scan after so for me I’m finding that challenging mentally as I guess we all want that confirmation everything’s gone.
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Have chemo. My 7.5cm tumour was reduced to zero because of chemo
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Did u have chemo before surgery? My tumor has already been removed
My oncotype was 23. Chemo was a definite but I think I’d still have chosen it if it had been left up to me. I like the reassurance that if I can’t tolerate hormone therapy I’ve at least done the chemo and I don’t just want to be alive in X years I want to be cancer free. Predict tool I think just looks at survival
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In my situation I have to have hormone therapy regardless. There is still a chance cancer can come back even with chemo. Depends on the benefit percentage weather the benefits out way the side effects and what chemo does to your body