I was diagnosed with an invasive DC in October. I have had a Lumpectomy and a sentinel node biopsy. the results came back as stage 1 invasive DC, 15 mm, grade 3, triple negative, and my lymph nodes were clear and there was no vascular invasion. Saw the oncologist yesterday, who offered me 6 cycles of chemo. My chances of the cancer not recurring over either 5 or 10 years - have to find out about that - were put at 80%. The benefit of chemo puts this number up to 87% . I am not sure whether those 7% are enough to take the risk and discomfort of the treatment. I am 57 years old and post-menopausal.
Hi, from memory your figures are similar to mine. Chemo improved my survival rates by 6 or 7% and then tamoxifen by another 6 (I’m ER & PR +, HE -). I decided to go ahead with chemo and so far I’ve had 3 FEC I’ve got thee ‘T’s’ to go. I can’t say it’s easy, I’ve been sick, felt nauseous and very tired. But after about s week things improve and i feel fairly ‘normal’. I post on the thread on here for October chemo starters and am also a member of a sister Facebook group where we chat and support each other. My feelings were that I wanted to do whatever I could to kill this bl**dy cancer for once and for good. If it comes back, I don’t any any regrets about what I could/should have done. Only you can make the right decision for you, but I would say if you can give up a few months of your live to undergo the treatments and have people around you to help and support then go for it. It’s not forever. Good luck with whatever route you take. Chris xx
Thank you for your kind words, Caffy, at the moment I am so scared that I find it hard to think clearly. It is a pretty impossible decision to make. I do agree with you about not wanting to have any regrets later, but I am struggling to find that a good enough reason to go through with something that seems so barbaric.
Good luck to you too, Tina xx
It is really hard decision and really scary as well. I felt a same like you I couldn’t decide for weeks what to do I was not even sure the day I had my first chemo which was yestarday. The oncologist said me the some the surviver reat increase by 7% and without 72% I am 28 years old and I don’t have child so for me this was hard to decide as well because they told me I might not have child after. I decaided to have chemo because I was thinking then there will be only a fair in my life that it might come back or it might left some cancer in my body and I should do it even if it scary. You need to make a decison which is hard I know and it is really life changing decison because it is not ease go throgh. You need a lot of support and people who can make you laugh and be really strong it is not easy I know.
After my first chemo I feel ok but I know the hard part will come soon. I was expected much worse after the first chemo. Just think positive and you will make a right decison.