Hello - I am 77 years old and have triple negative, stage 2A, grade 3 aggressive breast cancer. Had mastectomy and axilla clearance (found 3 out of 19 lymph nodes had cancer). Just had bone scan and CT scans (results pending)
Been suggested by oncologist option of FEC Chemo (6cycles over 4.5 months) followed by radiotherapy.
I am struggling to make the decision whether to do it or not. I have other health issues - high blood pressure, high cholesterol, weak bladder, poor mobility (had recent hip fracture) and memory issues. Oncologist say because of my age and memory issues, it is not a straightforward decision as it would be for someone younger who can maybe tolerate the side effects better and may affect my quality of life during treatment more. They say the benefit of doing the FEC Chemo is a 6% added probability that the cancer won’t come back.(If it was 10% better chance, i’d probably do it and if it was only 1% better chance, I’d probably won’t but because it’s inbetween, finding it hard to decide)
Also I am reliant on my son as a carer and do not wish to affect his life anymore with more hospital visits and caring for me.
Need to make decision by 28 Feb and already been 2 weeks of thinking about it, changing my mind constantly.
Any advice/help from anyone who had to make this decision - how they managed to do it would be very appreciated.
I’m so sorry you have to make this very important and difficult decision. I can only tell you my own decision. I am 63, with rheumatoid arthritis, sjogren’s syndrome, osteopenia, bronchiectasis with pseudomonas colonies in my lungs, and high blood pressure. Just before I was diagnosed with BC I had been having 25mls methotrexate injections every week, and a Leflunomide tablet every day, so already had low immunity. With the lung condition being quite active, it was a bit risky for me to have chemo. My respiratory team were very supportive, and I went ahead with FEC-T, I surprised everyone, including myself, by how well I was through it - apart from 2 glitches towards the end. My cancer was ER+ and PR+, so I would possibly been ok without the chemo, but if I had been triple negative it would have made my decision easier. Maybe by reading one of the chemo monthly threads to see how others (albeit younger) women are coping, might help you decide. I am a February Valentine and 3 of us are in our sixties, so closer to your age. Maybe you would like to read some of our thread:
oh you poor thing - what a difficult decision to make. If it was me i’de talk it over with my son and see how he feels - can he manage to take you to hospital, does he feel you are too weak to cope etc etc. I’m ‘only’ 55 but did FEC 5 years ago now. For me it wasn’t that bad although i did get very tired. Everyone is an individual and it will affect them differently. Could you perhaps start the process and then drop out if it made you feel too ghastly? I don’t think they would offer it to you if they didn’t think it would be worth doing.
I’m sorry that you find yourself having to make a decision about Chemotherapy or not. The other two replies are offering some really useful advice so i don’t want to overwhelm you but when faced with anything in life i try to deal with the things i can do something about. During my treatment i have tried to accept the recommended treatment / surgery from the experts because i can’t do anything about the Cancer, whereas they can. Like Poemsgalore my Cancer was ER+ PR+ so have the ‘protection’ of Tamoxifen but have also had Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy.
I have found focusing on the things i can do has been practical issues that have made the process slightly easier and looking at what you are saying the suggestion to speak to your Son is a great one. It may be that you have a local Maggies or other Cancer Care Centre who can also offer practical support, do you have an Age UK in your area. MacMillan Nurses may be able to arrange transport, this is usually using a local voluntary driver service. Can your GP refer you for a District Nurse Service who can also refer for temporary support from Social Services. You sound like a very independent lady and sometimes accepting help is difficult, but it will only be temporary.
FEC is likely to be one trip to the hospital every third week and Radiotherapy every day for 15/20 days for which you can definitely have transport arranged. The side effects are varying for people but i generally felt ill i.e. temperature and flu like symptoms for days 3-7 ish on FEC then picked up again until the next time. I do take on board that you have some existing health concerns.
Hope this has been helpful and please talk to your Son and the Breast Care Nurses (they will definitely have been met with these questions before). Take Care. Gilly x
Hi Yuetkiu
I am coming up to 74 and I am also struggling with the decision whether to have chemo or not.I was dx in 2007 with primary bc and had WLE followed by radiotherapy then was ER+. In2012 dx with spread to bones (sternum) and now changed to TNBC,I had Taxol and EPirubicin and I will not say it was easy but it was doable but it was stopped early as I had received funding for cyber knife treatment which gave me a year as stable.
The last scan showed it is now progressing so have had a bone scan now waiting for results of that but onco has left the decision with me,he has suggested capecitabine (oral chemo) which I am told are milder SE perhaps some one could come along to share their experiences of this.
If it’s any help to you all I can say is I have thought long and hard about this and discussed it with family and with there help I want to take every chance that i can to stay reasonably well for as long as I can but as soon as I find that the treatment is taking away any quality of life then I will stop.
You sound like a determined lady who has overcome health issues in the past so why not give it a try as you will be the one in control and can stop it any time that you feel you can’t cope but you might be surprised as every one is different and don’t forget as all the other ladies have said there is plenty of help out there,I find my BCN is invaluable.I wish you we’ll in what ever you decide but I will always wonder what you did decide so please keep in touch and let us know how you get on I feel on the same wave length as you I suppose it must have something to do with age lol
Best wishes to all the ladies going through treatment. Love Macie x x
I don’t have much more to add than the other lovely ladies have already done and they are spot on with their advice. But I wanted to register that my thoughts are with you and I really feel for this overwhelming situation you are unfortunately faced with. FEC hopefully won’t compromise your existing health issues and I personally found that my blood pressure stabilised perfectly throughout my surgery and treatments - although I am 59, so a little younger than you, I have struggled with high BP for a number of years so this was a complete bonus. FEC also affects people in many different ways and some don’t really ‘suffer’ at all.
Radiotherapy - there is no immediate side effect, nothing visible, no feeling or smell but you do have to prepare for managing damaged skin although the help should be there for you at your GP practice - do you have a good practice nurse? The skin problems heal and go away relatively quickly.
As Butterfly says there should be transport help for you and all manner of help if your son could help you sort through the details - or do you have any other close(ish) family or a good neighbour who could take a few chores away from your son for a short time. In my experience people are desperate to do something practical to help in a situation where they can’t change anything at all about your diagnosis and subsequent side effects but they can help with the odd lift or shopping trip whilst you are feeling not too well.
I truly hope you make the right decision for you and once made, don’t have regrets. It is very unfair that when we feel at our most vulnerable the professionals largely say ‘the decision is yours.’ That is hard. I would also be asking what help is available for ‘managing’ the cancer if you refuse treatment. A wonderful friend of mine who is 95 years young had BC years ago and recovered and now it has returned her doctors stabilise it with a monthly injection. That might not be appropriate for you of course but always worth asking about.