Chemo before mastectomy. Anyone else this way round??

So my consultant has decided today that he wants to give me chemo first to try shrink the area before just going in straight away and doing a mastectomy. Anyone else having this course of treatment??

I was diagnosed 3 weeks ago and was told that I would have Chemo and then a mastectomy. It took a little while to accept that it needed to be this way to reduce the tumour prior to surgery. I am also Her2 + so am having FEC T with Herceptin prior to the mastectomy. Friends who have had mastectomy have all had surgery first and then chemo so it did feel like I was the only one going through it this way. I know there are bound to be other women out there going this way round and like you would find it helpful to hear how they deal with it.

 

 

Hi - I had this too, it is really common, don’t worry.

 

I have lumps both sides. One is HER2 . No lymph involvement though. 

Think the Her2 drives the decision to do chemo first as it is a bit more aggressive and they want to blitz any stray cells before they camp elsewhere.

 

I am almost through chemo now, finished the 4 x EC chemos, now onto 12 weekly Paclitaxel infusions (and Herceptin 3 weekly for a year… plus 10 years Tamoxifen) (I have to work through my chemo hence on a more gentle regime, doing Taxol over 12 weekly infusions gives you no side effects. If you can get this ask for it, it is great, though it does stretch out chemo, I get no metal mouth taste/ nausea/ tiredness etc. Worth asking. Also worth asking if you can have just EC, not FEC. Ask your oncologist the differences and reasons why she advises one over the other. )can be budget I’m afraid :frowning: )

(My onc would give everyone the 4 x EC then 12 x Paclitaxel if she could. Really reduces SEs)

 (you may have 4 or 6 sessions of FEC, then Taxol after, they mix it up)

 

I finish chemo on 22/10 so expect op in Nov.

I’m opting for double mastectomy and recon (lumps both sides)

 

Happy to chat

 

PS: The chemo really did shrink my lumps to almost nothing… does make lumpectomy option easier. Enables removal with clear margins without doing too much collateral damage.

Hi thanks so much for response la la it’s all just so much to take in!! I’m having meeting Thursday with oncologist to discuss chemo then hoping to start the week after. I have decided not to work through the chemo as I’m a really busy hairdresser. I work 3x 10 hour days and it’s none stop on my feet. There maybe days when I feel up to working but with my appointment system I felt it’s better for them to just not book me anyone in then I’m not letting people down last min! I feel ok about all the treatment but I’m more scared of it coming back than anything. I hope the fear fades!! Xxx

Hi Emerald, The waiting between appointments is awful but my oncologist was so kind and gentle. The FEC has not been awful. Definitely not pleasant but bearable. Ask lots of questions even write them down and take the list with you. They will give you all the time you need. I pray it goes well for you. xx

I was diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer on 7 August. This needs chemo first, then surgery, then radiotherapy. I have had my first chemo and am feeling well. The aim is to shrink the tumour first before the mastectomy.

Hope I post this properly! I’m recently diagnosed 6/8 very large tumor with lymph involvement, plan is 4x ec, then 4x docetaxol, mastectomy, radiotherapy and drug treatment - from what I’ve gathered so far seems pretty common to have chemo first especially if some shrinkage needed. Have had one lot of chemo and seems bearable so far- I’m not working through as have young family and work long days- good luck with your treatment x

Hi Lisa, this has also been suggested to me. Only got the news today so I might not be the best source of info but interested to hear what other people think.

Hi, lisajane7878. I have just finished all my treatment bar herceptin. I had a lumpectomy, chemo 6 x FEC-T, mastectomy and implant recon, 2 CT scans, herceptin and 15 rounds of radiotherapy! I was diagnosed in February and had a lumpectomy where they couldn’t get clear margins and then I had chemo before my mastectomy. I had quite a large Tumor 4.8cm which turned out to be two tumours. The two sentinel nodes they took out at the lumpectomy were positive for cancer. They then decided to stick me onto chemo before I had the mastectomy and chemo. It all happened really fast (which I’m pleased about) 7.5 months on from my diagnosis I am now out the other end and from my experience it flew by! The worst part for me was waiting for the CT results (I had 2). You will get through this, it’s bloody hard but be strong. My thought process was to keep going and remain positive as my medical team are working towards a cure for me. Keep focused that they have a plan for you and you will deal with whatever is thrown at you. The emotional effects of my diagnosis hit me bad as well so I decided to have some counselling and that really helped and its nothing to be embarrassed about. Take advantage of everything that is on offer. I’ve been lucky I haven’t been that bad through my treatment, chemo was kind to me. Losing my hair was difficult but ok, it’s started to grow back now. I used to have lovely long thick brown hair with amazing eyelashes and eyebrows! It will all grow back though! Im only 33 with no history of cancer in my family so my diagnosis was like a lightening bolt! Be strong, you can do this. Virtual hugs! Xx

Also to say. There were no traces of cancer when I had my mastectomy. They did a full armour clearance as well! The chemo zapped it all or what was left after the lumpectomy :slight_smile: x

Sorry, there seems to be predictive text on this thing! Lol! Armpit clearance not armour clearance! Lol x

Hi Mich33 what a lovely positive message. I’m now two weeks into first chemo. I’m finding it all fine actually. Lump already seems smaller to me after one go so that’s making me really hopeful. I didn’t find the first FEC too bad at all. Certainly not worried about the next one. I used the cold cap but hair is just starting to thin a bit today. My hair is very thick so up to now it’s not noticeable. Keep in touch xxxx

Hi ladies… just wanted to add how amazing FEC is! This is 20 year old treatment but like Lisa my lumps noticeably shrank within 2 weeks of my first chemo!

After 3 treatments they had withered like raisins! SO positive.

You will probably feel really tired on day 5/6 after treatment. This may extend as treatment hoes on but please try not to dwell on it, I have had worse hangovers for sure, and it IS only tiredness.

Staying positive is really key. There are times you will feel low, but see it for what it is… saving your life.

If SEs are overwhelming though please speak to your Oncologist as there are points at which they can lower dosage or change treatment (a few of my friends changed from Docetaxel 3 weekly to Paclitaxel weekly as the SEs were bad for them.

I’m having 10th of 12 taxol’s on Thursday… blimey it starts to go fast once you are past the halfway mark!! Only 3 more weeks then that is it for me and my Friend Chemo.
Chemo is not your enemy, girls, cancer is. Chemo totally saved my life!
Crap 6 mths for sure but I am very very grateful.

Get any counselling you can girls… women do the ‘strong’ act to protect loved ones… but you need to offload and bawl occasionally.

Some of us set ip our own Facebook private group for ones starting chemo at same time. BEST thing we did, totally got us all through it, I recommend you do that ladies. Helps to have someone to share this experience with.
Definitely helped through some dark times, plus we also spend a lot of time laughing.

Lots of love and vritual hugs. Niki xxxx

Gilly…your diagnosis is similar to mine back in feb. 4.5 tumour shrunk with chemo then lumpectomy with clear margins. Now on radio but all good. Good luck just don’t jump into mastectomy!

Hi All

wow my head is mashed…I feel I have no idea what anything means…please help…what does all the abbreviation mean…I have either not taken anything in or haven’t been told. Diagnosed just over a week ago. Told 3cm hormone recep positive 80% proliferation!!!   what on earth…

have to have chemo so suggested stating that…if shrinkage then lumpectomy if not then mastectomy followed by radio and drugs…

chemo to start nor week and I really don’t feel I have a handle on this…can anyone advise x huge hugs Paula 

Hey Paula
I put together a document to take in with me to all these different appointments with spaces to literally fill in the gaps with the answers.
Makes a huge difference.

Without this I kinda go into ‘nod mode’ (where I sit and listen and nod my head and think I understand, but don’t ask follow up questions and kick myself when I get home! The magic questions are:

  • ‘So what does that mean?’
  • ‘Why is that option best for me’
    It does help to know a little more.

Everyone is different but I like to know all the angles, it calms me and makes me feel slightly more in control. I do have a medical background though, so have been able to understand and simplify the vast amount of info from various websites (this one, MacMillans and a US one are my favourites)

If you want, pm me and I can email the Q&A doc to you. (I can update it to make it relevant to your diagnosis)

PS: You will get an info document for whatever Chemo your are going to be on. Comes with a long list of possible Side Effects (SEs)… don’t be scared by this, out of a group of 18 of us none of us got all if these. One older very thin lady suffered but she had existing longstanding issue with IBS that added to her challenge.

Diet makes ALL the difference with reducing side effects.
Look up ‘alkali diets’ , lots if brassicas (broccoli/cabbage/kale), advocados are my go to food, pineapples etc.
Fish is great (OMG, simple salmon with lemon oil and black pepper roasted in some foil)
It does feel like when I was pregnant. I have gone off red meat and crave fish and advocados.
I do also crave cake and crisps though I pay for it with acid and weight gain when I get these munchies! (and I am conscious that cancer lives sugar, so I have cut down on sugar)

Speaking to a nutritionist about longer term diet to prevent recurrence and it looks like dairy may have to go :(. (or at least cut right back), but I have got onto Alpro Almond milk and am a happy convert.

Sorry, just realised I have probably bombarded you with info which is not what you need :0
If you would like the Q&A doc pm me xxxx

You can ALWAYS call this websites helpline, they are AMAZING!

I think I may have a glossary somewhere I saved with all the terms too… can send it by pm (can’t include links to other sites on here… not sure if this site has a glossary…

As if by magic!
This site is wonderful:)

breastcancercare.org.uk/glossary

I think she’ll recommend I cut dairy out entirely from what others have said; but I think even reducing intake would help if you can’t face going dairy free (I can cope with soy/almond milk. Not keen on zero cheese, but cutting back would be better than nothing)
Same goes for red meat.
I’m not an expert though.
You shoukd ask your care team about seeing a nutritionist for advice on diet.