Hi, I had a grade 2 invasive bc with one node involved. Recently had mastectomy and then full node dissestion (think thats what its called). Oncologist has just told me that I am borderline for chemo and that the choice is mine! Apparently chemo will improve my chances by 5%. Now does that mean that I have a 5% chance that the cancer will spread through my blood stream and chemo will help to kill it. Or does it mean that the cancer may have spread and chemo will have a 5% chance of killing it? The answer to this will help me make my decision. If its the latter then I think I will take my chances. The fact that we even have invasive bc means that we are in the small percentage of women (I’m 50).
At the beginning of all of this I was sure that I would want everything thrown at me but now chemo is on the table I am having huge doubts. I’m worried that my body has already endured 2 x operatons and has been weakened, how will it cope with chemo?? I feel at this stage I can cope with any short-term side-effects but I guess there is a possiblity of longer problems that may be associated with chemo. Even though I know that I am incredibly lucky that I had only 1 lymph node involved I almost wish that the ‘team’ would advise me what to do…Is chemo really bad? Any thoughts/advice would be welcome. xx
Jojo, hiya…the way it was presented to me was based on your diagnosis (age/tumor grading etc) the % given is to do with it coming back in next ten years. So for me doing chemo plus hormone therapy added 15% to it not coming back. Chemo was about 7/8% of that. Massively personal choice, but I wanted to throw everything at it. Am 5 out of 6 chemo done, honestly…its not easy, but genuinely not as bad as I thought. Side effect list is daunting, but it doesn’t mean you will get them all. For me it was doing all I can now to not have to do it again later. Am on FEC T chemo. A good support network is helping me through.
Vic, thanks for your reply. FEC T will be the chemo I will be on too. They also said the percentage was the risk of it coming back but that must mean it’s the risk of us having grains of cancer left in us after the ops. Tbh I’m not even sure what I’m asking anymore. Think I will go ahead with chemo as I don’t think I could live with the regret if cancer came back and I hadn’t thrown everything at it. I need to stop looking at Google for all the negatives!! Nearly there for you now - are you having radiotherapy too? Pleased you have a good support network x
Hi Jojo, the way I understand percentages is that they are chances out of 100. So if 100 women were in your situation and they all had chemotherapy, 5 more would survive a given time. For example if the survival rate after 10 years was 80% without chemo and 85% with chemo:
imagine 2 rooms with 100 women with your cancer stage in them. The women in one room have chemo, the women in the other don’t. At the end of 10 years, the chemo room will have 85 women left, the other will have 80.
The problem with a percentage is that it can’t tell you is which of the women you will be. You may be one of the 80 that were going to be fine anyway, you may be one of the 5 for whom chemo makes the difference.
I find it a grim idea and haven’t asked for or been given percentages. I am however having chemo as I had 7/12 lymph nodes affected and I have 2 boys of 8 & 10. I am prepared to do everything I can to see my boys grow up.
Ive had a mastectomy and full axillary mode clearance and am half way through chemo - 3x FEC done, 3 x T to go. So far it has been hard, but doable. The first week is grim, but the second 2 are ok - I’m a bit tired but I’m doing the school run, seeing friends for coffee, shopping, etc.
im guessing you might have the option of starting chemo and if the side effects get too bad, you could stop?
Other people opt not to - there is a thread about a page or so further down started by Missmore which discusses this further .
Take care, make the right decision for you and then don’t doubt it. Xxx
Jojo, yup on rads. And think Josie puts it well, my pattern similar, tough in first week but doable! When in good weeks am managing to work also, and like Josie see friends etc
Deffo avoid google! So many horrific things online.