Re: Chemo and nodes

September 17, 2006

I had chemo with a nodes negative diagnosis too. Mine was recommended

because although I was a stage I, it was a grade 3 " poorly

differentiated " tumor which means that it could have spread. Maybe

the grading of your tumor made them suggest the chemo. A possibility?

Ellen

> >

> > I had the same diagnois May 8th of this year. THey did find it in

one

> > of my nodes also. So I had to do Chemo (Which I just have 2 more

of

> > them to do) THen I will do radiation. Then I will be on Arimidex

for 5

> > yrs.

>

September 17, 2006

> >

> > I had the same diagnois May 8th of this year. THey did find it

in one

> > of my nodes also. So I had to do Chemo (Which I just have 2

more of

> > them to do) THen I will do radiation. Then I will be on Arimidex

for 5

> > yrs.

>

Ruth mine where positve that is one node was and I am estorgen

psoitive so that is why I have to do the arimidex after my radiation

is done. ALso I just had a lumpectomy which may make a difference

also. Who knows don't think any of these doctors agree on everything.

Steph

September 18, 2006

Ruth:

The way both my onc. and surgeon explained it to me

(independently of each other, actually) was that the

younger you are when diagnosed (I am the big 4-0h

and this was my first mammo) and the nature of the

cancer (mine was invasive er/pr- and her2+ but had

not yet fully spread to the nodes) the higher the risk

and they treat it as aggressively as possible to avoid

recurrence. They both told me chemo was " optional "

but made it clear that chemo was be the best approach

(sort of a " let's do everything we can " thing : ).

Covering my bases here....

- Jen

On Sun, 17 Sep 2006 20:16:17 -0000 " ruthiema36 "

writes:

> Wonder why chemo was recommended when I had had a mastectomy and the

> nodes were negative? This was before I was found to be Her2* I am

> going to make an appointment for yet another opinion.

> Ruth

September 18, 2006

Ruth:

The way both my onc. and surgeon explained it to me

(independently of each other, actually) was that the

younger you are when diagnosed (I am the big 4-0h

and this was my first mammo) and the nature of the

cancer (mine was invasive er/pr- and her2+ but had

not yet fully spread to the nodes) the higher the risk

and they treat it as aggressively as possible to avoid

recurrence. They both told me chemo was " optional "

but made it clear that chemo was be the best approach

(sort of a " let's do everything we can " thing : ).

Covering my bases here....

- Jen

On Sun, 17 Sep 2006 20:16:17 -0000 " ruthiema36 "

writes:

> Wonder why chemo was recommended when I had had a mastectomy and the

> nodes were negative? This was before I was found to be Her2* I am

> going to make an appointment for yet another opinion.

> Ruth

September 18, 2006

Do you suppose we'll get honorary degrees for learning all this

junk? (I think we should : ) Even though my nodes were officially

negative, there were tumor cells already there (just too small to

count yet - gee, that makes me feel ever so much better - NOT : )

I didn't know there was a time limit to the Herceptin...as I

think I understand it, we Her2 chicks are at higher risk than the

er/pr girls for recurrence. Added to that, I think I remember that

if it does reoccur it would be elsewhere (pot luck : ) Since I am

not exactly enjoying all of this (ha!) I opted to go the extra mile to

prevent a rerun (pass : ) Hopefully, my fun with toxic chemicals

will NOT prove the adage about the cure being worse than the

disease (or mostly, anyway).

Taking no prisoners, 'cause I'm nuking 'em all...

- Jen : )

> Gads! I'm 60 and the first onc wanted me to do AC chemo and Arimedex

> even though the nodes were negative. When I found out I was Her2+ I

> saw another onc who literally wanted to throw the book at me! Ac

> chemo followed by Herceptin and Arimidex. She told me that due to

> the > delay in Her2 testing I was beyond the optimal time to start

> treatment. Given that and quality of life issues decided on no

> further treatment. I'm laying my money on the negative nodes!

> Ruth

September 18, 2006

Forgot to mention congestive heart failure runs in the family. Both

AC and Herceptin can be nasty on the heart. I figure it this way.

According to a family history of congestive heart failure and

dementia, I've got 10, 15 good years left. My mother and grandmother

started with the dementia in their early 70s. Assume oxygen

deprivation due to the congestive heart failure caused it Sooooooo,

I can take my chances with BC or live to almost 90 having spent the

last 20 years of my life demented and on heart meds to make me live

longer. I watched my mother die a slow agonizing death so I know

where I am putting my money. Oh, yeah, can you imagine a demented me

with chemo brain as well? I have decided to pass on the " Fun with

toxic chemicals " . It's a coin toss any way.

Ruth

>

> Do you suppose we'll get honorary degrees for learning all this

> junk? (I think we should : ) Even though my nodes were officially

> negative, there were tumor cells already there (just too small to

> count yet - gee, that makes me feel ever so much better - NOT : )

> I didn't know there was a time limit to the Herceptin...as I

> think I understand it, we Her2 chicks are at higher risk than the

> er/pr girls for recurrence. Added to that, I think I remember that

> if it does reoccur it would be elsewhere (pot luck : ) Since I am

> not exactly enjoying all of this (ha!) I opted to go the extra mile to

> prevent a rerun (pass : ) Hopefully, my fun with toxic chemicals

> will NOT prove the adage about the cure being worse than the

> disease (or mostly, anyway).

>

> Taking no prisoners, 'cause I'm nuking 'em all...

> - Jen : )

>

> > Gads! I'm 60 and the first onc wanted me to do AC chemo and Arimedex

> > even though the nodes were negative. When I found out I was Her2+ I

> > saw another onc who literally wanted to throw the book at me! Ac

> > chemo followed by Herceptin and Arimidex. She told me that due to

> > the > delay in Her2 testing I was beyond the optimal time to start

> > treatment. Given that and quality of life issues decided on no

> > further treatment. I'm laying my money on the negative nodes!

> > Ruth

>

September 18, 2006