no chemo therapy for stage 4?

[ks123]

Hi, my mom has a stage 4 breast cancer which spread to her bones (spine, hips, ribs), no organs are affected.She was diagnosed 2 months ago. She just went through radiation therapy and was told that she would not have chemo therapy but hormonal drugs instead. I find it odd because before she began radiation we were told that chemo was next and then surgery. Now the doctor says that they will not do a surgery either. Does anybody now why they would do that, because to me it sounds like they don't want to waste time on her? Also, after radiation therapy they didn't do any additional tests, so I could only guess what changed their decision.

[aniemay]

I wonder if age and/or general health are factors.  Chemotherapy is very rigorous, and can do more harm than good if the patient isn't healthy enough.  That said, lots of women live many years with bone mets, and usually have some sort of systemic treatment to keep the cancer at bay...

[japdip]

I certainly agree with the previous responder ..... Chemo is often not given to older adults and since the cancer has metastisized to the bone would be of little value. Bone mets is one the easiest to manage and many can live for years and years with a good quality of life. Age and general health definitely does hav e a lot to do with the treatment in a case such as your Mother's and the Dr.s are considering her overall well-being by their decisions. I'm not sure what additional testing would be done immediately after Radiation if it were already known that she was Stage 4 but no organs were affected. There may be some scans in the future to track any advancement concerning the bone involvement.     Kindest regards .....

[rindaaa]

There was a study out about a year ago and I'm sure I can find it.  They said they showed that older adults even up into their late 70's can handle chemo just as well as youger people.  Depending on any other serious health issues they might have going on.  My own mother was 77 with advanced lung cancer and she was on diabetics medication, blood pressure meds, lasix and a few others.  She was on several chemo's and did very well considering.  

I don't know your mothers history or her full current situation so its hard to say.  But I do know with HMO's and Medicare patients they like to save money.  "Profit over Patient".   You have to push them to treat her more aggresively if that is what SHE & you both want.  I had to keep telling my Mother's onc that she wanted to FIGHT.  Once we were on the same page she got everything...chemo, neulasta, PET/CT scans, labs, etc.  I let my Mother decide what she wanted and she wanted to do every thing she could to fight her cancer.  Plus when they are stage IV  like your Mother...and like my mom was...chemo as bad as it is does keep the tumors down and can relieve symptoms which cause pain.  

I don't understand them NOT even doing scans after her rads...they always did scans for my Mother after chemo and rads.  She only had Blue Shield medicare.  Go to her cancer center and talk to a case manager about this...social worker...someone.  Just because your mother is a senior citizen doesn't mean she doesn't have a right to her medical care.  I wish you and your Mother all the best.  Bless you both.

Rinda

[katarina777]

Did they do radiation to the affected bones, or to the breast?
I know they use  radiation, not long term but maybe one or two or a few more times to control bone pain.

I also think you should talk to a social worker at the cancer place and she can help you ask the right questions and hopefully be supportive in other ways and an advocate as well.

The hormonal treatment is systemic treatment just like chemotherapy and my oncologist told me that for many women it is more effective than chemotherapy.

Still, try to find out from them, as we can only speculate here, especially with the limited information you provide.

See, if her tumor was hormone negative, they  would maybe decide for chemo, you just need to push to get some answers.