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Breast Cancer (Expert Forum)
treatment option
Questions posted in the Breast Cancer Forum are answered by medical professionals from The Cleveland Clinic. Topics include Breast Biopsy, Chemotherapy, Hormone Therapy, Lumps, Lumpectomy, Lymph node dissection, Lymphedema, Mammograms, Mastectomy, Radiation Therapy, Reconstruction, Self Breast Exam, and Surgery.
treatment option
by nburl, Jul 03, 2002 12:00AM
I had a modified radical mastectomy and am trying to decide on treatment options. My cancer was invasive ductal, 1.9 cm. My lymph nodes (sentinal + 6 nodes)were clear and there was a clean margin. My choices are chemo (either AC or CMF)followed by tamoxifen, or just tamoxifen. The oncologist says the chemo increases my survival rate by only 2-3 percent. Because of the low percent of benefit,I am leaning toward just the tamoxifen because of the side effects of the chemo,especially adriamyican,which has the potential for heart problems-a prominent health problem in my family. I am currently seeking a second opinion,but would like to get as many opinions as possible. Thank you.
Doctor's Answer
by CCF-RN,MSN-JS, Jul 03, 2002 12:00AM
Dear nburl, According to the 2000 National Institute of Health Consensus Conference on Adjuvant Therapy for Breast Cancer. Adjuvant chemotherapy (treatment given after surgery to try to prevent or minimize the growth of microscopic deposits of tumor cells that might grow into a recurrent tumor) is recommended for the majority of women with primary breast cancers that are greater than 1 cm in diameter. This is independent of nodal, menopausal or hormone receptor status.
An anthracycline containing regimen (the A – adriamycin – in AC) has been shown to produce a small but statistically significant improvement in survival over nonanthracycline- containing regimens. Prior to giving the adriamycin your heart function will be tested and usually again after the treatment course is completed to monitor. There is a point of total lifetime dose of adriamycin, where giving treatment after that amount the risk to the heart increases dramatically.
Adjuvant hormonal therapy is recommended to women whose tumors express hormone receptor protein (ER/PR+). At present five years of tamoxifen is standard adjuvant hormone therapy.
The above information is from the National Health Institute Consensus Statement regarding adjuvant treatment for breast cancer, published December 2000.
An anthracycline containing regimen (the A – adriamycin – in AC) has been shown to produce a small but statistically significant improvement in survival over nonanthracycline- containing regimens. Prior to giving the adriamycin your heart function will be tested and usually again after the treatment course is completed to monitor. There is a point of total lifetime dose of adriamycin, where giving treatment after that amount the risk to the heart increases dramatically.
Adjuvant hormonal therapy is recommended to women whose tumors express hormone receptor protein (ER/PR+). At present five years of tamoxifen is standard adjuvant hormone therapy.
The above information is from the National Health Institute Consensus Statement regarding adjuvant treatment for breast cancer, published December 2000.
