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Breast Cancer: Stage 3 & 4 Community
This patient support community is for discussions relating to breast cancer, biopsy, genetics, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, lumps, lumpectomy, lymph node dissection, lymphedema, mammograms, mastectomy, radiation therapy, reconstruction, self exams, and stage 3 and 4 treatments.
Breast cancer treatment
by Yenny23, Dec 07, 2007 07:27PM
My mother had a mastectomy 9 days ago. After the surgery we were told that she would need more treatment base on the results of some tests that was needed to follow up the surgery. The results were back and base on them the doctor told us that she would go through rounds of chemotherapy and after that she would need to do radiation therapy. My concern is, why Chemo and Radiation?? What exactly mean that??. After doing some research I understood that usually people do one or the other. Please I need some clarification.
If the tumour was over 1 cm, my breast care centre of excellence always recommends chemo and radiotherapy. Similarly, if the cancer has already spread to the axilla (armpit), this shows the cancer is on the move and chemoo will be advised. As an example, I had a 2 cm invasive ductal tumour with associated DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ) and 4/18 lymph nodes positive for bc. I too wondered why I needed both chemo and radiotherapy. My Oncologist explained that as the cancer had already spread to the lymph nodes, microscopic cancer cells may have spread to other organs i.e. lungs,bones,liver or spine and the chemo is to kill these cells. Radiotherapy is to zap any remaining cancer cells in the breast and axilla. If there is no spread from the breast, then radiotherapy alone is usually advised.
Your Mum should also know:
What is the hormone status of the tumour? Er (estrogen), PR (progesterone) and HER2.
If she is post menopausal and has ER/PR+ cancer, she should be prescribed Arimidex. If pre-menopausal, tamoxifen.
If HER2+ Herceptin witll be prescribed.
The type of chemo (there are many) will be decided by the Oncologist for her individual case.
After my surgeries (lumpectomy and then total axillary removal) I had a bone scan, liver scan and chest x-ray to make sure there was no spread to these organs. Thankfully it had not. I had 6 rounds of FEC chemo, every 3 weeks, then 25 rads - daily Mon-Fri with a break at weekends. My cancer was diagnosed almost 5 yrs ago and I believe there are newer chemo therapies. Thankfully, I have had no recurrence.
I don't know if this is the information you want - if not, come back and one of us will try and answer your questions.
Hope your Mum soon feels better.
Liz.
Your Mum should also ask what the size of the tumour was, the stage and grade.
Liz.
The pathophysiology of breast cancer accepted at present is that it is n o more local pathology but a systemic disease. Hence there is no point in just addressing the local management, and systemic burden should also be addressed. The surgery plays a role in eliminating the local tumour load. The systemic ones require chemotherapy or the hormonal therapy.
Various factors decide the role of further management
1. the hormone receptor status
2 tumour histology and the grade
3. margins of the resected specimen for clearance
At this stage you would require a oncologist opinion for deciding further. Discuss with him about all treatment plans.
http://www.newstarget.com/010886.html MAMOGRAMS CAUSE CANCE
Lady007
12/10/07
ALL Cellular Zeolite...WHY ARE DOCTORS NOT USING THIS STUFF? Instead of killing people with their toxic chemotheraphy and breaking peoples systems down then sending them home to die...its cruel. Chemo is designed to give people hope that their doctors know what is right. Here are some statistics by two prominent Professors one an Oncologist, the other a Radiologist.
http://www.laetrile.com.au/otherpages/chemo1.htm
--------------------
where to purchase cellular zeolite online :-
http://www.zeolitedirect.com/zeolite-products.php
Cancer Strategy #1: Use Zeolite To Kill Cancer Cells...
Without Harming Your Body
Chemotherapy and radiation therapy tries to kill the cancerous cells. Unfortunately, they often harm your body in the process. There are natural supplements that do a good job of killing cancerous cells, but don't cause harm to your body. A few supplements do have potential to be toxic to the body, and should probably just be used in conjunction with a naturopath or alternative doctor. These include cesium, artemisia, and B17. In this report you will learn only about completely safe cancer supplements that can be used with no supervision.
You may well ask why , if a safe and natural product is able to kill cancer, doesn't your doctor recommend it. Of course, he probably doesn't know about it, but even if he did, he's not likely to use it.
It's the nature of the medical/drug industry. Doctors use and recommend drugs that are approved in a process that costs hundreds of millions of dollars. The drug companies only make drugs that can be patented. That way they can sell them for huge mark-ups and have no competition.
Lady007
12/10/07
ALL Did you know that CAT SCANS are equivalent to 400 chest xrays in Radiation.
Did you know that TAXOL kills veins and cripples the area where its been administered....
Did you know that HERCEPTIN 2 gives your cardiotoxidity...weakens your HEART...TAXOL combined with HER2 Govt approved only if you take HER2 WITH TAXOL...wow That sounds like blackmail..Their aim is to kill you one way or the other.
Lady007
12/10/07
ALL After feeling three lumps in my left breast last december 2006. They did a mamogram on the breast and you could see the lumps quiet clear. I then went on to have the biopsy which was via Ultra sound visual system by which you could see the lumps quiet clear again. These lumps turned out to be grade 3 Cancer, which had infected two lympnodes. I then had surgery after nuclear dye had been administered to keep the Doc on track when removing my breast and finding all the supposed infected areas. The surgeon took 15 lympnodes plus the sentinal gland in this operation along with the whole breast removal. It was the ongoing treatment that had me rather bewildered as to the system of which followed. I was hit with AC x 4 Cyclophosphamide, Amend, Granistron, Hydrochlorid, and Dexamethasone [sent my sugar levels sky high spent week in hospital with that] with maxalon to stabalize my system and diabetic 2 medications. This was only in the first 4 treatments at 3 week intervals. Then HER2 combined with TAXOL another 4 treatments...Now I am down onto HER2 on its own...My heart rate first up was 38% next 42% next 47% the next test is pending. I have decided that if the heart does not come up over 50% next test that my treatment should be stopped. I need an opinion here?
Lady007
12/10/07
ALL To my way of thinking my breast should have been hit with radiation to shrink the cancer berfore surgery was administered. Thus giving a more direct approach to the cancer via the surgeon. Then when the wound was healed I should have been hit again with radiation. Then to complete the process of doses of HER2 on its own....In my opinion...too many mistakes have been made on this problem with not enough thought gone into it...I also need an opionion here?
Lady007
12/11/07
ALL http://www.nexusmagazine.com/articles/doctoring1.html
CORRUPT PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY. They pay big money to keep us sick with medicines, that in the long term kill us.
Lady007
12/11/07
ALL THE THINGS DOCTORS DONT TELL YOU ABOUT HER2
http://www.breastcancer.org/research_herceptin.html
Her