Chemo Options

[Aleida2008]

I'm 40 yoa and was diagnosed with Stage 1 infiltrating ductal carcinoma.  I had a lumpectomy; I'm node negative, ER/PR positive, HER2 negative.  I will have a mastectomy on 5/19 because 3 margins were not clear.  I've gone to 3 different oncologists, and they've all given me different recommendations for chemo.  I'm trying to figure out which is best for me.  I've already eliminated the 1st recommendation (epirubicin, cytoxan, 5fu).  The 2nd onco recommended adriamycin cytoxan and taxol.  The 3rd recommended cytoxan and taxotere.  What are the pros/cons of the 2 recommendations that I'm weighing?  HELP

[Sai387]

Woops, I posted my comment on wrong posting. Please excuse me Paula and Aledia2008.

[Sai387]

Thank you Paula,

We do not have a family history of Breast Cancer", in fact any type of cancer in past 3 generations as far as I know. I don’t have any idea about the studies on Indian women Breast cancer. My sister is 35 year old Indian women with our any other complications. Gene test did not perform on her. DO you have any idea, why they did not perform that test? And also, I read in some web site saying that, after the Mastectomy the re occurrence place is the chest wall. Is it true?

She had an early menstruation at the age of 11 and got the 2nd pregnancy at the age of 32.

Thank You.

[PaulMD]

Hi there.

The present studies on adjuvant chemotherapy for breast (meaning, the chemotherapy given after an operation re: mastectomy) has used the taxane drugs: Taxol and Taxotere, for patients with node positive breast cancer.  Though it can also be used in node negative breast cancers, the additional benefit of the taxanes may be smaller than if it were given for node positive disease.  The Taxanes carry a side effect profile of causing neuropathies and neutropenia (lowering of white blood counts, especially with Taxotere).  The Taxotere+cytoxan treatment eliminates the use of epirubicin or adriamycin (epi and adria carries the risk of cardiotoxicity).  Whatever chemotherapy regimen you choose, make sure that you also discuss with your oncologist regarding hormonal treatment (tamoxifen) since you can derive bigger benefit from this compared to chemotherapy.

Regards.