Questions about breast cancer treatment.?
A friend has been diagnosed with Stage 2 A breast cancer. Using the TNM system, it is classified as T1 N1 M0. She had a lumpectomy 3 weeks ago along with axillary lymph node dissection. The tumor was almost 2cm and there were 3 nodes that tested positive. The doctor is recommending chemo therapy and then radiate to follow that. Has anyone had cancer around this stage that can tell me about their treatment? How bad was the chemo? How long was the chemo? Etc.. Any and all answers appreciated. So, if someone gets chemo every 3 weeks, they might get it multiple times within that week? Is this intravenous chemo? I've read up on something called dense-dose chemo therapy, where you get that every 2 weeks.. I'm really curious. Also, what is the survival rate for this type of cancer? I know this is all vague details, since every cancer is so different, but I've known alot of people that have not survived cancer.. Is this something most people can survive?
Cancer - 4 Answers
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1 :
I had breast cancer I just completed my treatment about a month and a half ago, I had a mastsctomy done and they also removed three lymph nodes also tested positive. My chemo treatment was six sessions three days out of the week but every 3 weeks followed by 36 session of radiation. Many people say that chemo is a very bad that you lose wait that you throw up all day that you cant eat, Icant tell you that all that is not true but what i will tell you is that i never went through none of that the only thing that i experienced was the last day of each session i had no flavor in my mouth felt tired but just for one day.I believe the reason is that i never seen chemo with fright i went in there letting the cancer cell that i was there to kill them as dumb as it sounds i would literaly talk to them and tell them YOU DONT BELONG IN MY BODY!! yea I know its dumb but hey it worked for me. I believe in the power of the mind if you believe that chemo will get you sick trust me IT WILL. The radiation you really dont feel anything you just lay there. After about 5 weeks the skin will get dark look at it as a very long day at the beach i do recommend to use alot i mean alot of aloe lotion at least 5 times a day they say three is enough but a little extra wont hurt. Other than that its nothing big. As for me the hardest part from chemo was the hair part but like me always making good out of something bad didnt think much of it. Use this time to play with different looks its fun. Hope I helped a little good luck to your friend everything will be fine. Remember that saying what doesnt kill you makes you stronger.
2 :
I could almost be reading my case here! I had a 2.4cm tumor, 3 lymph nodes affected, lumpectomy and axial node clearance. This was followed by chemo & radiation therapy. Chemo for me was on a 4 week cycle. Day 1 was IV of 2 drugs, days 2 & 3 IV of just one of these, days 4 to 28, nothing. I had a total of 6 of these cycles. Overlapping my 3rd & 4th cycle I had radiation therapy, daily, 5 days a week for a total of 25 sessions. I was started on Tamoxifen following this treatment then switched to Arimidex when it became available, this will continue for 5 years in total as my cancer was hormone receptive. I had prognosis of 30% chance of recurrence in 5 years based on all factors in my case. I am at 4.5 years now and still clear. My oncologist tells me that my chance of a recurrence is now much lower than the 30%. Breast cancer caught early is very survivable.
3 :
Your friend is lucky to have someone around who is so concerned about her treatment. What happened in my chemo treatment was three weeks. One week is the chemo, the following weeks are blood tests and recouperating. Then do this cycle again. Ask her to ask the oncologist or oncologist nurse about survival rate. I am surviving bc. There is a tired feeling about cancer. Do what the nurses or oncologist tell her. My tumor was way bigger and more lymph nodes removed. Hopefully, she will do just fine. Be patient with the treatments.
4 :
Stage 2A has a 5-year survival rate of 92%. The grade and hormone receptor status does affect this, but it still remains high. Her chance of recurrence is also low, as her tumor is under 2.5cm and she has fewer than 4 positive nodes.
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Title : Questions about breast cancer treatment
Description : Questions about breast cancer treatment.? A friend has been diagnosed with Stage 2 A breast cancer. Using the TNM system, it is classifi...