How effective was neoadjuvant chemo for you?
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Thanks Kim.. U r wonderful and I will keep u posted
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Bump
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I didn't have a PCR, but I did have a good response. Tumor shrank from 3.1 cm to 7 mm (that's about 78 percent) and ki67 (proliferation) dropped from 70 percent in original/pre chemo to 17 percent in the residual (post chemo). I was disappointed, but BS said lots of people do well with that response.
I start radiation next week. No hormonal since I am triple negative. Onc said no more chemo. Her researcher is looking into possible clinical trials, but she thinks I'll do well as is.0 -
Good luck placid I appreciate ur response and I think that's a great response!
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I have my surgery next Thursday the 28th.. It's been almost a month since my last chemo and I am going mad!!!! Tumor shrink.. Not a lot but apparently enhancement(possible activty) inside tumor was significantly less than before but I was so disappointed wanted super shrinkage .. Docs said response I had was typical and normal for er/pr positive her2 negative cancer...I am just so scared for path report to come bc I haven't had one yet and my report is coming AFTER chemo. Don't have any idea about nodes that were involved before and what their status is now.
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Well biopsy path report only stayed er/pr her 2 status and grade.. Nothing else.. It wasn't at a doctors so they didnt do ki67 or anything and nothing about Lvi.. Was done t a radiologist that does mammos, biopsis and that stuff but I think they figured I would get full path report at surgery but then I had chemo first.... So I don't fully know what's going on in there.. Why ? What did ur biopsy path report show?
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I got lymph node biopsied.. Came back positve😢😥bit really didn't understand that report except that it was positve... So what was the reasoning for u to do neoadjuvant chemo? I too wanted to know everything I could.. Went over my MRI and ultrasound report multiple times but I don't know what most of it means again or what it implies.. Discussed with onco as Well but real truth lies in my path report.. (Like number of lymph node involved)
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Thanks kayb... I know I just read a lot that scared me about responses to chemo and such so I wanted this amazing response to chemo.. Doctors didnt really mention that complete response doesn't really happen with the cancer I had so I was so disappointed.. Even though my onco would tell me if shrink each time I saw her I wondered why it was still there....if it shrank do much hahha.. That's bc it didn't! The changes might be internally inside tumor.. Like dead cells inside and scar tissue outside my onco says but we won't know until we go in there I am just so scared for them to go in there and what if its not good... Hopefully nodes r good... Praying nodes r good!
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I had same chemo as KayB and also had pCR. I was triple positive as well, but ER was 75% and PR was 50%.
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I am er100 pr 70 and her 2 neg at 0
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I had my taxol/herceptin first before my FEC. But in between the two I had another MRI and the tumor was not there after my 12 Taxols/H. And it was 32mms! Crazy. The FEC was to "mop everything up" as my MO sad. The Taxol is what hammered away the tumor.
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Oh and I could definitely feel it going away.
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Shari,
My mom was 100 percent ER also. Se was stage 3C with 27 of 29 lymph nodes positive and yet she has had no recurrence five years later. They think it was because she is so ER positive, so the tamoxifen and femara have been very effective in keeping the bc quiet. (after doing surgery, chemo and radiation).0 -
I am so encouraged to be reading that some of you had your tumor shrink with the neoadjuvant chemo!
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I had neoadjuvant chemo. My tumor was 2 cm and by the third chemo session (3rd of 8) we couldn't feel the tumor at all. Had double masectomy and pathology could not find any residue of the tumor nor could they find,the tumor "bed".
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Thanks placid.. I was somewhat discourages to read all these amazing results and know that my tumor is still there... I have surgery thisupscoming thrusday(2.days) and I am so scared as to what is going on in there... If chemo doesn't kill what's in tumor and node how will it kill what's in the rest of the body.. Docs say my results this far r good for the type of cancer I have but I can't help feeling sad and scared knowing my tumor did not disappear
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Hi ladies! I am hoping for complete pCR as well! I am on neoadjuvant chemo. I did 12 weeks Taxol and am 1/2 way through my 4 rounds of FEC. I had an ultrasound a couple weeks ago to measure the progress, so far the tumor is over 50% smaller! My oncologist said this was great news but didn't want to jinx my progress and promise me anything. I had one lymph node biopsied and was positive, though it didn't show up on the breast MRI and when I got the ultrasound last week the breast surgeon couldn't find it! People keep asking me why they don't just take out the tumor but I am excited to see the results!
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Sure looks like many of you had a great response!
I'm feeling really happy now that I was given neoadjuvant chemo. I know it was because my cancer was aggressive, but it seems to have worked very well! I am feeling more and more confident with every day that passes. I meet with my RO on tuesday...not sure what to expect so I guess it's time to start reading up on the radiation threads.
Cassendreamy, looks like we had a similar experience with chemo...It sure feels good to feel it shrink!
Shari, I am thinking about you this week and hope you recieve lots of good news and heal quickly! Let me know how it goes!!
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Kayb---I had Herceptin with my FEC. Interesting you did not. But maybe the order changes things? And yes, big old tumor destroyed, thank God!
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Camerakim,
I am curious: I thought chemo did not work in DCIS/non-invasive disease? That treatment was surgery and possibly radiation?0 -
I am Home... In pain, but surgery went pretty well I think...doc said nodes came out easily which is good sign and was able to save all my nerves in the arm.. Not sure what it means but they all seemed happy.. Thanks so much for checkin in will keep u posted
Will find out path next week but doc seemed happy.. Of course tumor was still there but we knew that...0 -
Has anyone done half of neo chemo before surgery and half after surgery? Was this effective for you too?
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Well I will keep it short and sweet since I am sort of numb right now... Got path report back and it's not wonderful... 3 positive nodes out of 22 .... Don't know how to take any of this.. Still stage 2 but had been hoping so bad for negative nodes.. Not sure what this means to my prognosis but know it means rads. I am scared and have been crying a lot. Tumor still had cancer in it but went from 2.5cm to about 1.8cm don't know what to think. Docs say typical response for hormonal positive cancer and her 2 neg but I sooo wanted better better response.. Next steps rads and chemo
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Shari,
I know it's hard. But remember again that lots of people with lots more positive nodes have done fine...and that hormone therapy is likely to work very well for you, given 100% ER positive.
Rads is supposed to make a big difference in reducing recurrence risk in the nodes.
You say more chemo...have they said what kind? When do you start hormone therapy? I'm not familiar with the timing on that since I am triple negative.
With the tumor, did they say whether it was dense with cancer, or was some of the remaining "tumor" actually dead cells? With mine it was still dense.0 -
Hi Shari - I got your private message too. I'm sorry that you didn't get the news that you were hoping for. It does suck! But, remember that there are thousands, upon thousands, upon thousands of women who have walked this road before you and are living for many, many, many years! You are not alone, my friend. You need to wear your big girl panties a little longer now...but I know you can do this. You will get through it...you have to. We are here to help you along......and keep you thinking positively!!
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My mistake in typing .. No more chemo... Rads then hormonal therapy
> 10/8/2012, IDC, 1cm, Stage IIb, Grade 2, 3/22 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2-
> 10/8/2012, IDC, 2cm, Stage IIb, Grade 3, ER+/PR+, HER2-Chemotherapy 10/18/2012 Adriamycin, Cytoxan, Taxol0 -
Thanks ladies for positive vibes!
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Hi Shari, Hope you are feeling better and better everyday! We were out of town for spring break so I had limited internet access for a bit.
My friend had very similar stats to yours and she's been doing GREAT! I know she had a bit of cancer left in her nodes after chemo, but just last week, after surgery and radiation, she was declared clear! Remember, chemo was just part of the treatment!
I got my tattoos for radiation today and will start next week. I had a choice to do what they call the "Canadian" version or the regular six week standard treatment. I decided on the six week treatment because it also targets the clavical nodes. Figured I'd give it all I could.
Hang in there! I have to tell you that I actually got to the point last week where I wasn't thinking about breast cancer constantly. I even woke up a few mornings when it wasn't the first thing on my mind. You'll get there, too!!!
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Gosh ladies.. Thanks for all the posts... I guess I knew there might be positive nodes but I had just sooo hoped for the best possible news.. That being said, I suppose my news is not terrible but I had hoped chemo would zap it all up.... I know bejng strongly hormone postive doesn't usually mean complete response to chemo but I guess I wanted to feel good about my survival after one part of treatment.. I know the tamoxifent will b super helpful in keeping cancer away but I just want to not worry so much and so if I had amazing response to chemo I thought the other stuff would just be insurance to my survival and now I realize rads and hormone therapy are necessary to my survival.. Breast surgeon did not seem so upset with results but I would really like to speak to my oncologist and hear what she has to say.. Thanks ladies for your support and I just need to remember that this does not mean I will recur... That's what I am so scared of... I just want to move forward..
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