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You can spend a great deal of time reading on this topic, acquire a much wider knowledge base and no nearer the answers, except knowing that the medical profession is not certain about as much as you might have thougt it was when you first walked through that door.
I am not sure why tumour markers are often apparently not well regarded even as indicators.
There are a lot of potential markers that for some reason never even seen to have got into a development program.
For those with tumours a scan can monitor impact on tumours. Apparently anything under 4mm does not show up so this is no good for micromets.
Essentially chemo for most at inital diagnosis chemo is "preventative" - to kill micro mets and cancerous cells in the wider body - but if you read some sources we all have cancerous cells, but the difference is the body is able to deal with them - and it assumes you have some to kill - and they are the same type as your initial diagnosis and so susceptable to the perscribed chemo......
Lani's post from the NY Times summarises a lot of the controversy.
It must come as a bit of a shock if you start from the perception that chemo is a certain science and of proven worth fro all who receive it.
Sarah Daltons post on the economics of chemo make thought provoking reading - the financial margins for the clinic that administer chemo appear potentially high - I also have a vauge recollection that in the UK provision of chemo was used as an treatment rate measure - these sots of factors could edge doctors or institutional policy on patient treatment in certain directions.
Whats the alternative - does it work - is it worth any down side balance - those are the unanswered questions - cleary it has a place in the treatment arsenal - but for what groups is it truly effective - that is the question.
I am confused and am just a male spectator NOT having to personally face the realities of treatment.
It seems you just have to read all you can, if you have the time, and make the best decisions you can - it cannot be easy for any patient.
DIET
My amateur interest is fats in the diet and impact on BC and health generally.
I would urge you to look at the posts on this site - click on the search button above on the purple bar - on omega three and six, and diet generally.
I wish you every success in your journey.
RB
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