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Hi Shawna:
I have just finished my chemo. I also live in Vancouver, BC so probably live near you.
The good news is that Vancouver is the top rated place to get treatment in Canada if you have cancer (stats from CBC).
I was diagnosed Oct 31/03, 1.7cm, node neg, stage 1 grade 3, er neg & HER+++ and had a mastecomy. I too, was given the exact same chemo choices (AC, AC+T or CEF) I chose AC+T. This is why:
AC by itself tackles a certain amount of cancer and improves your chances of survival are X%. The advantages of AC by itself is that you have a fairly decent chance of RETAINING your fertility if you are pre-menopausal.
AC+T. The addition of taxol improves your survival chances another couple of percent over X%. It is not a lot, but it is some. If you take this regimine your chances of losing your fertility and becoming menopausal are considerably greater (I was told aprox 70%).
CEF is the hardest on your body. I was told I would have no chance of retaining fertility with this one. I beleive it is also used with more advanced cancer than what we have. The advantages of this is that you might want to become menopausal. (It also might have a very SLIGHT survival advantage although I can't remember this for sure)
On a cheerier note: I found the AC/T quite easy to take physically. Only a bit of fatigue. The anti-nausea medication that they have these days are great, so I only got sick enough to puke once. And the good thing about no hair is that it is much easier to look after than long hair...not that it's much consulation, but you have to look on the bright side of things.
Good luck, and take care.
Merridith
PS: Al is right about getting the herceptin (apres chemo)if you can get it off protocol. But if you live in Canada, you can't get it. I put out quite a bit of effort trying to get it.
There was a herceptin trial based out of Vancouver for adjuvant breast cancer which I am on, but only on the observation arm. This trial is full, and there is no other possible way you can get it except if you go to the States. Herceptin is only available here for metastatic forms of the cancer.
If by some miracle you are able to weasel it,(let me know!!!) you should try and get the onc to give it to you at the same time you are taking the taxol (there is synergy between the two drugs - this was just recently published by MD Anderson Hosp in the States)
MP
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Hybrid Mode
