Pathological complete response

[melruth]

Hi there everyone, I'm guessing this topic has probably been discussed many times before however I was just wondering who had a PCR post neoadjuvant treatment?Are you still NED?

[thinkpositive]

I had a PCR and have remained NED. It has been almost 4 years since I was diagnosed with cancer. My oncologist told me that the first couple of years after having a PCR are are good indication of long term outcome.

Take care,
Brenda

[linzer]

I will be 4 years out from PCR in May. So thankful!

[MaineRottweilers]

Congratulations! Live life like cancer never happened. <3

[Whonoze]

10 years out from my PCR!!!

[carlatte7]

5 1/2 years out from PCR. Still NED. As unbelievable as it seems, there are days go by that I forget about it.

[valleygirl]

Sorry, what's PCR?

[jra40]

Valleygirl - Pathological Complete Response. I am 7 years and very thankful!!

[Donna H]

3 and a half years out and still NED. And very thankful.

[mamathornt1]

did you have radiation? i had a complete pathological response, I had chemo and a double mastectomy but they are recommending radiation. I'm not sure what I'm going to do

[thinkpositive]

mamathornt1,

Looking at the signatures from all of the ladies who included them, everybody did have radiation even though they had a PCR to treatment. Personally, I wouldn't even consider not having radiation due to the aggressiveness of HER2 cancer. It was by far the easiest part of the treatment for me.

I would discuss the pros & cons of radiation with your oncologist. The decision is a personal one that you will need to make. Just be sure you understand what the risks are in skipping this treatment.

Take care,
Brenda

[jra40]

I agree with Brenda - looking back, I am very happy I did radiation. It was the easiest of the process for me too and it "cleans" up any cancer cells that may be still lurking in the area. Definitely discuss with your doctor. I had hardly any side effects, only sunburn like irritation on the skin. Good luck and prayers to you!

[Becky]

Your doctors are recommending radiation but you're not sure. Why are they recommending it? Then get a second opinion and see what they say. If they recommend it too, and for the same reasons, you have to take that information seriously. And if they don't recommend it, you can discuss the reasons your current team is saying yes to rads. You will need to ask the opinion doctor what they need to see. Definitely your pathology report and surgical report. Ask your breast surgeon too. Maybe you don't know, but your clear margins might be close margins. Also, chemo is given in case there are some escapees from the prison (tumor:)). Radiation is for local control because chemo might not get to where it needs to go because surgery disrupts the circulation - things are cut and chemo can't get there. Rads solve that problem. So chemo helps prevent distant recurrence but rads prevent local recurrence. I hope this helps. So many decisions and not fun ones

[CameraKim]

PCR and 5 years out for me now. Hoping this gives people a little bit of hope!

[Colleen]

I am four years out, now in my fifth year of pcr. But like other metastatic thriver I still receive herceptin and perjeta every three weeks. I love riding my bike to my infusion appointments, 11 miles each way, it's my way of telling cancer to f@$& off!