As I had neo adjuvant chemo, I was able to see that the 60% shrinkage of my tumor was almost achieved after the first 3 rounds of FEC. I then had 12 weeks of Taxol/Herceptine during which the residual tumor didi not reduce much. I suffered from Taxol. I am 90% HR+. Was Taxol the right option for me?
Michka

alright have not read this entire thread but a little freked out!

I did not recieve taxol for my 7mm, node negative idc just AC and herceptin for a year.

Two oncs told me it would only be of 1% value for me.

did I get the wrong advice? Does this mean that chemo was ineffective for me?

Talk about anxiety.

Hi Michka
 

The problem is that even though 40% is a massive reduction in the rate of recurrence, there are still going to be some women who don't benefit at all.

I had neoadjuvant FEC and it didn't seem to have worked at all and I had severe problems with it. I figure that the taxotere I had after surgery must have done something because I haven't had a recurrence over four years after diagnosis and my prospects were pretty dire and I found taxotere really easy. I had herceptin, but fifteen months after I finished treatment because of when the trial came out.

I guess the good news is that a newly diagnosed her2 positive patient can be pretty confident that the treatments will be worth it.

Perspectives
 

Penelope,

As a 1.6 cm HER2 IDC node-negative with some DCIS who never had Herceptin after having Adriamycin and Cytoxan and 5-FU, and who has never had a taxane (it was believed that taxanes did little for those diagnosed hormone receptor positive), I'm 5 years out with no recurrence.

Hope that provides some perspective,

AlaskaAngel

Thanks for the wonderful information.

lani and Becky,

Thanks for the information... I feel better after I've read what the two of you have to say.

Karen