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NanaJoni · 04-19-2012, 05:48 PM

Jjames - I do understand your fears of long term effects of cancer treatments because I have several: some lung damage from radiation, anemia from the chemo, pulmonary emboli from multiple surgeries. But I have to say (and I stole this from another survivor) my favorite long-term side effect of chemo is being alive. For me personally, and I am considerably older than you, I felt a need to throw everything I could find at the cancer in the beginning. I was grade three, HER2+++ and had a second tumor that was triple negative. I followed my oncs recommendations and went with the TCH followed by radiation. Even with the things I'll be dealing with long term, my fear of recurrence is much less now. Bottom line still is - you have to do what's right for you and no one else. You need to feel comfortable and at peace. Wishing you the best as you move forward.

04-19-2012, 05:48 PM	#8
NanaJoni Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Elizabethton, TN Posts: 418	Re: NCCN Guidelines and adjuvant therapy Jjames - I do understand your fears of long term effects of cancer treatments because I have several: some lung damage from radiation, anemia from the chemo, pulmonary emboli from multiple surgeries. But I have to say (and I stole this from another survivor) my favorite long-term side effect of chemo is being alive. For me personally, and I am considerably older than you, I felt a need to throw everything I could find at the cancer in the beginning. I was grade three, HER2+++ and had a second tumor that was triple negative. I followed my oncs recommendations and went with the TCH followed by radiation. Even with the things I'll be dealing with long term, my fear of recurrence is much less now. Bottom line still is - you have to do what's right for you and no one else. You need to feel comfortable and at peace. Wishing you the best as you move forward. __________________ Joni -64 yrs old - 3/01/10: found lump in rt.breast 3/12/10: mammogram/ultrasnd/biopsy-invasive bc & DCIS; 2 tumors (2cm er-/pr-/HER2-& 1.8 cm er-/pr-/HER2+); grade 3;poorly differentiated 3/24/10:sent.node biopsy clear 3/31/10:bi-lateral mx.;atypical ductal hyperplasia-lft side 4/21/10:wound revision-infection/scarring 4/28/10:seromas both sides 5/21/10:port installed,TCH chemo (6 x 3 wks); Herc,-1yr; 33 rad tx after chemo 07/2010: port not working-2nd port didnt'work;3rd port opposite side. 07/2010: 2 weeks after 3rd port surgery, threw 3 pulm. emboli-IVC filter installed; warfarin 08/2010: hospitalizations w/3 of chemos; decision to stop after 4th-on to radiation in Oct 2010;Herc cont. 12/03/2010 - finished 33 rads Hooray!! cont. Herc. every 3 wks 4/2011 - pneumonia ??? Nope-radiation pneumonitis. No more Herc. 5/2011 - NED!!! port out. 8/2011 - clean PET & CT scans.Still NED 7/2012 - Still NED/very blessed. 2/2013 - 6 mos checkup-all clear. CA2729 down frm 13 to 11.