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If I was in your situation, I think I would ask my onc if I could stay on Herceptin indefinitely, instead of doing just a year and not do rads. That is if your heart is ok.
Also remember that there are stage 4 women who have complete response to their chemos, and are now ned. It is not a forgone conclusion that you will recur if you do not have rads. The AC, taxol/Herceptin could have gotten rid of it all.
I am not that far behind you, my tumor was 4.6 in and I had 2 Pos nodes. It was also very aggressive, I had my annual exam 3 months earlier and my dr. felt nothing and then , 3 months later I find this huge lump. I am only 37. I did not have radiation of my axila. I did have radiation of my chest wall and neck.
I am 16 months from diagnosis, finished my year of Herceptin and am doing well.
My sister had Uterine cancer, stage 3. She did 4 rounds of taxol and refused radiation. I thought she was crazy to not do it. the drs essentially told her that they were just waiting for it to show up in another organ. Well, that was 4 years ago and she is fine. Her dr is shaking his head, that she is still here and is still ned.
Good luck with your decision!
Laurie
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