Complete response

[webmum]

Hello,

I also had cpr after neo-adjuvant chemo. It is a term used when you have chemo before surgery and then when they do remove and examine the tissue where cancer was initially, if they find no trace of cancer cells they can talk about complete pathological response.

It states that no cancer cells were found in the tissues removed, (which would be the original cancer site). It is more accurate than any diagnostic tool, as scans etc, will not pick up very small clusters of cancer cells, while the pathology tests do. Of course it doesn't offer any guarantees for the future, but it tells you that chemo has worked perfectly well in your case, while with adjuvant chemo you will never know (of course I'm talking about primary bc here).

Read this research (one of the authors is one of my oncologists!) for more info http://jco.ascopubs.org/cgi/content/full/24/7/1037

ciao
chiara

[webmum]

Hi again Patty,

this is another useful article: http://theoncologist.alphamedpress.o...bstract/13/1/6

In case you're interested I was diagnosed nearly 2 years ago, grade 3, stage 3a, 4cm IDC, a lump of 2cm came up on the pet (it was clearly palpable), so one or more? lymphnode also affected. HER2 + but Er and Pr negative. went through 12 weeks of taxol + 12 weeks of FEC all accompanied by daily lapatinib and weekly herceptin. April 08 had surgery with the results I've already said. Just add my 6monthly check up and all is fine so far.

I'm finally feeling on top of things again, in control of my life and making the most of it! Enjoying my daughters and not worry )too much) about the future. Today I'm still here and life is good!

best of luck with the rest of your treatment,

chiara