Chemo: what to expect?

[DianneS]

Hi,

There are so many threads here, not sure if anyone will answer but here I go anyway!

I was just dx August 27, 08 with invasive ductal carcinoma of the right breast. I had biopsies since both breasts had suspicious masses. Only the right breast came back with the carcinoma. I decided, since I have troublesome lumpy breasts, to have a double mastectomy on Sept. 9, so am healing from that.

I had a 2 cm tumor, grade 3, in the right breast. No evidence of vascular invasion. The pathology report also said all eight lymph nodes removed were negative. Guess that is good news?

I am her2 positive 3+++, weakly ER positive, not sure about PR status. They have me as Stage 1. My weird oncologist, who loves to get me in a real bummer mood, after I told him I had negative nodes, said 'having a grade 3 tumor is equivalent to having 3 positive nodes'. Well, thanks doc! Is he right?

The oncologist also said since he doesn't have a crystal ball he doesn't know if there's a tiny cancer cell somewhere in my body or not, so he is recommending 4 rounds of chemo every 3 weeks, then another 4 rounds every 3 weeks of another drug, then about a year of Herceptin. He said my chances of no cancer recurrences in 10 years are 78% with treatment; 64.9% no recurrence in 10 years if I have NO chemo. Is the additional 13% worth it? I kind of wish he hadn't put numbers into my head.

I am 55 years old and otherwise feel great. I am active, and really wondering if I want to proceed with chemo. I read so many stories of neuropathy from chemo, or leukemia....I am scared to take a step in either direction.

How do the doctors know Herceptin works? If they can't find cancer in me now, how will they know the chemo got anything?

Also I was getting ultrasounds every year. One year I was clear and the next a tumor. Another woman I talked to who is her2 positive was having mammograms and they didn't find a 2 cm tumor in her breast until they did an ultrasound!

Thanks, ladies, and hope to hear from one of you,
DianneS