?Lymphedema

I would suggest you see your physician about this.  Since you had your surgery, chemo & rad in 2008, I would check in with the dr. Keep us posted.  Helen in NS

 

Adriamycin a.k.a. 'the red devil' is cardiotoxic (hard on the heart).  It has historically been used for early breast cancer or its sister Epirubicin (in the FEC regimen).

 

I had dose dense AC + T(4 cycles of each - 2 weeks a part) supported by Neupogen to keep my counts up.

 

They have been doing some testing and have some rough figures suggesting that Adriamycin is effective in 8% of women with breast cancer - they could test specifically if you would be a candidate to use Adriamycin - but they don't.

 

It seems they have everything backwards...instead of testing and picking chemotherapy to suit the characteristics of the unique tumor the woman has - they just throw everything but the kitchen sink and hope something works....the alternative to that is doing NEOADJUVANT - chemotherapy before they remove the tumor to test effectiveness.

 

I had Adriamycin, left-sided mastectomy and radiation....and I am absolutely fine (except for the missing breast and lymph nodes).....do I know the chemotherapy worked - NO...I have no detected cancer 2 years later...but one never knows and that is what I call the 'cross your fingers treatment plan for breast cancer'.  Not scientific...but all I had.

 

Love,

Connie