Could you be more specific about TC, do you mean carboplatin and taxotere or cytoxan and taxotere or cytoxan and taxol?  Or something else altogether?  Where was your first oncologist?  Could you get either therapy through your local oncologist?  Have they done an echo or a MUGA scan to assess your heart?   I am so sorry that you have been diagnosed and are faced with these choices.  When I know more, I can give you better information.

 

Maire

I am sorry to hear that you are diagnosed with triple negative (TN) at young 71 and being in good health is fabulous to think the best in outcomes!

 

If you could give the specifics of your tumor/cancer?  Size/grade/stage, etc and if you would add that, most "gold standard" is AC/T.  But, in earlier stage TN CT is considered appropriate.  My onc gave me a head to head study on CT vs AT and actually Ct was somewhat more effective.  Some research lately is showing that Adriamycin isn't as effective for some earlier breast cancers. 

My question to you and with Maire would be could Carboplatin is used adjuvant (after surgery).  The specifics b/w taxol and taxotere are somewhat different.  What say you Maire and Weaver1?  Take Care,

I am Fran's daughter and will try to answer your questions since she is not currently on line and eager to hear from others.  She was diagnosed as having Stage I grade 3 TNBC with tumor size between.5-1 cm, node negative.  She was offered a more aggressive treatment with Taxotere, Adriamycin and Cytoxan because it was felt she was "physiologically younger than her actual age".  However, even her oncologist is "on the fence" about it.  We are trying to weigh the risks of adding Adriamycin to the possible slight reduction of reoccurance and were wondering about other's experiences.  I cannot find a lot of data on TNBC in women > 70.  

Appreciate anyone's thoughts/experiences.

I believe I have something but on the road at the moment and having trouble finding it.

Thank you so much Steve for your help and we would love to hear what you find out later today.  Best wishes,

I have another friend same age, stage, size who did AC/T and was in excellent health...another "younger" than her age gal!  She told me she had little problem with it and completed her treatment with flying colors.

 

Should BRCA testing be addressed here to decide chemo regime?  Steve is the resident  sorry to say, "expert" on this issue, and would that change the decision if BRCA gene 1 or 2 positive? 

 

I realize this is a tough decision making time, but take a breath, because days to gain enough information will make better decisions and not effect your chemotherapy effectiveness.  Average timeframe after a mastectomy is 4-8 weeks to think of starting chemotherapy due to healing issues anyway.  When was your mastectomy date?

 

Something to consider, Fran.  You ARE a very healthy, young robust 71 yr old woman.  And how your body and mind respond to this trauma IS something medically to take into consideration.  How well do you feel post op vs before that?  And what does your oncologist (with the help of the doctor who has known you best, your primary doctor?) say the effect to your general health would be to you with or without Adriamycin? 

 

Retaining your health post op/post chemo and to "bounce back" with both your echo/mugga, feedback from your docs and possibly BRACA testing, are issues that I have seen from my older friends in my support group.

 

By the way, they all have done well with whatever they/team decided meaning it did help, they have bounced back in their 70s...they speak of having a much harder time with other life issues-death of spouse, life stressors....I am not an expert here at 54 for an active lady of 71, I am sharing what other Breast Cancer Support Group members your age have shared.

 

You have such a great inner circle of support, know wonder you stay so young  Take care,

 

Welcome to our forum.

 

I think the deciding factor will be the echocardiogram results whether to add the Adriamycin. 

 

I know of a woman (76) who is in robust health, with no health problems,  had a mastectomy and then did the TAC (6 cycles).   She had Neupogen/Neulasta support and she had no delays in her treatment or dose reduction because of neutropenia.  She actually did better than some younger women undergoing treatment at the same time.

 

I had the good fortune to marry a gentleman from Sheboygan.  

 

Connie

 

 

 

 

An echocardiagram and a MUGA scan are NOT the same thing.  A MUGA scan is more accurate and  is REQUIRED before Adriamycin...  Someone make sure that it is ordered/completed prior to Fran making a decision.  Fran is 71 yrs young and nobody should be taking shortcuts - even if it means an extra trip to the big city.

 

It is worthy to note...that the stats listed here...are not bad...The tumour is small...this is good...Being node negative - HUGE  The tumour grade 3 - not so good

 

So in my laymen's eyes..You caught this early - while the tumour biopsy showed that it was aggressive in nature (likely to spread)...It had NOT spread into the lymph system.  Most studies - show worse outcomes for much larger tumours, that are grade 3 and that have in fact spread into the lymph system.

 

What is the status of the tumour..did you have a lumpectomy...is the tumour still there?  If the tumour is still there...then getting started on chemo soon may be important...however...it the tumour has been removed...

Then.you are NOT in a race.  You have time to decide, gather information and weigh your options. 

 

I was told that taxotere had a 16% chance of a Pathological Complete Response - And Adriamycian had a 9% chance.  Great odds huh?

 

I believe the role of adjuvunct therapy is to prevent a recurrance and provide a system wide treatment of your body...just in case some wayward cancer cells are floating around in there.  It takes a long time for wayward cancer cells to become tumours..

 

Hope this tiny bit of info helps

Lots of prayers for Fran

Love

Alene 

 

 

 

Believe it or not...supposedly there is one advantage to the tumour still being present at the time of chemo...

 

In the land of "theory"..You're onc will be able to tell by administering chemo with the tumour present...whether or not the chemo is actually working or not on your flavor of triple negative cancer. (We're all triple negative..but we are not all the same - we're just the group of individuals who aren't positive for estrogen/progesterone/herceptin - We share what we're not...not necessarily what we are) - Am I making any sense?

 

Anyway....

 

In the land of theory...you're onc will administer one of your choices...then run cat scans to see whether the tumour is in fact shrinking...This allows oncologists to KNOW whether a particular regimen is actually working rather than waiting till the end of treatment....It gives the oncologist a chance to change to another regimen...sooner..

 

Now in the land of reality..where I live...

My oncologist used an extra precise test..to see whether the the chemo was working...He had a special "magic ruler"...No kidding...Yeh really... The main reason that we changed..from one chemo to another..was my ability to withstand it's side effects..

 

For me...Red Devil (aka Adriamycin) was more effective...at least according to the magic ruler.  I did not have a pathologically complete response to either regimen in that I had extensive residual lymphatic invasion with active cancer...when all was said and done. 

 

Good news for you...You don't have positive lymph nodes...so....it's just those pesky wayward cells that you need to make sure are gone

 

 

Let us know how we can help

Much prayers for you and your family

Alene

 

 

 

 

Hi, I have a relevant question here....since I only have "Doctors for Dummies" to read .  You have "extensive residual lymphatic invasion with active cancer" and with my heartfelt "heart thunk" and "go, girl"...please to explain?  And how was that discovered/tested, Alene?

 

And I am relieved to also know echo vs mugga as my docs ONLY wanted an echo "that's fine" and said 55% was "just fine".  And I said, NO, that is NOT JUST FINE!

 

So, Fran take some time to digest a bunch of us well meaning "experts"-lol who are quite frankly smart, caring, well versed and experienced.  I bless the day I got both the dx and found this website(same day!)...heavens knows I'd be crazy by now (ok, no cracks now).  I think cancer makes us all alittle crazy and we're all alittle "cancer crazy"...we KNOW how important this is for you, my dear!  Take care,

 

Our posts crossed-hate when that happens!  Good for your gut decision!  And now you know where you can be supported during/after treatment.

Keep us posted and we the same.  Hugs,

 

I would not be surprised if you knew some of my husband's family - if you have been into Schwarz Fish Co. you have probably already met some of them.

 

Once I made my decision I was also at peace and did what had to be done.  I was diagnosed in May 2007. 

 

There are lots of helpful suggestions that will make everything so much easier for you.

 

Please do not hesitate to ask any questions - you will not find a kinder, more supportive group of people.

 

Connie

I'm glad you are at peace with your decision...You're just beginning a long journey...we're here for you...

 

Suzie:

The info was in my path report from the mastectomy.  It took working with my research assistant "Ms. Google"...and finally asking questions of my surgeon etc...to  understand what it meant.  I WISH there was a Cancer for Dummies book...Man...I feel like I've had to practically enter med school just to get through this thing.

 

Take care All

and let us know how you're doing Fran

Love and prayers

Alene

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am happy you checked in.  We like to know how things are going once someone starts chemotherapy.

 

Are you getting Benadryl, and a steroid premedication before you get your Taxotere?

 

Please remember to keep well hydrated to flush the chemotherapy through your system.

 

Ativan when given with the antinauseants releases a chemical in the brain that makes the antinauseants work better....plus it is used for anxiety to make you relax.

 

Just think of that chemotherapy as liquid gold going into your veins.

 

Be kind to yourself and get lots of rest.

 

Exactly what drugs are you being given for nausea....there are so very many of them and possibly another one would be better.

 

 

Connie

     My name is Billie and I did research and loving caregiving for my beautiful sister Betty.She is soon to be 69 and I just thought that I would let you know that in 08 she went through the lumpectomy,chemo,radiation,back surgery in Oct. of 08,loss of her husband in March of 09,hip replacement in latter part of March 09,and as of today she is in fantastic condition.Some of us old brodes they just cannot keep down.I guess that I should not be talking like that about her because because she is in the church house a lot more times than I.

    Her oncologist chose the taxotere-cytoxan times 4 every three weeks.I myself at the time would have never dreamed that she would have come through the chemo like she did.But Fran she came through with flying colors.Oh yes, it is all very traumatic but you will make it and come out on the other side in great condition.We had a big discussion on this forum about the chocises that this oncologist made for my sister and the choices made for other women in reference to the kind of chemo and the amout of times.4 verses 6.Some saying that 6 times musch better than 4.Because we did not want her to have to come back and do it again,we wanted to make sure that she had enough chemo at the time.When we asked her oncologist how he came to the conclusion that she was to have 4 treatments and none of the tac he politely said that the choice that he made was based upon her age and that is the choice that he made for her.Now mind you both of you being healthy older women ,and both of you having pretty much the same diagnosis in size of tumor and node negative was pretty much why his decision was what it was.Oh I forgot to say that he was practicing at one time at this cancer center under the guidence of MD Anderson.One thing that he said to my sister that she continusely practiced was that he told her that she was going to be tired and that she was going to want to stay in the bed,but he said to her,I want you to never give into to this.Make yourself get up and move around.Get rest of course,but never give into this.And Fran,I want you to remember this also,never give in.I want you to also know that knowledge is power and if you know what to expect before it might take place then you are prepared to handle it.We had already researched nulasta,so we knew what to prepare for extreme bone pain.But after a few days it will go away.I can remember back and that was perhaps the toughest for her to get through.But she knew that it was going to be pretty bad ,but that it was only going to be temporary.The nulasta was not needed until around her 3rd treatment.Have your family do your research for you and be prepared and never hesitate to as these ladies if there is a question in your mind.Be Prepared.Do your research for the radiation if you are to receive it.My sister prepared her skin all week with emu oil and other suggested ointments.Do Not wait until it is a bad burn.

       Fran,you are going to be fine.And when you are on the other side of this journey your family is going to look at you the same way that I look at my sister.When I look at my sister now I cannot keep from smiling because I know in my heart what all she has had to endure this past year in such a short time , she made it on the other side even stronger today than when her journey began.And if this beast decides that it has to return then we are again ready for the fight because even if she is soon to be 69 she still has a lot of fight left in her and we know a little more now about what to expect.Yes the fear will be there,but it will not be that paralizing fear that you have when you know nothing about Breast Cancer and you hear the word cancer for the first time.You have made a great choice in your treatment.Lots and Lots of Huggggggsssss    Billie

I, too, have TNBC much like Weaver 1 but the tumor was somewhat

larger.  My Onc gave me a choice of no treatment or Taxotere/

cytoxin.  He would not give me his opinion as to whether I should

have treatment.  Reading comments from this site has made me

rethink my decision not to have treatment.

 

Thank all of you for your valuable comments and information.

I am 74 and in good health.

 

Dot