Chemo is it worth it?

[meangreen04]

It’s definitely case by case and results vary and it will be difficult, but it’s worth a try.

[RascalArms]

Best advice I can give you is goto MD Anderson and follow the direction of the team. I would also say start eating healthy if not already and stat walking and being active and have strong faith.

X 1000
I can’t add any additional advice better than this.

God Bless you OP and all of you dealing with this stuff. Prayers for healing.

[rockyraider]

Folks I need some help. My wife recently had a double mastectomy. They were able to remove all of the cancer in her left breast and the right breast was removed as a preventive plus cosmetic. The lymph nods they removed , one on the left and three on the right, were all negative. The her test was negative. Her oncologist wants her to do 15rnds of chemo as a preventive and also take a pill that slows her hormones and eventually puts her into menopause. She is only 39. I cant wrap my head around putting her body through that nightmare as a preventive. Whats worse is she could go through it all and the cancer could still come back. My thought process is take the pill and be proactive about monitoring her situation and skip the chemo. Am I wrong? I am really worried she will never be the same after the chemo. I would feel different if there was something there that they could not remove but thats not the case


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First of all, good luck to both of you. Sounds like your wife is definitely on the road to recovery and a long full life.

My personal advice is that I would be VERY hesitant to take advice from uninformed people like myself and 99.9% of the people on this site. Some of the examples used by people suggesting or advising against treatment are extremely flawed examples of why or why not to do something. You need to make sure you are comparing apples to apples and not apples to oranges when you read many of these replies. There is a huge difference in your wife's situation and a 70yo with terminal cancer who choses to do chemo to extend their lives by months or maybe a couple of years.

If it were me, I would seek out a second or third opinion if I questioned the advice I was being given. As others have suggested, seek out the best, most qualified doctors and treatment centers available. Many have suggested MD Anderson and I would agree if that is an option for you.

I would certainly want to give myself the best fighting chance at staying cancer free for the rest of my life. If a team of doctors that I trusted and respected suggested I follow a specific course of treatment in order to give me the best possible chance at a successful outcome, I'd do it, period.

[OS_BRANDON]

I chose to do chemo. If it wasn’t for that I wouldn’t be alive today. It’s harsh but it varies on how aggressive the chemo is. There’s some that are pretty standardized and in low doses and others that require you to be in the hospital for the duration. I’d get atleast two opinions. Personally I’d opt to get the chemo if they say it’ll help prevent it from reoccurring.


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[TSFiredog]

I credit chemo, and radiation with my being here today I had surgery and have been in remission for 1& years. Thank You God for the second chance.

[red-fin]

My wife and I went through the "gauntlet" 10 years ago. She was treated here at Scott & White, Temple. She was diagnosed stage 3 breast, invasive (in lymph nodes), and aggressive. We did exactly as the Oncologist and Surgeon said and recommended. Included lots of adjuvant treatment, chemo prior to surgery. The way I viewed the chemo and adjuvant treatment was that the tumor was still in breast and they knew for sure the type chemo was killing it. Also the chemo went everywhere else in the body that her blood went except the brain therefore killing any other cells that may have already spread but were non-detectable. She was 42, in excellent health and physical condition, and is still with us today, healthy.

[roysmoke]

M D Anderson . . They'll know . .

X2 prayers for your wife and family. I personally would not be seeking medical advice on TBH. If you don't like what the doctor said why don't you get a second opinion from another doctor?

[Meatcutter]

Prayers sent to all dealing with this nasty stuff!

[bowhuntvideo]

Prayers up for your wife and your family. It is a hard road for all, and yes she likely won't be the same. However it is possibly the only thing that will keep her with you. We consulted with two top oncologist, one Baylor and one with Southwestern and they both recommended the same regimen you guys are looking at. Five years later - cancer free. Pray every day it stays that way.


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[doghouse]

Prayers sent. I can't answer your question because I haven't been diagnosed with cancer. I'm thinking I'd try a few doses of chemo and then decide.

[StrayDog]

Prayers

This - look that doctor in the eye and ask him if this would be the same treatment plan for his wife under the same circumstances.

Tell him you respect his diagnosis but want a second opinion - because your wife is that important.

Based on his answers your gut will lead you the right way.

[JLivi1224]

Prayers for your wife and your family. My wife and I agreed to not undergo chemo if we are ever diagnosed. We will seek alternative methods.

[Dave]

Please don't compare treatment of one type of cancer with another and from various stages. You are talking about so many different treatments that it's not even worth the comparison. Treatments of some cancers are changing on an rapid basis as well. It would be like comparing a 1998 Chevy impala with a 2017 Chevy duramax diesel. Yes they are both Chevy's but that's the end of the comparison.

If you aren't comfortable with the treatment recommendation get a second or third opinion.

[wacm]

My grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer at 65. They did a double mastectomy but she refused chemo. The doctor gave her 6 months tops. She lived a
Very productive life until she passed away from Alzheimer’s at 98 years old. ��*♂️

[SneakyPhil]

I will echo what others on here have said and go to MD Anderson if you can. My mother went through chemo there. Initially she was afraid to because being nurse involved in chemo treatment during the 70s and 80s and seeing what it did to people. Her doctors explained how the drugs had changed and she went ahead with it. She lost her hair and had some fatigue but that is about it. Did it prolong her life? We like to think that it did. I will tell you that the doctors at Anderson were very honest and when it was time to stop they said so. Every case is different and Anderson tailors each treatment accordingly.