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Saturday, November, 14, 2009
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I have had surgery for ILC have to make a decision about chemo or not. What would you advise

Confused
06/24/09
Confused
Topics:Breast Cancer Treatment
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PJ Hamel
PJ Hamel
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PJ Hamel is happy to be alive. As always.
Author, breast cancer survivor

Writer, mother, wife, volunteer, and survivor: PJ Hamel joins the...

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Hi - First of all, has the cancer spread to your lymph nodes? If so, you should seriously consider chemo, as that means it could have spread to other parts of your body, and you should take the systemic approach to treatment that chemo offers.

 

If it hasn't spread, ask your doctor if you're a candidate for the Oncotype-DX test, which can give you a pretty good idea whether or not chemo will help you.

 

If you take the Oncotype test, and it comes back with mixed results (i.e., it doesn't indicate one way or the other whether chemo will help), then assess your own personality. If you don't do chemo and have a recurrence, are you likely to bea tyourself up about it? Are you someone who constantly worries about "woulda, shoulda, coulda"? If so, you might want to consider chemo pretty seriously—keeping in mind that it does a pretty severe number on your body in a number of ways, besides killing cancer cells.

 

If you feel you could take a chance on NOT doing chemo, without having emotional issues in the future if you have a recurrence - then go in that direction.

 

And finally, if your doctor is making a recommendation one way or the other, I'd take that advice.

 

Good luck - PJH

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