This post is about my friend. We’re really struggling and could use some help!
She is now facing a decision of whether or not to undergo post-surgical chemotherapy for her invasive ductal carcinoma, or simply radiotherapy along with the letrozole hormone treatment. For a bit of information: she had a 25mm grade 2 tumour removed with clear margins back in late September, lymph nodes negative, oestrogen receptor positive and HER2 low. She has also recently undergone the prosigna gene arraying test, scoring 57 (so intermediate), luminal b intrinsic subtype, with a roughly 13% chance of recurrence without any post-op treatment. She has been on letrozole for a few weeks now, but since we received the results of the prosigna (almost 2 weeks ago) the decision has been left in her hands. She’s feeling like it is an impossible decision, and I’m trying to do all that I can to help (hence this post). If she were to go with chemo the treatment would be EC and paclitaxel, possibly followed by docetaxel, then obviously followed by radiotherapy.
We have all the information and some useful stats (around 10% chance of recurrence over 10 years with no chemo, 3% less chance of recurrence with chemo, 1% chance of life-threatening side effects - or new cancer emergence - from chemo) but it isn’t making things any easier/more obvious sadly, and she feels paralysed to make a decision. She feels that she’s essentially damned either way, and I can see where she’s coming from, because even with the negative lymph nodes there’s no guarantee that it hadn’t spread elsewhere in the body.
You are all amazing human beings for getting through this horrible, evil illness, and if you could share any thoughts about my friend’s circumstances that would be so much appreciated.
What I think we would both appreciate more than anything are honest opinions (the thing that the doctors and nurses cannot give us) about which direction she should take, or any new information that could help us feel more confident about either option. Additionally, if anyone has any experience with the chemo drugs mentioned that would be really helpful to hear about as well.
Love to you all and thank you!
