Hello KCMmum, 

I am sorry to hear that there was no change with EC and that you are being switched to Docetaxel. I hope that Docetaxel will work well for you and that you will hear from others who have been in a similar situation and that they will come and share their story with you. 

There is information on our website on Docetaxel which also lists the possible side effects associated with this treatment and if there is anything you would like to talk through with our cancer nurses, don't hesitate to give them a call on this free number 0808 800 4040 - their line is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm. 

I hope that the treatment will work well for you and that you won't suffer any side effects. 

Best wishes, 

Lucie, Cancer Chat Moderator

Thank you Lucie for replying, I will take a look at the info and hopefully hear from others who faced similar or call the nurses. Thanks again and for well wishes x

Hello KCMmum, 

Just wanted to let you know about the 'Younger Breast Cancer Network' group on Facebook that you might find helpful to join and ask there? It's incredibly supportive and there's always someone who has been through similar to you, who will let you know about their expereince. I've had a quick search in the group and I can see posts from people who didn't have any response from EC, and then had a full response from the taxol. I understand having two different receptors for the tumours makes it more tricky, but HER2 targeted therapies are usually very effective and I hope you see a response. 

Everyone's different so reactions will vary, but I found reading the docetaxal side effects terrifying, but it was much better than EC, and aside from fatigue and slight bone pain a few days after infusion, it was very manageble. I also had no side effects or problems with herceptin which continued for a year once chemo was completed. 

Wishing you all the best for the next part of your treatment. 

Hi, my wife just had a little response from EC, but the docetaxel absolutely melted it all. She had 2 tumours (4.6cm and something around 2cm) and lymph involvement. She was originally down for a mastectomy, but because she had a total response to the Docetaxel, this was downgraded to a lumpectomy.

They found no cancer cells in the pathology, and she's currently considered cancer free. Her cancer is triple + and she's still to get radiotherapy just to make sure as her's was grade 3 which is as bad as things can get in the aggressiveness.

Hi 

Thank you so much for your reply, I will.most certainly check out that page.

It's very reassuring to hear that your experience with docetaxel and herceptin has not been as bad as you imagined. Thank you! 

I am 2 days post 1st docetaxel and herceptin. Hoping that it is kind to me but most of all that it works! 

Thank you ️ 

Hi ProfBaw

Thank you for your reply! 

I am so glad to hear that your wives tumours reacted so well to the tax chemo after little response from EC.

To be able to change to lumpectomy must also have been a relief for her. 

Mine are grade 3 also but have not discussed much beyond chemo and surgery at moment but I do believe radiotherapy will be on cards. 

It's such a scary time and I really felt a blow when told no change on MRI (especially since I was sure physically I felt a small change - suspect wishful thinking). 

But will try to keep positive that tax chemo will be different and melt them too without being too hard to cope with physically

Thank you 

To put your mind at further ease, there are others on here that assumed the chemo wasn't working. Because of scans and because they could feel no change in the lump. Only, when they went in to remove the tumours, the tumours were in fact dead. There was no cancer.

The tumours can remain, but the actual cells are dead. So even if things don't appear to change during chemo, it doesn't automatically mean it hasn't had the desired effect.

My wife actually thought her lump got bigger during EC. But that wasn't the case. It was doing it's job, but no one knows until the pathology, so never lose hope regardless of how slim you think that hope may be.

Docetaxel is potent stuff, and I'm rooting for you that you get come out the other side with similar news.

As i said, she thought things got larger on the EC, but did feel a noticeable difference (getting smaller) on the chemo you're getting put on. She felt that difference between the 2nd and 3rd treatment.

The thing about my wife's treatment, during her docetaxel treatments she got shingles, covid and some other weird thing, so her treatments kept being put back a week here, and a week there. During one of her treatments, there was a 5 week wait rather than the usual 3 week wait, and 4 weeks for another.

She was suppose to get her scans after her final treatment, but she was so behind due to illnesses, she got her scans 2 days after the 2nd docetaxel treatment. And that showed a considerable change. They weren't really concerned about her actual lumps, they were more focused on her lymph nodes. Supposedly, those are where they want to see the results, not the actual tumours. Or that was the impression i got.

My wife is on these forums too, I'll ask her if she can add anything to what I've already said as to put you more at ease.

Thank you so much for your response.  Definitely given me some much needed reassurance. 

Sounds like your wife has been through so much, hope she is well. 

My oncologist appointment is now on Wednesday so feel more prepared with what I need to be asking.

Many thanks again