Why 16 chemo for breast cancer - Breast Cancer India

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Why 16 chemo for breast cancer

Anujk profile image
14 Replies

Hi all

My mother in law has been diagoned with breast cancer (stage 2b). Action cancer hospital at pachim vihar in delhi has prescribed total 16 chemotherapy to her. Her chemo cycles have been divided in to 4 high dose (each 3 weeks apart) and 12 (weekly) supposedly low dose session. Can someplese help to understand me why count of chemo is 16? I heard from many that total no of chemo given in breast cancer remain 6. I consulted oncologist, he said that this is the standard practice which is being followed now by many hospitals now, and it's best treatment as the side effects will be low as compare to case in which 6 chemotherapies were being give. Pleaese help to understand . Thanks!!

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Anujk profile image
Anujk
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14 Replies
Zahid100 profile image
Zahid100

My mother is also a breast cancer patient and she has been prescribed to take 8 cycles of chemotherapy and after that radio therapy.

Bindesh profile image
Bindesh

Your doctor is right even my wife has taken 16. Its realy les toxic as first 4 cycle is high dose patients get relif in weakly paxitol. Trust your doctor and follow him notthibg to wory.

Anujk profile image
Anujk in reply to Bindesh

Thanks Bindesh for your reply!! Hope your wife has been doing well!!

Bindesh profile image
Bindesh in reply to Anujk

She is now completely fine.

Anujk profile image
Anujk in reply to Bindesh

Hi Bindesh, may i know what was the protocol in your wife's case? I mean was is pr + or er + or triple negative.. my mother in law diagnosed with triple negative..thanks!!

Bindesh profile image
Bindesh in reply to Anujk

Her er pr is positive so she is on hormon theropy just for she not get recorunce. Even if negative i think its not mattet with chemo.

sumeet_shah profile image
sumeet_shahAdministrator

It's because the doses are divided, the number looks more. Technically it's 8 chemos only. But later 4 chemo cycles are divided into 12, so sounds 16.

Anujk profile image
Anujk in reply to sumeet_shah

Many thanks for clarification!!

Anujk profile image
Anujk in reply to sumeet_shah

Thank you doctor for your response! Have one more thing to ask, my mom in law has been diagnosed with tripal negative..the tumor size was about 2.4 cm in size..chemo is in progress after mastectomy. Bone scan test was done on tests before the 1st chemo given, no issue found there..just Praying to the god thatshe will be fine after this treatment.. read few of comments /stiries about triple negative cancer, any thoughts on that?

sumeet_shah profile image
sumeet_shahAdministrator in reply to Anujk

Don't bother much on what you read. Your mother in law will soon be fine, don't worry. Just follow what your Oncologist tells you to.

Anujk profile image
Anujk in reply to sumeet_shah

Thank you sir!

Guudhubby1 profile image
Guudhubby1

25 cycles have been received by one of my friend's sister. So 16 is less number.Pls follow Oncologist medicine advice.

Sidduram profile image
Sidduram

Hi Anujk, On 25th march My wife was diagnosed with right breast cancer node positive. after a series of tests and biopsies her histopathology report showed she had ER,PR negative and HER2 Positive, her lump in the breast measured 5cm x 4cm before treatment, Fortunately we had a great Oncologist who thought that the patients comfort was more important than anything else, his counselling was extremely positive. his first line of treatment was 3 cycles of Chemo at 21 days interval, Medicines used HERCEPTIN 440mg for two hours and then with Docetaxel and Kemocarb with over night stay at hospital and with three bottles of saline till discharge. After three cycles of Chemo histopathology tests were conducted, as my wife had responded to the treatment well her results showed that her lump had been reduced to 0.01 cm . The Oncologist next decided to go in for surgery for mastectomy and the breast was removed, The removed portion was sent for biopsy and with God's grace all the parameters were normal and results for nodes were negative. As my wife had responded well so, during which time her Haemogram results were also steady the Oncologist decided to have 3 more chemo cycles as precautionary and totally ruled out Radiation therapy . She completed the 3 Adjuvant cycles on 9th August 17 . Even though she found it difficult during and After Chemo sessions she tolerated well. her Hb% was 10 to 11%, WBC at 4000 to 5000,

platelets at 1,90,000. During the course of treatment for 5 and Half months we fed her well with two egg whites , pomegranate juice, kiwi fruit, ensure with milk, dates, red rice, etc, her weight did not reduce. The Oncologists confidence and her will power has got her this far and now she is on the road to recovery doing her normal day to day work by herself. only medication she takes is Zincovit. The difficult part was the cost of treatment , as she was HER2 positive we had to give her BICELTIS injection which costs around 60,000 per injection.

Ljaoko profile image
Ljaoko in reply to Sidduram

Sidduram. What hospital was your wife in and who was her doctor please? I might want to consult with him or her.

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