Any tumour more than one centimeter usually needs chemo. And especially if it has gone into nodes.

In any case, your mother is In stage 2B. Don’t worry, it’s not an advanced stage at all. Just follow your Oncologist and complete her treatment. She will be fine soon. We pray odor her to get well soon.

Chemo therapy is as a standard advised when any lymph node is positive. This is because then the cancer cells are out in the body.

But how affected was that one lymph node. There is a difference in severity between "micrometastases" and "cancer cluster".

However she is ER positive, and in some countries, if there is strong ER positivity and less than 3 lymph nodes affected (there is only one), it may be cosidered to omit the chemo therapy, depending on a genomic test (which may show that you need chemo therapy anyway - it assesses the aggressiveness of the tumor relative to how suscepible it is to harmone therapy (its real ER positivity)).

You can get the test e.g. if you google "Oncotype DX" in India, but it is expensive. (And it may show that chemo therapy is necessary). There are a few competitors as well.

If you don't have the test, the general advice of any oncologist would be to have the chemo therapy. That percentage is misleading - the decision is the same all around the globe.

Kind regards,

Kaare (from Denmark)

MammaPrint, Prosigna (with PAM50), and Oncotype DX are the main competitors. And I know they are all expensive...

Is it worth risking that your mother would be in the 3% or the 7%? If you are unsure of the doctor's advice, have your mother get a second opinion from someone else. I would certainly trust a doctor familiar with my case more than a software program!

Hi All,

Its just an update on my mother's ongoing treatment.. It might be helpful for someone..

I had taken a second opinion from most of the specialized Oncology Doctors in Delhi and everyone agrees with Dr. Sumeet, that to go for Chemotherapy in our case.

Our treating doctor suggested to go for 8 cycles which includes 4 cycles of AC and 4 cycles of TC. First cycle of AC has been completed. But after a week my mother's TLC dropped significantly to 1.7 range. Doctor suggested to admit her immediately as its a matter of worry. Doctor said it's a side effect of the Chemo as her body has not responded well. After staying for 3 days in hospital, her TLC has been increased to within the range. Her health is recovering now.

I'll keep the thread posted.

Thank you all.