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Breast Cancer Stage 3: Chemo Combo Plus Integrative, Complementary Therapies
Compared to the standard chemotherapy combination of Adriamycin and Cytoxan, adjuvant therapy with Taxotere and Cytoxan improves breast cancer outcomes
Hi David-
I was diagnosed 10 days ago with Stage 3 breast cancer. Had a lumpectomy on 12/28/15, removed sentinel lymph nodes and golf ball size tissue sample (no lump). Tissue is at outer margins of sample and Dr. want me to start chemotherapy asap. Drugs: TAXOTERE + CYTOXAN. Please give me your thoughts…can this be treated without chemotherapy?
TY so much, Linda
Hi Linda-
I am sorry to read of your breast cancer diagnosis. I would like to clarify your email below. You were told that your breast cancer was stage 3 yet there was no lump or tangible tumor of any kind? The sentinel node was removed and tested- were there breast cancer cells in the sentinel node? I ask only to understand your situation better. As you can see from the article about taxotere and cytoxan linked below, there is discussion of “node-negative” breast cancer.
While a cytoxan/taxotere chemo doublet is an option for you please understand the risks of side effects. There are antioxidant supplements to reduce the risk of heart damage in particular. I would also recommend evidence-based anti-cancer nutrition, mind-body therapies and other anti-cancer lifestyle therapies.
My point Linda is that stage 3 breast cancer, in my opinion, is serious enough to require evidence based therapies beyond what conventional oncology offers.
Adjuvant Therapy with Taxotere® and Cytoxan® Improves Breast Cancer Outcomes
“Compared to the standard chemotherapy combination of Adriamycin® (doxorubicin) and Cytoxan® (cyclophosphamide), adjuvant therapy with Taxotere® (docetaxel) and Cytoxan improves breast cancer outcomes and may be less toxic to the heart…
Nearly half of the patients (48%) were lymph node-negative, 41% had 1-3 positive lymph nodes, and 11% had four or more positive lymph nodes…
The researchers concluded that adjuvant therapy with TC results in better cancer-free survival than adjuvant therapy with AC and that TC may become a standard adjuvant treatment option for breast cancer…”
Hang in there,
David Emerson
- Cancer Survivor
- Cancer Coach
- Diretor PeopleBeatingCancer
Hi David,
Thank you for your prompt response…
Let me clarify and I apologize for not being more clear.
A routine mammogram showed “something”…and a second mammogram was done that the doctor wanted to review further.
A needle biopsy was performed and the cells were malignant.
I had a lumpectomy (dye as injected to flow to lymph nodes to see which were involved) and the sentinel lymph nodes were removed … also at this time there as indication via dye that more lymph nodes were involved…but they were not removed.
At lumpectomy a golf ball size sample tissue was removed and pathology showed the cancer cells at the outer margins of the tissue sample….I never felt /had a lump not that I could feel…what showed up on the second mammogram was 3 very small dots in breast…
I’m not sure I understand your statement: “…My point Linda is that stage 3 breast cancer, in my opinion, is serious enough to require evidence based therapies beyond what conventional oncology offers. ..”
I look forward to your reply.
Thank you very much…
Linda
Hi Linda-
Thanks for the clarification. While its good that your first diagnosis revealed only “three small dots,” by giving you a diagnosis of stage 3, your onc. is saying that your lymph node involvement was 4-9 nodes.
“Stage III-Stage III is divided into subcategories known as IIIA, IIIB, and IIIC.
Stage IIIA describes invasive breast cancer in which either:
- no tumor is found in the breast or the tumor may be any size; cancer is found in 4 to 9 axillary lymph nodes or in the lymph nodes near the breastbone (found during imaging tests or a physical exam) OR
- the tumor is larger than 5 centimeters; small groups of breast cancer cells (larger than 0.2 millimeter but not larger than 2 millimeters) are found in the lymph nodes OR
- the tumor is larger than 5 centimeters; cancer has spread to 1 to 3 axillary lymph nodes or to the lymph nodes near the breastbone (found during a sentinel lymph node biopsy)
I encourage you to get a second opinion. A lumpectomy is a good first step to remove breast cancer cells but you must now turn your attention to treating whatever BC cells were implicated by lymph node involvement.
If you are stage 3 BC and you do intend to undergo taxotere/cytoxan chemotherapies, I encourage you to prehabilitate, research and employ those complementary and integrative therapies that will both enhance your chemo while reducing the toxicity of the chemo cocktail.
Regardless of the second opinion, there are herbal/biologic, antioxidant supplementation, lifestyle, nutritional, and mind-body therapies all that will reduce your risk of breast cancer relapse.
David Emerson
To Learn More About Complementary Therapies