Is chemo therapy necessary for T2 tumor with stage 2 ie node -ve; ER/PR status is +ve and her2/neu is -ve.

The largest tumor may need examination through an Onco Type DX -- a gene analytical test of the actual tumor itself that helps to predict the benefits of chemotherapy plus anti hormone therapy vs. anti hormone therapy alone. It helps to predict the benefit of chemo in your mother's situation.

For more on the test, visit genomichealth.com.

Also, the full body scan that's going to be done at the Imperial College of London can only detect macroscopic disease, meaning the disease that's 2 to 3 mm or greater in size. It cannot detect microscopic disease.

Yes, your mom does need to have her whole body treated. The minimal therapy would be the anti-estrogen and the maximum therapy would be the anti-estrogen and chemo together.

Is this information helpful?

Thank you and waiting for your kind reply.

dhamikd,

We submitted your question to another doctor, as the first one was out of the country. We should have something for you soon!

Do some research on the internet and speak with a chinese medician doctor, an herbalist or other natural health care practioner. If your mother decides to do chemo you should know what other options are available to help the body withstand the chemo without negating it. As for the tamoxifen read the current articles and discuss with the doc if it is really the best option as more and more now they are discovering bad effects from various drugs. Recent articles from a scientific study expose the dangerous side effects of tamoxifen.
see links like http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=104844&sectionid=3510210
Informed Choices are the Best choices!
Good Luck

Sure Diane P. I would like to wait for your response. Only thing that im concerned is, once chemo therapy is given, she has to undergo the side effects for long time. But if chemo is required and its mandatory for her, then we don't have any issues to give it. she is only 40kg and very lean figure and in the age of 49. So, im not sure how the Dr. is gonna give chemo dosage. I'm bit scared about the side effects. Hope you can understand our problem.

For women with tumors that are relatively large (T2) , even when node negative, there are situations in which chemotherapy is recommended. given the favorable prognostic factors for hormone receptors and HER2neu, ask your oncologist whether he/she would find OncoptyeDX helpful in determining risk of recurrence for your specific breast cancer cells. this is an oncogene analysis. Lillie Shockney

Dhamikd, I would like to run your question by one of the experts on our panel of doctors. Can you hang in there with me a few days while we wait for a response?

Hi, Im sorry, I don't know the list of drugs they are gonna use for her. But he told that my moms case very early stage. since its mastectomy, and node -ve, (her 10 lymphnodes are removed) and ER / pr is positive, he told c can take tamoxifien; but before that 4 cycles of chemo is necessary since the tumor is T2. he didnt say its a kind of precautionary. Also Dr. mentioned that node is -ve, so there is no chance of spreading in the body. I'm not understanding that, why my mom needs chemo in this case. ? Waiting for your kind reply.

Hi, dhamikd, and thank you for your question!

Did the doctor at any point say that the chemotherapy was precautionary? Meaning that while they believe they got all of the cancer, this chemo would help them be certain? What reasons were you given for your mother needing the chemo?

Here's a very similar post written by another EmpowHer moderator to a woman in a similar situation whose doctor is suggesting precautionary chemotherapy:

https://www.empowher.com/community/ask/my-cancer-was-conatined-my-breast-my-dr-said-chemo-was-precaution

Do you know what drug or combination of drugs your mother's doctor is recommending for her chemo?