Blog

It was suggested I start a blog so folks can keep up on my chemo and radiation. So here it is...

This is probably more than you ever want to, or need to, know about cancer. I have stage 2, triple negative, invasive ductal carcinoma. The tumor was about the size of a quarter and close to the chest wall. Triple-negative breast cancer is cancer that tests negative for estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors, and excess HER2 protein. This means the growth of the cancer is not fueled by the hormones estrogen and progesterone, or by the HER2 protein.  Few treatments exist outside of chemotherapy.  The lumpectomy did make me cancer free but as Dr. Ali, my oncologist, explained it to me, it's like trying to kill weeds in your lawn. You have to use the weed killer more than once to make sure you kill all the seedlings.

So, my first round of chemo will consist of every other week starting 1/15 and ending 2/29. Two different drugs will be used Adriamycin and Cytoxan (AC for short). Each treatment is 3 hours. I had a port put in my chest last week and the drugs will be administered through that. First anti nausea medication, then the AC. I see the doctor or PA and have blood drawn the weeks I'm not getting chemo. 

I'm trying a system to save my hair called PAXMAN. It will extend my treatment time by 1 1/2 hours. It's a scalp cooling system that you wear the whole time (plus the 1 1/2 hours) you're getting chemo. Chemo kills cells and the fastest growing cells are in hair. But by freezing (or keeping those cells cool) we're trying to prevent the chemo from getting in. It's not real effective for AC chemo (about 26%) but it is more effective with the 2nd type of chemo I'm getting.

I don't have much info about the second round of chemo other than it will be every week for 3 months and will be the drug called Taxol. Then 6 weeks of radiation, five days a week.

I've made several hats, Bev has sent me several hats and I bought a wig but right now, I don't anticipate going out much. I've been told the first two weeks of chemo are the worst and that I'll be pretty fatigued. I'll let you know!