Conflicting advice on breast cancer treatment: Should I get chemotherapy?

The oncologists all believe in their own speciality so want you to do it. I was told I HAD to have chemo. I had IDC, ILC, and DCIS in that order of severity, grade 3, 5 cm tumor. HR/PR+, HER-. I’ve never heard of only 4 chemo treatments but likely wouldn’t have done it anyway. Sentinel node and LV negative. My margins were <1mm. My rad onc and surg onc both said I didn’t need chemo. Onc23. I requested the hypofractionated radiation and that’s what I got. Every day for 5 weeks and I didn’t miss a day of work. Got super fatigued at the end tho. Best of luck in your decision, just sharing my information ❤️

Not an expert, but I think the key here is the lymph nodes showing cancer and also 4 lymph nodes that were marginal, regardless of your oncotype score of 9. Your oncologist is probably worried about your lymph nodes and wants to make sure those cancerous cells die and the best option will be chemo with treatment afterward. Remember that spreading can happen and you are probably stage 3, but I am just guessing. I think you should listen to your doctor, you don’t want this cancer to come back and get in any other part of your body. Good luck!!

I was told if it's in your lymph nodes chemo nis needed. My team don't do the ONC score if cancer is in the lymph nodes To be on the safe side I would say do the chemo

I think this journey has many hard choices to make and you need to make the one which you are most comfortable after having done as must research and information gathering as you can. I had one surgeon say to me that if you were to put 100 women in a room together with the same breast cancer dx there would be a very wide range of tx options chosen. I was also faced with a similar challenge as you in having to make the choice of chemo or not. I was initially told based on my clinical diagnosis that chemo would not be needed. However, after surgery the pathology report showed something different and chemo was recommended with an oncotype score of 24 and a micrometastis found in a lymph node that was removed. I got a second opinion that also recommended a lesser chemo regime, but chemo nonetheless. I felt I was falling in this very grey area where chemo may help reduce my chances of recurrence, but it wasn’t enough to convince me that the risks of chemo outweighed the potential benefits and for that reason I decided against it. It was one of the hardest decisions I had to make, but the one I chose. Focusing now on my over all health and moving forward. Best of luck to you.

I was not informed of my ONC score prior to starting treatment. I didnt know it existed. My score is 7 which I understand now suggests chemo may not be needed. I am 67. I had 6 months of chemo, the first 3 the red devil and the other one. The last 3 months being taxol. I had 10 of 12 taxol treatments due to neuropathy and low blood counts. I just had MRI prior to surgery and there is no sign of any cancer. I had primary tumor of 2.5 cm and 1 positive and one suspected lymph node. All of the cancer is undetectable on MRI. I have to say the chemo seems to have worked. My doctor asked me more than once during chemo if i wanted to stop but i was afraid to but it was an option. I also followed the cancer diet rigidly. I dont know if it helped but it does not seem to have hurt.

I’ve been fighting my. Cancer now for almost three years. I was taking chemo pills and a hormone pill. for my bones. Numbers were down to8. Needed to have cataract surgery. Was off everything for 6-8 weeks. My Dr said we’re going to put in a port and a treatment once a week. No one has said what my numbers are. I’m really surprised and confused. We are having a family conference tomorrow so I hoped for more answers

Having conflicting medical opinions about treatment can feel overwhelming, especially when facing time pressures for decision-making. Getting a second opinion from another oncologist could provide valuable clarity on your specific situation and help you feel more confident about your path forward. Many cancer centers offer expedited consultations for cases like yours, and seeking additional perspective within your treatment window is a reasonable approach that many patients find helpful in making informed decisions about their care.