Other chemotherapies used in metastatic breast cancer include Gemzar chemical name: gemcitabine , Xeloda chemical name: capecitabine , Navelbine chemical name: vinorelbine , and Ixempra chemical name: ixabepilone. Each person's treatment plan will be different, but there are some general guidelines that doctors follow when using chemotherapy to treat advanced-stage breast cancer:. If the cancer is hormone-receptor-positive, your doctor may choose to use hormonal therapy before or after initiating chemotherapy.
If you have metastatic breast cancer and chemotherapy is part of your treatment plan, your doctor may use different tests to determine how well the chemotherapy is working and how you're handling the chemotherapy:. Create a profile for better recommendations. Breast implant illness BII is a term that some women and doctors use to refer to a wide range Sign up for emails about breast cancer news, virtual events, and more. Subscribe to our podcast for conversations on the issues that matter most.
Join our online community to connect, share, and find peer support. Was this article helpful? Feelings of fear, sadness and isolation can compound the physical side effects of chemotherapy, both during and after treatment.
During chemotherapy, you have regular contact with and support from oncologists and nurses. Everyone involved is working toward the same goal — completion of treatment with the best possible outcome. When it's over, you can feel as if you're alone, with no one to help you return to normal life or deal with fears of breast cancer recurrence. Consider talking with a mental health professional or other health care professional who works with people who have cancer.
It may also help to talk with someone who has been in the same situation. Connect with others through a hotline, support group or online community for people who have been treated for cancer. Genetic profile.
For certain types of breast cancer such as hormone receptor positive breast cancer, your doctor may have your cancer cells tested to learn more about their genetic makeup. Gene expression profiling tests, such as Oncotype DX, EndoPredict and MammaPrint, may help predict the risk of recurrence and give your doctor an idea of how your cancer cells might respond to chemotherapy. If it's not clear whether you'd benefit from chemotherapy, these tests can be helpful. But they're not useful for everyone and are only used in certain situations.
Make healthy choices before cancer treatment so you'll feel strong as your treatment begins. Continuing healthy choices during treatment may help minimize side effects. Ask your doctor what side effects you can expect during and after chemotherapy. If you know what to expect, you can prepare. For example, if your chemotherapy treatment will cause infertility, you may wish to store sperm, fertilized eggs embryos or eggs for future use.
If your chemotherapy will cause hair loss, consider a wig or a head covering, or talk to your doctor about measures that may prevent hair loss. Most people are able to continue working and doing their usual activities during chemotherapy. Your doctor can give you an idea of how much the chemotherapy will affect your usual activities, but it's difficult to predict just how you'll feel. Prepare by asking for time off work or help at home for the first few days after treatment. If you'll be in the hospital during chemotherapy treatment, arrange to take time off work and find someone to take care of your usual responsibilities at home.
Medications or supplements you're taking, including any herbal supplements, vitamins or over-the-counter drugs, may affect the way the chemotherapy drugs work. Your doctor may suggest alternative medications or that you not take the medications or supplements for a period before or after a chemotherapy session. Your doctor or nurse will let you know what you can and can't eat or drink on the day of your chemotherapy session. It may help to take a family member or friend with you to the treatment session for support and companionship.
Chemotherapy for breast cancer is given in cycles. The cycle for chemotherapy can vary from once a week to once every three weeks. Each treatment session is followed by a period of recovery. Typically, if you have early-stage breast cancer, you'll undergo chemotherapy treatments for three to six months, but your doctor will adjust the timing to your circumstances.
If you have advanced breast cancer, treatment may continue beyond six months. If you have early-stage breast cancer and you are also scheduled to receive radiation therapy, it usually happens after chemotherapy. There are many chemotherapy drugs available. Because each person is different, your doctor will tailor the type and dose of medications regimen — often a combination of two or three chemotherapy drugs — to your type of breast cancer and medical history.
Breast cancer chemotherapy sessions can take place at your doctor's office, at an outpatient unit in a hospital or clinic, or at home. Chemotherapy drugs can be given in a variety of ways, including as pills you take at home. Most often they're injected into a vein IV. This can be done through:. Some people feel fine after a chemotherapy session and can return to their schedules and activities. Others may feel side effects more quickly.
You may want to arrange for someone to drive you home afterward, at least for the first few sessions, until you see how you feel. After a few sessions, you may be able to predict more accurately when you'll feel fine and when you may need to cut back on activities. Marking your calendar or keeping a journal may help you track your general response to chemotherapy sessions and plan events accordingly.
Following your treatment plan closely is the best way to get the most benefit from chemotherapy. If side effects become too bothersome, discuss them with your doctor. He or she may be able to adjust the dose or type of chemotherapy medication you're receiving or prescribe other medications to help relieve some symptoms such as nausea. If the number of white cells in your blood drops, your doctor may stop your chemotherapy until your white cells return to a safe level.
Relaxation techniques such as meditation and deep breathing may help reduce stress. I, too, have to see the oncologist tomorrow for results of a recent MRI, always a frightening time. Please do let us know how things are going with you both. My very best wishes! Back again with an update! Firstly, Pauline4, I hope you're doing OK? I really appreciated your good wishes the other day. Ian is going to have Tamoxifen, and a course of radiotherapy. He is far, far happier than he was three days ago, and feels that he is far more in control.
He did find that his surgery wound is infected, though, and has been given some antibiotics to sort that out. The oncologist took him off two meds that he was prescribed after a minor heart attack in early , which I was very pleased about - he was on two lots of blood pressure tablets, and something called bisoprolol fumarate, and now he only has to have one blood pressure tablet, his daily aspirin and the Tamoxifen.
I say "only" - it's more than enough! He's obviously going to be monitored regularly, as well. I never thought who does? Hi, Catherine, what good news. No chemo, hurrah! I take Letrozole which is the same kind of medication as Tamoxifen.
I am sure he will do well on them. The oncologist was amazed. I am not a fool and know things can go pear shaped, but for now I am on air. Pauline4 - that is seriously good news for you! Ian is very relieved not to be having chemotherapy, as you can imagine, and we have gone totally mad and booked a holiday for November - Sharm-el-Sheikh, here we come!! The thought of a few days of doing absolutely nothing but enjoy ourselves is the best pick-me-up!
His radiotherapy should finish by mid September, and he will be well-established on the Tamoxifen by then. I wish you continued improvement, Pauline4, and once again, thank you to everyone who responded to me this last week or so, your thoughts and advice have been invaluable. Best thing you could have done, looking forward to a holiday is wonderful and time goes so fast.
Wishing your husband all the very best with his radiotherapy. I have had masectomy for breast cancer and lymph node removal, cancer in 2 lymph nodes underarm.
It was explained to me that chemo that will kill any stray cells in my whole body that have escaped from the original tumour. That is until I began the chemo 7 days ago and have felt so unwell with side effects.
The sickness and tiredness is overwhelming and the thought of 5 more cycles of this is debilitating. But I've embarked on this journey, my decision and hoping for a good outcome.
Does anyone know if when you see the Consultant Oncologist they can tweak the drugs to help, or are these side effects just part of the course? Hi silver, as you say there can be stray cells of cancer going round the body and cemotherapy can kill them off.
Yes dosage can be changed if side effects are to bad. But remember first session can be a shock to your body. If you can manage as it is its better for you because the dosage is done to do most good to get rid of the cancer.
Anyway choice is yours good luck and best wishes for the future Thank you, I've never felt so ill and the thought of 5 more sessions of this Weirdly, I feel a brighter this morning as nausea less but only Day 7. Ive phoned the nurses 3 times in the night and they ring me in the morning which is helpful. I will try and get some food down me now that doesn't taste like sawdust!
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