Last Wednesday I got a call from the medical oncologist who I refer to as the "Chemo Doctor." I was waiting for the results of the Oncotype DX test which gives a recurrence score for my cancer and determines if one should have chemo therapy or not. If a low score comes back, it's been proven that there is no benefit to having Chemo but if a high score comes back, then one should definitely have Chemo because it lowers the risk of the Cancer returning considerably.
My score was 19 (sounds low to me) which was a 12% chance of recurrence. Although it wasn't in the lowest zone, it was just barely into the intermediate zone. In this area, the doctors don't really know for sure if Chemo helps or not so my doctor gave me the facts and left the decision up to me. My doctor said that with Chemo, it MAY decrease the recurrence percentage by 3-4%. Guess what, I chose not to have Chemo. I didn't think "maybe 3-4%" was worth going through Chemo. With radiation treatments and the 5-year follow-up pill, it cuts the risk of recurrence in half. the doctor was okay with my decision and my blood pressure returned to normal, I'm sure.
I was so relieved because when they called I thought for sure they were going to say I needed Chemo after all because if I didn't, I thought the "Chemo doctor" would just give the go ahead to the radiation oncologist. I am sure glad the hospital is close by though because I have been going just about every day for something or other.
The next day I had to go for a CAT scan. Friday I had to let the surgeon check my incision again because I had some redness which thankfully went away on its own, Yesterday I went for a bone density test that the "Chemo doctor" ordered and then my radiation treatments start TODAY which I have to go for every day Monday through Friday for 33 days. Oh, well, onward! I look forward to getting on with this and putting it behind me before Thanksgiving.
Thanks to all who are praying for me concerning this health issue I am dealing with and to those who have prayed that I wouldn't need Chemo.
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