Oncotype DX testing

Never heard of it!!! What is it? I had chemo, lumpectomy then radiotherapy . Mine was IDC E- and Her2+ so I'm on herceptin till August

Hello WicklowLady, nice to meet you!! It is a new (ish) test that calculates your 'recurrance' score in the next 10 years (between 1 and 100) and anything over 20 I think Chemo is recommended??

Hi and welcome to he forum. Is this a new thing cutting down on who they throw chemo at? Oh I'd love not to have had chemo but I'd say once you're her2+ you'd have to get herceptin. I wish you the best whatever and we are all here for you

Thanks WicklowLady,, just wish I was at the stage you are at now - but unfortunatley it's all ahead of me!! Yes, before the test Chemo was recommended for all who had lumpectomy regardless.. but really wahtever is ahead I'll deal with it .. bring it on ! pa I'm Hers2 neg (though still not quite sure what that means???

I know but I used to read posts of women who were finished been I was starting but you will be like me in 8 or 9 months time. It would be nice for you not to have chemo but you'll get through it even if you have to. I don't think about it now. I had only a few bad days in the 3 week cycle and like everything it passes. The only thing I know about being Her2+ is that you get the herceptin. I am learning though about the different terms. It's all too much at the beginning to take it all in but I think I will ask my oncologist at the end of it all what the different things are. I never asked them what stage cancer it was. I do know from reading up that before herceptin was discovered my cancer was quite aggressive but herceptin put a stop to that apparently

I think we're on the same wavelength WicklowLady!! I am prepared to take whatever is thrown at me I think that I am a stage 1a and I do appreciate that I'm really lucky to have caught it so quickly.. I never would have even looked at breast cancer in any great detail and then suddenly you get the result .. I remember being at the breast clinic and thinking 'oh dear some of these women probably have breast cancer and I'll be out of here in 10 minutes'!!!

I was the very same. I didn't even bring anyone with me when my GP sent me to the triple assessment . Then after 3 hours the surgeon was telling me my lump was suspicious. Now I've learned there are so many different types which has a bearing on what treatment you require. We are very lucky just to have a lumpectomy as it is so straightforward compared to a mastectomy. I don't have it in the glands and I think it's because I went with it straight away. Where are you attending ?

Oh sorry I see its Vincent's. have you an oncologist or do you wait until you see do you need chemo? I found radiotherapy fine, got a little burnt but it was fine . A doddle in comparison to chemo.

My oncologist will be [name removed]?? I was like you and insisted on going to the assessment an result on my own but knew something was up when the doc who did the biobsy said that it 'wasn't consistent with a benign tumor' and sure enough the following week I got the result... I do appreciate you sharing your story with me it's a surreal place to be in ..

My oncologist is [name removed] I love her. She's in the media a bit. She as talking on the news the day Angeline jolie went public. I had two young doctors do a biopsy on both my breasts then the surgeon told me the lump was suspicious and she couldn't tell me not to worry as she didn't know what it was, but I was to come into her the following Friday and she'd have the results but she did reassure me that I ad come very early and it hadn't spread and that she would be able to deal with it. They've been fantastic and have been positive all the time which I have been too. I would say she knew it was a malignant tumour but had to have it analysed to see was it E positive or negative, her2 positive or negative. I feel very lucky as it was all pretty straightforward and thankfully I'm nearly there. It's tough at times. I just had moments when the whole world seemed to close in on me when I realised what I had and what I was going through. Then I'd brush myself off and carry on, what else could I do. I've great support in my husband friends and family they're brilliant.

Ditto! We're all adults in our house now but my daughter is doing her leaving cert so timing could be better, but onwards and upwards eh! No doubt we will be talking on forum again - hoping you won't exit the forum now that you're finished? you are carrying valuable information for us beginners around with you now Take care!

Welcome Resolute, though of course sorry you had to join this club.

Surreal - so true!

Good luck with the rest of your treatment. The waiting is hard.

Kath

No I'm going nowhere I am happy to help those who are only starting off on the journey and hopefully give them valuable information advice and support. If I'm not posting up people can message me I've no problem with that.

Hi
Sorry you had to join forum.four weeks after I had a lumpectomy I saw oncologist who sent away oncotype dx test. Three weeks later results came back and I had a score of 17 which meant I only have a 10% chance of recurrence so I did not need chemotherapy thank god .i had no node involvement .i hope the same happens for you
Liz

Do you know how long they're doing the test? God maybe I didn't need chemo at all

Hi
This test has been available for a few years I think the hse start making it available in 2011. Your cancer probably needed to be treated with chemotherapy because it is her 2

Yes you're right I never was offered the test

Hi Resolute

I had the Oncotype DX testing done last November. I think it took 3 weeks before I got the results and my score came back low so I didn't need chemo. Best of luck with your test results!

Wicklow Lady - the testing is done for women who have early stage, node negative, ER+ positive cancer only so it's possible that you weren't eligible.

Maimie

Hello Resolute
I to had IDC Grade 2,Lumpectomy, clear margins, clear lymph nodes,ER+, Hers2-.
I got my clear margin results on 23rd August it was mentioned on this day about the Oncotype DX, I saw my oncologist on the 12th September who had the results (about 3 weeks). I got a result of 14 so did not have to have chemo.
Hope all goes well

Hello Kathleen, WicklowLady, elizo, Maimie and Trjen!
Thank you all so much for your input! My results should be due any day and I'll take it on the chin whatever the result - but a low score would be nice!! Will keep you all informed and thanks again!

Best of luck
liz

Hi
Welcome to our club....

I needed to have chemo as I had two different types of tumours in my breast - IDC and ILC and the IDC had spread to my lymph nodes.
Hadnt heard about the Oncotype DX testing - but it sounds like a good additional way of identifying potential treatments....
While Im on Tamoxifen to prevent recurrance of the IDC which was oestrogen positive, the other tumour was triple negative and there is no hormone or other follow up treatment after the chemo and radio therapy...so I would really like to know what the recurrance likelihood might be....
Best of luck whatever your results turn out to be - I've another week of radiotherpay to go and then just a reconstruction after the summer...but you'd be amazed how you get through everything and as Mary (Wicklow Lady says) it's all bearable and sounds like you already have a positive outlook....
Liz

PS - My son is also doing the Leaving Cert so know what you mean about the timing....Im trying to look on the upside of having had cancer - that Im at home and able to support him throughout his exams - whereas otherwise I would have been at work everyday and home late etc etc......its easier for me to say as the light is looming very bright for me now that Im almost at the end of my treatment _ just wanted to reassure you that you will get through it and the team at St Vincents Private are all fantastic....
Liz

I agree wholeheartedly with amaryllis . Feel the very same way . Big light at end of dark tunnel . Enjoying my time at home, meeting friends and relations for lunch or coffee , bringing my mother out, spending time with people who I normally wouldn't see because I'd be at work. You have to use it to your advantage. Vincent's private have been brilliant I love them all there and no matter what your results are they will make sure you are ok. Best of luck xxx

So glad already to have found this forum! - Amaryllis, I agree although at the moment I am working to fill the time while waiting. I work part-time and the time flies in the office, so less time to think of what's ahead! , but as WicklowLady said I am also looking forward to the time at home - lazy mornings and meetings friends etc The upside is that I'll have the summer with my daughter before she heads off to college in Sep!!

Hi everyone,

just a little reminder to please not publicly mention specific doctors by name, even when saying nice things about them. This is to protect the Irish Cancer Society and you from any possibility of a misunderstanding or, worse, a libel claim.

Thanks for your understanding

Morning folks! Just a quick update! Rang my oncologist yesterday and my DX test results will be in next Wednesday so .. what will be will be but at least then I'll know what's ahead and can prepare myself!!