Surviving Breast Cancer Now!

When I was diagnosed with breast cancer, apart from being completely taken aback that something like this could happen to me, I got detailed advice from the oncologist about the type of treatment I would need.

I was told that after surgery to remove the tumours, the oncologist told me that I would receive chemotherapy and then  radiotherapy. The chemotherapy I received was called FEC. This is a combination of three chemotherapy drugs 5 fluorouracil, epirubican and cyclophosphamide. FEC takes its name from the initial of these three drugs.It is normally used to treat people with primary breast cancer that has not spread to other parts of the body. Chemotherapy destroys cancer cells by interfering with their ability to divide and grow.

All cells in our bodies continually divide and grow. This enables growth and repair of body tissue. Cancer cells are different because they grow by dividing in a disorderly and uncontrolled way. Different chemotherapy drugs work in different ways and attack the cancer cells at different stages of their growth. This is why a combination of drugs is often more effective than just one drug.

I was given my FEC intravenously. I had a Hickman line fitted because the veins in my hands did not allow easy acces for the cancer nurses.  All my medication was given through my Hickman line. I did not like having it, but it was useful. I was given the FEC as an out patient, every three weeks for 18 weeks. This meant I could go home on the same day after treatment, that was nice, but the days were long and tiring. The time involved is not just that required to give the drugs, but also waiting time, blood tests and time for the drugs to be prepared.

I suffered side effects with FEC. The common side effects include bone marrow suppression.Bone marrow suppression or myelotoxicity is the decrease in production of cells responsible for providing immunity, carrying oxygen and those responsible for normal blood clotting. Bone marrow suppression is a serious side effect of chemotherapy. The decrease in blood cell counts does not occur right at the start of chemotherapy because the drugs do not destroy the cells already in the bloodstream. However, the drugs affect new blood cells that are being made by the bone marrow. The suppression of bone marrow activity causes a deficiency of blood cells. This condition can rapidly lead to life-threatening infection, as the body cannot respond to invading bacteria and viruses.It can also leading to anaemia due to a lack of red blood cells and spontaneous severe bleeding due to deficiency of platelets. This resulted in me suffering from severe tiredness and exhaustion. It is difficult to describe the depth of the feelings of exhaustion. I also had several spontaneous nose bleeds.

Other side effects include nausea and vomiting. The hospital supplied medication to minimise this. I was instructed to take the medication at specified times after my treatment. However, the most visual side effect of chemotherapy is hair loss. I did try an ice-cap to reduce that, but to no avail. It did not work.

When people think of hair loss, they, and women in particular think of the loss of hair on their head. Certainly that does go. The result is a cold head in winter! However, all of the hair on my body was lost. This included the hair on my limbs and inside my nose. The good news was that I did not need to shave my legs for a year, the bad news is that it meant there were no hairs to stop my nose from running. Always carry a handkerchief!

I was not going to bother buying a wig. However, my cancer nurse advised that I should. This was partly because it might make the sight of me during my illness less difficult for my children and my elderly mother. She also pointed out that it would keep my head warmer, especially in winter. She was right on both counts.

Cancer affects not just the person who is diagnosed, but all the people who love them: their friends and family. I hope you never suffer such a diagnosis, but if you do, bear in mind the agony of those around you.

Valerie Penny