Letter 88 Breast Cancer: Fancy Gadget and Half A Million Ringgit Failed to Cure Her – What Now?

May was advised to start chemotherapy immediately. The first chemo-treatment started on 2 February 2009. A pump was fitted to continuously deliver 5-FU. May also received two doses of Navelbine for each 5-FU cycle. In addition, May was given Zometa for the bone.  In total May received 13 cycles of chemotherapy from February 2009 to October 2009.

At this point I asked two questions:

1.    What did the oncologist say about the chances of a cure? The answer was: The doctor said there would be no cure. The treatment was only to control the problem.

2.    You must have spent a lot for this treatment? The answer: Yes, approximately RM 500,000. That is half a million ringgit – right? Yes, it is.

The War Has Not Ended Yet – perhaps a “surge” is just about to begin

May was scheduled to receive three more cycles of chemotherapy. This time the drugs to be used  are Taxotere plus Herceptin.

From March 2010 to end of July 2010, May was on Tamoxifen. According to the oncologist since there was a recurrence, Tamoxifen was therefore not effective. He is of the opinion that May should switch to another drug – the newer generation of aromatase inhibitor. But for the aromatase inhibitor to be effective patient must be in her menopause. So to achieve this menopause, the oncologist suggested removal of May’s ovaries.

To read more, Click this link.