How will I know if I need chemo?

Who wanted to know this question right away? I sure did! I was pretty scared about it all but I kept asking my breast surgeon, do I need chemo? When do they know? Thank goodness a friend of mine told me to ask for a MammaPrint test because the test would indicate whether or not I would benefit from getting chemotherapy. I felt I had the right to know my breast cancer inside and out. What type of cancer is it? What drives it’s growth? What is the likelihood it will come back and how will I know if I need chemo???

MammaPrint is a genomic test designed to show what is happening in a tumor on a molecular level. The MammaPrint test provides comprehensive results that will help guide your doctor to the best possible treatment plan, which could include whether or not you need chemotherapy.

MammaPrint is designed for patients diagnosed with stage 1, 11 or operable stage 111 invasive breast cancer that is negative or lymph node positive ( up to 3 nodes) and less than 5cm. If your doctor decides that MammaPrint are appropriate for you they can put in a request. Only a licensed medical professional is qualified to do this.

Here’s how it works: 1. A biopsy is done on your tumor 2. Agendia looks for mutations in your genes that may indicate the most appropriate treatment for you. 3. Results are sent to your doctor in 5 days or less. 4. You and your doctor discuss the results and decide on your next steps together.

I felt so empowered knowing more about my tumor, my treatment and if I needed chemo so think about asking your doctor for a MammaPrint test. So glad I did!

Post is supported by a grant from Agendia

http://knowyourbreastcancer.com/