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I want to stop chemo for breast cancer. Can I?

A fellow caregiver asked...

I had my 1st cycle of chemo for breast cancer and I want to stop. Could I?

Expert Answer

Harvey Gilbert, MD, is a radiation oncologist with more than 35 years of professional experience in the medical field, working with cancer patients. He has edited 14 medical textbooks and coauthored 40 papers in the field of oncology. Dr. Gilbert is the medical director of the Ben Schaffer Cancer Institute in Lodi, California.

CAN I STOP TAKING CHEMO FOR BREAST CANCER IS A COMPLEX QUESTION. AS A RADIATION ONCOLOGIST, I AM AWARE OF THE VARYING LEVELS AND DEGREES(STAGES) OF BREAST CANCER. TO ANSWER THE QUESTION, ONE NEEDS TO KNOW THE TYPE 0F CANCER, THE MARKERS THAT ARE IN EACH CANCER CELL, THE EXTENT (STAGE) OF THE CANCER, ETC. ONLY WHEN SOMEONE KNOWS ALL THE FACTORS SURROUNDING THE DISEASE CAN ONE GIVE AN ITELLIGENT ANSWER TO THE QUESTION. SOME CAN BE TREATED WITH HORMONAL AGENTS, SOME REQUIRE CHEMO ONLY, SOME REQUIRE COMBINATIONS, SOME REQUIRE NEW TARGETED AGENTS. BUT, SOME DO NOT NEED ANY ADDITIONAL AGENTS. THE SUBJECT IS HIGHLY COMPLEX AND THE PATIENT NEEDS TO KNOW THE RISK OF RECURRENCE WITH AND WITHOUT CHEMOTHERAPY AND MAKE UP THEIR OWN MIND.