The treatment plan - FEC Chemotherapy followed by Radiotherapy

On 14^th of November I attended my preliminary meeting with the oncologist at the Lingen Davies Centre at RSH and was informed of all the side effects of treatment and the length of treatment. 

 I asked whether I could possibly return to work during cycle 5-6, if I was feeling well enough and my oncologist personally advised against it, due to potential infections/germs and delaying treatment if my white blood cell count was too low. He said I could speak to my breast cancer nurse about it and see what she thought about returning to work. BUT I'd already had this conversation on the 30th of October and got the same advice.

My oncologist said that my chemotherapy should start the last week in November/first week in December.

Adjuvant chemotherapy is used after surgery to reduce the risk of cancer coming back by treating any remaining cells.

Chemotherapy is usually given as several sessions of treatment followed by a rest period of a few weeks. In my case the rest period is three weeks.

The Chemotherapy and the rest period of 3 weeks make up a cycle of the treatment.

I start on Tuesday 10th of December  - 11.30am

I will be having 6 cycles of FEC Chemotherapy, delivered every three weeks.
I have calculated that I will receive my last dose of FEC chemotherapy on the 25th of March 2014 + 3 weeks to complete my last cycle. 

4.5 months in total 

I will then have to wait 3-6 weeks before I start radiotherapy. Radiotherapy is administered daily for 7-14 days.

FEC (ing) Chemotherapy is made up of three chemotherapy drugs.


F - Fluorouracil (5FU)

Possible side effects

• sore mouth
• taste changes
• diarrhoea 
• eye problems - inflammation of the lining of the eyelids
• skin changes
• risk of infection
• bruising or bleeding
• anaemia
• tiredness

Less common side effects

• feeling sick or being sick
• hair loss
• nail changes
• sun sensitivity
• skin changes - itchy, rash or dry skin
• soreness and redness of the palms of hands and soles of feet

E - Epirubicin (Pharmorubicin) - red fluid in colour

Possible side effects

• hair loss
• feeling sick or being sick
• lowered resistance to infection
• bruising or bleeding
• anaemia
• sore mouth
• taste changes
• discoloured urine
• skin changes
• tiredness

Less common side effects

• diarrhoea
• nail changes
• changes in the way your heart works

Cyclophosphamide

Possible side effects

• risk of infection
• bruising or bleeding
• anaemia
• bladder irritation
• feeling sick or being sick
• loss of appetite
• hair loss

Less common side effects

• sore mouth and ulcers
• diarrhoea
• skin changes
• taste changes