Refusing chemotherapy for breast cancer The treatment refusal process in cancer patients shows how a patient experiences the contexts of encountering cancer, fighting cancer, and coping with cancer during the illness and how the factors in each context cause the patient to lose resilience, which is equivalent to the refusal of physicians’ treatment recommendations. In certain situations, chemotherapy may not be recommended. People who received treatment were more likely to be alive five and 10 years later than those who declined treatment. How they arrive at their respective decisions and whether they are passively or actively involved in making decisions is less known. What is the actual extent and incidence of this experience? Aug 30, 2012 · It examined breast cancer patients who refused conventional chemotherapy, or delay its initiation, in order to use CAM. But she still deserved their care. Reliance on Other Treatments: If you refuse chemo, doctors may increase reliance on surgery, radiation, or hormonal therapy—sometimes with limited success. Methods: We used the National Cancer Database (2010-2017) to retrospectively identify women aged ≥65 years with ER-positive, HER2-negative, high RS (≥26) breast cancer. Jan 4, 2017 · When someone you love gets diagnosed with cancer, it’s normal to want to do everything to fight it. Potential for Regret: Patients often reconsider their choice if cancer returns or progresses quickly after refusing chemo. In my case I convinced myself to have it for 2 reasons. Nonetheless, she decided against chemotherapy and began trying a wide variety of alternative and complementary therapies that she heard about from other cancer patients. We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. She did not follow up with her subsequent appointments. Feb 7, 2023 · Background All cancer patients, except for a small fraction, seek treatment after becoming aware of the disease. Mar 3, 2021 · Patients may choose to weigh the benefits and risks of chemotherapy to make an informed decision. 6 million people are diagnosed with cancer each year. Jun 10, 2011 · According to Time, personality, demographics, and the type of cancer also play a role in whether patients refuse treatment. What is the nurses responsibility to support the clients rights? Jul 1, 2022 · Hi Dean75! I'm sorry to hear that your oncologist believes that you may be Stage IV. That said, not everyone wants conventional treatment. Though her care team recommended it, Macpherson said she refused to use Sep 22, 2022 · Some people decide to refuse certain treatments even though the treatments are recommended by their doctor. If you still feel strongly against chemo, you may want to research Brenda Cobbs and Dr. Nov 6, 2021 · When you think of people who refuse cancer treatment, Steve Jobs – the co-founder of Apple – immediately springs to mind. Nov 13, 2017 · Why do some women refuse treatments for their breast cancer? Adjuvant therapy after surgery, such as chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, and radiation therapy, has contributed to a 39% decrease in breast cancer mortality since 1989. That small fraction do not seek any treatment due to various reasons, and this phenomenon is unknown to us. Your mind plays a huge role with your healing and recovery so you have to go with what you FEEL is best. Unfortunately, a significant number of women decline evidence-based adjuvant therapy. Aug 8, 2024 · The percentage of people living in the U. Lorraine Daytwo women who refused chemo. A matched pair analysis was performed to compare the survival data between those who Aug 4, 2021 · Introduction The rate of refusal of chemotherapy ranges from 3% to 19%, but varies widely by patient profile and treatment setting. That's 6% difference, or a 1/ 17 chance of dying from a recurrence. Oct 11, 2025 · Torie Bosch: What do you do if a loved one refuses treatment for cancer? Or what if you’re an oncologist whose patient doesn’t want to be treated? Oct 21, 2025 · The argument that chemotherapy drugs can cause secondary tumors or potentially increase your risk of the recurrence of cancer is another frequently toted reason some people refuse chemo. Jul 21, 2025 · Doctors viewed my mother as a waste of time because she refused breast cancer treatment. That was basically the treatment plan once he input all of my specific criteria. who declined hormonal therapy, radiation therapy, and surgery for breast cancer grew between 2004 and 2020, according to a study published in May in the journal JAMA Network Open. What is the nurse's responsibility to support the client's rights? Sep 30, 2024 · Many people stop taking hormonal therapy for breast cancer because of side effects. Methods A chart review was performed of breast cancer patients who refused recommended treatments during the period 1980 to 2006. S. But there are ways to feel better and manage your recurrence risk. Now… At 47 I am my oldest living blood relative Sep 17, 2024 · Former supermodel Elle Macpherson, 60, recently shared that she was diagnosed with breast cancer seven years ago. Read as an oncologist shares the details of chemo. I ended up refusing chemo, radiation and tamoxifen. Sep 3, 2024 · The risks of refusing chemo, according to a breast cancer surgeon Supermodel Elle Macpherson refused conventional treatment, taking a ‘holistic approach’, but what does a breast surgeon and Jan 9, 2025 · Towards the end of life you might want to make some decisions about your care, including any instructions for refusing treatment. A client is refusing chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer. Sep 3, 2024 · Elle Macpherson says she was diagnosed with breast cancer 7 years ago and refused chemotherapy “I chose an holistic approach," the 60-year-old Australian wrote in an upcoming book. Reduced Survival Rates The Cancer Survivors Network (CSN) is a peer support community for cancer patients, survivors, caregivers, families, and friends! CSN is a safe place to connect with others who share your interests and experiences. The authors calculated each patient’s prognosis at the time of diagnosis. Therefore, the present study aimed to discover the reasons for treatment refusal in cancer patients. For example, older women with breast cancer are more likely to forgo treatment involving surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation. I told him that I thought I wanted to refuse the chemo and just stick with the radiation and the hormone therapy. Dec 9, 2024 · Learn whether you can skip chemotherapy for breast cancer, what other treatments are available, and how doctors make this decision here. Jun 26, 2012 · Background To analyze the characteristics and outcomes of women with breast cancer in the Northern Alberta Health Region (NAHR) who declined recommended primary standard treatments. Start With Understanding Cancer treatment can be Abstract Objective: Many women with breast cancer refuse adjuvant treatments. Aug 17, 2023 · Are there alternative treatment options available for breast cancer patients who choose to refuse conventional treatment? Breast cancer is a serious and potentially life-threatening disease that affects thousands of women worldwide. In this study, the researchers looked at the factors that influenced people’s decisions about whether or not to have chemotherapy to treat stage III or stage IV breast cancer. May 1, 2021 · Many women with breast cancer refuse adjuvant treatments. Jan 26, 2025 · Chemotherapy is an effective cancer treatment, but it is not without its risks. Despite the different treatment options available for cancer, many individuals refuse treatment for various reasons. Although your first instinct may be to question their decision to refuse treatment, pause and listen first. He did not state it, but he seemed to be on the fence about the chemo because of the fact that my tumor was grade 1, slow growing. However, little is known about the cumulative group of individuals who refuse treatment. I am also debating whether I should refuse chemo for my bone cancer which has spread to my lungs and is at stage 4. Close to 15 years have passed, and this issue of patients refusing conventional therapy still concerns me deeply. Using a large national registry, we explore factors significantly associated with the decision to decline chemotherapy in patients with early-stage, HR+/HER2- breast cancer (BC) despite high risk scoring on multigene sequencing analysis for OncotypeDX (ODX) or Apr 15, 2012 · She had received 3 cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy for her breast cancer and then decided that it was not for her. Sep 29, 2016 · One woman explains why she opted against treatment when she was diagnosed with DCIS breast cancer. It can be devastating to have a parent, spouse or friend refusing cancer treatment. What is the actual extent and incidence of this experience? Jan 5, 2018 · Does it hurt to let yourself die from cancer without chemo? This question was originally answered on Quora by David Chan. I'm taking other herbal supplements and hoping these will work instead of the chemo. Methods This qualitative grounded theory study was conducted on 22 Jun 10, 2025 · Without chemo, cancer may grow faster or spread sooner, particularly in high-risk groups. It is important for individuals to understand the potential risks and importance of seeking treatment for breast cancer. He was the unfortunate poster child for treatment refusal when he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2003. Apr 23, 2013 · Nonetheless, she decided against chemotherapy and began trying a wide variety of alternative and complementary therapies that she heard about from other cancer patients. Firstly, how would I feel if I had a recurrence after refusing chemo? Secondly, with my details I had a 93% chance if being alive in 10 years if I never had breast cancer, and with chemo I had a 87% chance of being alive. Aug 1, 2022 · Preliminary findings from a study with a larger sample size, including 51 patients with cancer who dropped out of chemotherapy, 19 who refused all treatment, and 70 who completed chemotherapy, highlighted a significant worsening in the QoL of patients who dropped out of conventional treatments compared to those who completed chemotherapy [7]. While conventional treatment options such as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy have shown to be effective in treating breast cancer, some patients may Question: A client is refusing chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer. Sending you hugs. We explored the different decision-making behaviors of women who received treatments (receivers) after being diagnosed with breast cancer and those who refused (decliners). Apr 4, 2022 · In this article, an expert answers questions about skipping chemotherapy in breast cancer treatment. A recent study suggests that distrust of the medical system plays a significant Nov 1, 2019 · I had a mastectomy and auxiliary node clearance on the 14th October, results today were 3 tumours, largest 75mm, all ER+ & HER2-, with 2 of the lymph nodes being positive for the cancer. Oct 7, 2024 · Understand the possible health impacts of skipping chemotherapy for stage 3 breast cancer, and how it can influence the course of the disease. . Refusing breast cancer treatment can have serious consequences, including the potential for the cancer to spread and become more difficult to treat. Methods Sep 3, 2024 · Elle Macpherson says she was diagnosed with breast cancer 7 years ago and refused chemotherapy “I chose an holistic approach," the 60-year-old Australian wrote in an upcoming book. Jun 2, 2022 · We evaluated factors associated with chemotherapy refusal by older women with high RS breast cancer and investigated the association of chemotherapy refusal with mortality. A matched pair analysis was performed to compare the survival data between those who Jun 26, 2012 · Background To analyze the characteristics and outcomes of women with breast cancer in the Northern Alberta Health Region (NAHR) who declined recommended primary standard treatments. More than 1. My consultant is happy that he has got all of the cancer with the operation but still recommends chemotherapy / radiotherapy / hormone treatment to follow. x9bsb bfqu ktvaz vrewm tsggj lt orvh l8cg w9 zcn