How Long Does Chemotherapy Continue?

QUESTION: I am currently being treated with medicine for my breast cancer.
It's a difficult time, and I am trying to keep calm and not develop any more
anxiety than exists now. I need more information. I would like to know how
long I must endure this.
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ANSWER: That's a question physicians and cancer researchers raise often
because not everyone agrees on the answer. The treatment you mention,
chemotherapy, uses combinations of extremely strong drugs that can kill the
cancer cells. Traditionally, a patient with metastatic (spreading) breast
cancer received chemotherapy for as long as no progression of the disease
could be noted. Once additional spread could be detected, medication was
stopped. Now, some oncologists (cancer specialists) prefer using chemotherapy
for six to eight months. The chemotherapy is repeated only if they find a new
outbreak or spread of the cancer.
Although continuous chemotherapy may increase the survival rate more than
shorter courses of drugs, some comparative studies show little or no
difference. The quality of life for cancer patients must be considered, since
chemotherapy can be very difficult to endure. Shorter courses of chemotherapy
(three months), however, do not have as good a response rate. I understand
your moods; hold tight. Since physicians vary in their methods of treatment,
I can only advise you to discuss this matter more fully with your own
physician, who can explain his treatment strategy for your case. You may have
a happy surprise that will tell you that the time of treatment is shorter than
you imagined.