For people new to this disease, you rely heavily on your doctor’s advice. My doctor said I was a candidate for neoadjuvant therapy and recommended it based on the following:
1. Chemotherapy may be better tolerated before RC (major operation)
2. Tumor down staging from chemotherapy can occur
3. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy has been shown to marginally improve survival short and long term (speak with your doctor about trial results)
He left the decision up to me and told me to do some research on the topic. After a few weeks of research, speaking with family members and the advice from my doctors I choose to undergo chemo before my surgery.
Note that chemotherapy can have many side effects and cause complications, some very serious. So the benefits and downsides should be evaluated carefully. Consultation with a specialist is highly recommended. I suggest anyone considering undergoing chemotherapy ask to speak with a chemotherapy doctor at the cancer hospital before hand.
The future will tell if I made the right decision, but I am comfortable with the decision I made.
Glenn
