Her2 = Cancer coming back???

[Leo]

My mom had BC 4 years ago and she was her-2 positive. My question is: When someone has her-2 + it means cancer will comeback no matter ??? What about nodes and the size? It doesn't matter? Does anyone here has Her-2 positive and cancer has not come back? Thank's a lot. Leo.

[Kim in DC]

Her2neu is a protein that expidites growth and cell division. It doesn't necessarily mean that the cancer will come back, just that it is fast growing. The fact that your mom is 4 years out without a recurrence is a good sign.

[Rozebud]

No, it does not. I did some research a while back and found an article that went back and stained path reports for her2 in a 25 year study. 25 years later, the survival rate for her2 was 30%, vs. 41% (I believe those were the #s) for non her-2. And this was all in the days before they had chemo, so the odds are MUCH MUCH MUCH better now. So her2 is more aggressive, but even without chemo, many women lived long lives.

[Rozebud]

Here is the study, for those interested. I was wrong - 25 year survival was 30% for her2's and 39% for non-her-2's. Keep in mind, these women had NO chemo AND NO herceptin.

http://www.jco.org/cgi/content/abstract/10/7/1044

[*_Leo_*]

Thank's for the reply!

[jhandley]

hi Leo
In March I will be a 4 year Her 2+ survivor.. I didnt have herceptin (it was not available then only being trialled in advanced BC) but had chemo and radio. I had 1 positive node out of 13 and a 2 cm tumour. So far so good... all my checkups have been fine. I read an article that said that after about 4 years the rate of recurrence for Her2+ tumours drops to almost the same as non Her 2.

keep in touch
Jackie