+nodes and mets

[KellyA]

I have a question regarding her2 and the way that it metastizises (sp?!?!). Is there a reason that some people gets mets earlier on, say with 2+ nodes, and then there are others that may have many (10, 15, 20) +nodes, but no mets? Is there any rhyme or reason to this, or is it just chance?

Love, Kelly

[Becky]

It may seem like chance but it isn't. Remember that genetically, you are unique. Each of us is a snowflake. Because our DNA is unique to us, unfortunately, the way it mutates to become a cancer is also unique. Even though your pathology is just like many other women on this board, it isn't like it either. It is unique. Even if you had a twin sister who had the same cancer as you, it can also be affected by your environment (which is probably why some twin sisters don't get bc or get it very late in life while the other twin got it young).

Because of this uniqueness, perhaps Adriamycin, cytoxin, taxol or herceptin worked on something "positive" in your cancer that was unique to you and it worked. Or that you eat a certain way and it worked and your (imaginary) identical twin sister ate a different way and it didn't work (meaning synergy with a chemo).

Even the known lifestyle studies show that. Why do ER/PR neg women get a 44% reduction in recurrence just by walking about 5 hrs a week and ER/PR pos women only 20%. And in the negatives, why only 44% why not 95%? See what I mean?

There are women on this board who only started out with DCIS and went right to Stage 4. Why does that happen? Many say there was an invasive component but maybe not. Its just how we are. (For the record, this is just my thoughts on this, not some scientific thing I read). So, my motto is, go out and spread your uniqueness all around.

Take care of yourself. Take care of your body (after all, you have to live your whole long life in it). Beware of the toxins that might surround you. Eat well - foods are very powerful. Love yourself as you are loved (I can tell from your pictures of your husband and your one (of three) sons). And you are loved here. Because you are unique and perfect. Nobody can be Kelly as perfectly as you.

[Mary Jo]

Hi Kelly,

Well, I can't offer anything else than to what Becky said (other than to say I think its just by chance that some do and some don't - although Becky explained it in a way better way than I just did -http://www.her2support.org/vbulletin/images/icons/icon7.gif) BUT I can say, AS Becky said, that you surely are love here.

Love & Peace,

Mary Jo

[Bill]

Hi Kelly! Becky answered as well as anyone could. At this point, alot of the studies and test results leave you scratching your head and wondering. Soon, though, we will have more answers and a clearer picture of what's happening within our bodies. It's just a matter of time and a matter of seemingly unrelated studies "overlapping", and then the "Eureka" moment will give us the cure. Until then, we just do the best we can with what we can control. Peace to you all, Bill

[Hopeful]

Kelly,

I apologize here for not having access to the articles I read for the following information. If I get the chance on Monday, of if you need a specific reference for one, I promise to track it down for you.

As I understand it, not all Her2 is alike, just, as Becky wrote, all patients are different. There is a form of Her2 that is more likely to metastasize to the nodes than the other. So, that is part of it. There are other factors, it seems, about how various members of the Her2 family (1,2,3 and 4) work together that can affect the aggressiveness of the disease. Currently, though, testing is only done on Her2, not its family members.

My response (which is stictly my opinon) is that simply knowing you are Her2+ is not enough information to determine how aggressive the bc is. (I am also not a particular believer in the Oncotype test for Her2+ patients as a barometer of aggression). I think there are many subtle factors that are not currently picked up in the standard pathology testing that may hold better answers for us. The entire field is still evolving. We are fortunate to have so much of the scientific community focused on our particular pathology right now. I think answers will come eventually.

Hopeful