HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - possible explanation of why some her+breast cancers are er+ but pr- and what it means

Becky · 09-30-2006, 06:24 AM

Thank you Lani. It is hard to find info on Her2+, ER+ but PR- (as I am).

Hopeful - I have read that article and its a good one. In fact, this is one of the reasons I refused Tamoxifen and got my ovaries removed to take Arimidex (along with Herceptin of which my last one was yesterday).

I think that at least having some hormone positivity is a good thing but not as good as having both. So, for the natural progression of the disease, I am probably "in between" being hormone positive and hormone negative (as my ER is only 50% and my PR is stated as "less than 5%" (which I have always read as negative and my onc states so as well).

Even at ASCO, I searched for some studies on ER+PR- or ER-PR+ but there were only 2 things and all they do is relate it back to the fact that these women should be tested for Her2 as they are probably positive. The one presentation said that when they did their analysis, if these women tested negative for Her2 then they did test positive for Her1 (but this was the only reason they tested for Her1).

Oh well, my whole life I tried to be different so why should my pathology not be!!

Have a nice weekend

Becky

09-30-2006, 06:24 AM	#7
Becky Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Stockton, NJ Posts: 4,179	Thank you Lani. It is hard to find info on Her2+, ER+ but PR- (as I am). Hopeful - I have read that article and its a good one. In fact, this is one of the reasons I refused Tamoxifen and got my ovaries removed to take Arimidex (along with Herceptin of which my last one was yesterday). I think that at least having some hormone positivity is a good thing but not as good as having both. So, for the natural progression of the disease, I am probably "in between" being hormone positive and hormone negative (as my ER is only 50% and my PR is stated as "less than 5%" (which I have always read as negative and my onc states so as well). Even at ASCO, I searched for some studies on ER+PR- or ER-PR+ but there were only 2 things and all they do is relate it back to the fact that these women should be tested for Her2 as they are probably positive. The one presentation said that when they did their analysis, if these women tested negative for Her2 then they did test positive for Her1 (but this was the only reason they tested for Her1). Oh well, my whole life I tried to be different so why should my pathology not be!! Have a nice weekend Becky