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pathology consult
Hi Steph,
I don't know where you have your treatment, but have you thought about sending your slides and blocks for a second opinion pathology on the ERPR? I sent mine to Baylor, and wished I'd done it sooner. The first report was ER 5% and PR 0%, so I allowed my onc to browbeat me into taking Arimidex for two years. Then that onc left and the new one said no Arimidex. I was in a quandary and that's when I decided to re-do the pathology. When I did the second opinion at Baylor, it came back completely negative for both. Allred at Baylor has some studies to show that it's usually the other way around - when done at an expert lab, there's more positivity, not less. But regardless, this is an important decision and you want to base it on accurate information.
Another piece of information to add to the mix is that it appears that Elizabeth Edwards' primary cancer had a very low level of ER positivity and she did not do hormonal therapy. Many oncs recommend hormonal therapy for anything more than 1% positive, and you have to wonder if it would have made a difference for Elizabeth Edwards, now having a more ER+ recurrence.
It's easy to send your slides, whether you do it yourself or have the local pathology dept. do it for you. I sent my own - let me know if you need details.
Debbie Laxague
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