HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - her2 positivity changes everything--tumor cells can disseminate from earliest stages

Lani · 01-03-2008, 09:05 PM

Her2/neu overexpression in DCIS
is common and is associated with higher grade and
comedo necrosis; these pathologic features are associ-
ated with a higher risk of local recurrence.
Almost half of ER-negative DCIS lesions express
Her2/neu, and a majority of Her2/neu-positive DCIS
lesions are ER negative and there are few effect-
ive medical treatments for ER-negative DCIS...
About 12% of ER-positive DCIS cases overexpress Her2/neu,
and there is some concern that ER expression may pro-
vide some resistance to tamoxifen.

Also keep in mind:

--THERE ARE DCIS THAT NEVER DEVELOP INTO IDC--WITHOUT KNOWING HOW many of these THERE ARE, HOW DO WE KNOW WE ARE NOT MISSING A WHOLE LOT OF DATA FROM PEOPLE WHO NEVER HAVE MAMMOGRAMS WHICH COULD BE USED TO ALLAY THE CONCERNS OF THOSE WHO DO AND ARE FOUND TO HAVE DCIS ONLY (ie without invasive component)
AND WHO is TO ASSUME THAT MOST CASES OF DCIS that occur are even discovered--MANY women DIE PROBABLY DIE OF OTHER CAUSES WITHOUT EVER DISCOVERING the DCIS. THIS MAKES IT VERY HARD TO SAY HOW MANY DCIS ARE ER+,HER2+, EVENTUALLY INVADE ETC.

Just pointing this out as it is necessary that periodically those things that are "generally accepted" get questioned.

01-03-2008, 09:05 PM	#5
Lani Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 4,778	from an article from MD Anderson Her2/neu overexpression in DCIS is common and is associated with higher grade and comedo necrosis; these pathologic features are associ- ated with a higher risk of local recurrence. Almost half of ER-negative DCIS lesions express Her2/neu, and a majority of Her2/neu-positive DCIS lesions are ER negative and there are few effect- ive medical treatments for ER-negative DCIS... About 12% of ER-positive DCIS cases overexpress Her2/neu, and there is some concern that ER expression may pro- vide some resistance to tamoxifen. Also keep in mind: --THERE ARE DCIS THAT NEVER DEVELOP INTO IDC--WITHOUT KNOWING HOW many of these THERE ARE, HOW DO WE KNOW WE ARE NOT MISSING A WHOLE LOT OF DATA FROM PEOPLE WHO NEVER HAVE MAMMOGRAMS WHICH COULD BE USED TO ALLAY THE CONCERNS OF THOSE WHO DO AND ARE FOUND TO HAVE DCIS ONLY (ie without invasive component) AND WHO is TO ASSUME THAT MOST CASES OF DCIS that occur are even discovered--MANY women DIE PROBABLY DIE OF OTHER CAUSES WITHOUT EVER DISCOVERING the DCIS. THIS MAKES IT VERY HARD TO SAY HOW MANY DCIS ARE ER+,HER2+, EVENTUALLY INVADE ETC. Just pointing this out as it is necessary that periodically those things that are "generally accepted" get questioned.