HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - Need advice; completely different cancer type this time

Val Pfeiffer · 07-22-2008, 06:26 AM

I was going to go back and find the thread I posted when I was rediagnosed, but I wanted to get this question out here and I didn't have time to go back and look. Here's what I'm wondering...I was having trouble getting the Her2 result of my new BC cells, so I had to get on the phone and call around. The biopsy never had ER/PR or Her2 run, and then when I had the mastectomy a couple weeks ago, the ER/PR was run but no Her2 result was coming back. After I made a bunch of calls, the hospital pathologist called me back and told me that the type of cells I have this time cannot be Her2; Marshfield Lab wouldn't run that test.

I haven't had the time to research this personally (all that writing and research I did last time was only for the specific case I had then, so I don't know anything about my latest case), and I haven't met with my oncologist yet. But I am certain that someone on this board can give me some info. Here is what the path test said: right breast, lower outer quadrant: intraductal carcinoma, high nuclear grade associated with comedo necrosis; extensive diffusely involved the entire biopy specimen; negative for infiltrating carcinoma. This was ER+ and PR-.

So what do y'all think? New cancer, different pathology...is it correct that these cells could not be Her2+?

And I'm feeling great! Surgery was 7/1 and I went back to work full time last week. It's so much easier to have surgery this time--last time I was already dealing with 3 months of chemo before the mastectomy :-)

thanks!
Val

07-22-2008, 06:26 AM	#1
Val Pfeiffer Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 159	Need advice; completely different cancer type this time I was going to go back and find the thread I posted when I was rediagnosed, but I wanted to get this question out here and I didn't have time to go back and look. Here's what I'm wondering...I was having trouble getting the Her2 result of my new BC cells, so I had to get on the phone and call around. The biopsy never had ER/PR or Her2 run, and then when I had the mastectomy a couple weeks ago, the ER/PR was run but no Her2 result was coming back. After I made a bunch of calls, the hospital pathologist called me back and told me that the type of cells I have this time cannot be Her2; Marshfield Lab wouldn't run that test. I haven't had the time to research this personally (all that writing and research I did last time was only for the specific case I had then, so I don't know anything about my latest case), and I haven't met with my oncologist yet. But I am certain that someone on this board can give me some info. Here is what the path test said: right breast, lower outer quadrant: intraductal carcinoma, high nuclear grade associated with comedo necrosis; extensive diffusely involved the entire biopy specimen; negative for infiltrating carcinoma. This was ER+ and PR-. So what do y'all think? New cancer, different pathology...is it correct that these cells could not be Her2+? And I'm feeling great! Surgery was 7/1 and I went back to work full time last week. It's so much easier to have surgery this time--last time I was already dealing with 3 months of chemo before the mastectomy :-) thanks! Val __________________ BLOG: http://valleygirlvnp.blogspot.com/ Dx 11/04, Age 42, ER-/PR-, HER2+++ 3 months weekly Herceptin, Taxol. Carboplatin Significant tumor shrinkage Mastectomy 3/05; Stage 3b, 9 cm tumor, 5/8+ nodes 3 more months weekly Herceptin, Taxol. Carboplatin 7/05 30 radiation treatments, IMRT planning approach Started 1 year of Herceptin 9/05 9/06 Began quarterly triple doses Herceptin. Brain & breast MRIs semi annually. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 6/08 Right breast, intraductal carcinoma, high nuclear grade associated with comedo necrosis; extensive diffusely involved the entire biopy specimen. ER+, PR-, Her2 unknown at this point, 07/08 mastectomy.