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weety · 12-21-2009, 01:23 PM

I am so glad to have found this group! I, too, am weakly positive for estrogen receptors, but I don't have a number--path report just says "ER-weakly +" My onc says that can mean anywhere from 5-15% but it doesn't really matter because being "kind of" estrogen positive is like being "kind of" pregnant. You either are or you aren't. She also said that the estrogen receptors are quite fragile--sometimes they can even break off before they do their staining--so it is not uncommon to get a higher number if you have it redone. Lower numbers are not common, though, so weakly positive may be more positive than you think.

So now that I am finishing my treatment (I haven't figured out how to add all the info to my signature yet--is there an easy way to do it?) and will just be continuing herceptin for the year, we are starting to figure out my next steps. I am only 39 (by the way, I found my lump while breastfeeding my 3rd baby as well) so I am premenopausal, except for the chemo induced menopause which I guess will go away sometime after chemo.

My family has a history of uterine cancer so both oncs I saw would rather I stay away from tamoxifen. But that's where the consensus ends. My current doctor wants me to take raloxifene (evista) because it is an alternative to tamoxifen and works the same way, but everything I have read about it says it is NOT indicated for invasive breast cancer, just DCIS and for the prevention of BC in high risk women. Shobha, I saw you are currently on Evista. I would love to hear more about what you were told about this drug. The other onc I saw thinks the AI route might be a better choice, but then I would have to either shut down my ovaries with lupron or do the surgery.

I don't know which to do. I hate it that everything with cancer seems to be just a "guess." Whose guess is best????? I'm already an indecisive person, so having 2 very different opinions has made this even harder for me!

I hope some of you are still checking these boards. With the holidays I'm sure everyone is extra busy! I just joined but have been doing extensive research and that's how I found this site!

Cathy

12-21-2009, 01:23 PM	#19
weety Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 56	Re: The weakly er+ group I am so glad to have found this group! I, too, am weakly positive for estrogen receptors, but I don't have a number--path report just says "ER-weakly +" My onc says that can mean anywhere from 5-15% but it doesn't really matter because being "kind of" estrogen positive is like being "kind of" pregnant. You either are or you aren't. She also said that the estrogen receptors are quite fragile--sometimes they can even break off before they do their staining--so it is not uncommon to get a higher number if you have it redone. Lower numbers are not common, though, so weakly positive may be more positive than you think. So now that I am finishing my treatment (I haven't figured out how to add all the info to my signature yet--is there an easy way to do it?) and will just be continuing herceptin for the year, we are starting to figure out my next steps. I am only 39 (by the way, I found my lump while breastfeeding my 3rd baby as well) so I am premenopausal, except for the chemo induced menopause which I guess will go away sometime after chemo. My family has a history of uterine cancer so both oncs I saw would rather I stay away from tamoxifen. But that's where the consensus ends. My current doctor wants me to take raloxifene (evista) because it is an alternative to tamoxifen and works the same way, but everything I have read about it says it is NOT indicated for invasive breast cancer, just DCIS and for the prevention of BC in high risk women. Shobha, I saw you are currently on Evista. I would love to hear more about what you were told about this drug. The other onc I saw thinks the AI route might be a better choice, but then I would have to either shut down my ovaries with lupron or do the surgery. I don't know which to do. I hate it that everything with cancer seems to be just a "guess." Whose guess is best????? I'm already an indecisive person, so having 2 very different opinions has made this even harder for me! I hope some of you are still checking these boards. With the holidays I'm sure everyone is extra busy! I just joined but have been doing extensive research and that's how I found this site! Cathy