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Becky · 09-15-2010, 02:21 PM

Hi Vicki

I hope you are doing well. I think what the oncologist is saying is that they took enough of a sample to say its breast cancer but not enough to do much else. It would seem that they did do a hormone profile on it, at least I hope they did before saying she has to take an AI to shrink it. We all know that won't work if the tumor isn't ER+ at least. Your friend needs to find out if they absolutely know if it is ER and PR positive (and if it is highly positive). It would also be nice to find out if it is Her2+ just because if it is also Her2 and hormone positive, she might get really good results taking both (to shrink it).

It seems like they are blowing off the poor woman. What a tragedy!

They may know the prognostics though (ER, PR, Her2) but just don't know the grade, if it is ductal or lobular, that kind of stuff just because of the sample size. It sure would be nice to know if it has spread beyond the breast.

09-15-2010, 02:21 PM	#2
Becky Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Stockton, NJ Posts: 4,179	Re: Urgent question on behalf of a friend Hi Vicki I hope you are doing well. I think what the oncologist is saying is that they took enough of a sample to say its breast cancer but not enough to do much else. It would seem that they did do a hormone profile on it, at least I hope they did before saying she has to take an AI to shrink it. We all know that won't work if the tumor isn't ER+ at least. Your friend needs to find out if they absolutely know if it is ER and PR positive (and if it is highly positive). It would also be nice to find out if it is Her2+ just because if it is also Her2 and hormone positive, she might get really good results taking both (to shrink it). It seems like they are blowing off the poor woman. What a tragedy! They may know the prognostics though (ER, PR, Her2) but just don't know the grade, if it is ductal or lobular, that kind of stuff just because of the sample size. It sure would be nice to know if it has spread beyond the breast. __________________ Kind regards Becky Found lump via BSE Diagnosed 8/04 at age 45 1.9cm tumor, ER+PR-, Her2 3+(rt side) 2 micromets to sentinel node Stage 2A left 3mm DCIS - low grade ER+PR+Her2 neg lumpectomies 9/7/04 4DD AC followed by 4 DD taxol Used Leukine instead of Neulasta 35 rads on right side only 4/05 started Tamoxifen Started Herceptin 4 months after last Taxol due to trial results and 2005 ASCO meeting & recommendations Oophorectomy 8/05 Started Arimidex 9/05 Finished Herceptin (16 months) 9/06 Arimidex Only Prolia every 6 months for osteopenia NED 18 years! Said Christopher Robin to Pooh: "You must remember this: You're braver than you believe and stronger than you seem and smarter than you think"