HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - determining which patients benefit from more than 5 years of antihormonal therapy--

jaykay · 03-25-2014, 06:07 PM

My first experience with breast cancer - her2+' er+/pr-, no herceptin or chemo (not approved for early stage). Tamoxifen for 4.5 years, Femara for 5 years. 2.5 years after stopping Femara, new primary with same pathology. Details are in my signature.

I have always wondered if I had stayed on Femara would I have suppressed the 2nd occurrence. In other words, which characteristic was stronger, her2 or er?

Bottom line, I expect to stay on an anti-estrogen for the rest of my life. I've been osteopenia for years, even before cancer. I will do zometa every year as long as it helps.

Janis

03-25-2014, 06:07 PM	#8
jaykay Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 646	Re: determining which patients benefit from more than 5 years of antihormonal therapy My first experience with breast cancer - her2+' er+/pr-, no herceptin or chemo (not approved for early stage). Tamoxifen for 4.5 years, Femara for 5 years. 2.5 years after stopping Femara, new primary with same pathology. Details are in my signature. I have always wondered if I had stayed on Femara would I have suppressed the 2nd occurrence. In other words, which characteristic was stronger, her2 or er? Bottom line, I expect to stay on an anti-estrogen for the rest of my life. I've been osteopenia for years, even before cancer. I will do zometa every year as long as it helps. Janis __________________ March, 2000: 48, Post menopausal (5 yrs HRT) Left breast, IDC 3mm/DCIS 1.6cm, ER+/PR-/Her2+++, mod differentiated, MIB low, lumpectomy, node neg via SNB, rads=33 Stage 1a June, 2000: Tamox 4.5 years,Femara for 5 years (end in Jan. 2010) Sept, 2012: 61, Via mamm, ultrasound, biopsy, right breast, 2.3cm tumor, ER+/PR-/Her2+++, poorly diff, KI67 60-70% BRCA 1 and 2 negative October, 2012: Bi Mast with tissue expanders, port placement Final Path: IDC 2.8cm, DCIS, 1/4 sentinal nodes positive (@#$%). Stage IIB Nov 29, 2012: Begin TCH/6x/every 3 wks, H for 1 year/every 3 weeks. March 14, 2013: Finished chemo April 9, 2013: Begin radiation 28x May 22, 2013: Finished rads June 1st, 2013: Started Aromasin for 5 yrs. July 15, 2013: Switched to Letrozole (Femara). Probably for the rest of my life October 16, 2013: Exchange surgery October 31, 2013: Finished Herceptin December 5, 2013: Port removed Glad this year is over!