[tousled1]

Catherine,

I took the liberty of moving your post from "Profiles in Courage" to the "HER2 Group Forum" so that you would receive replies.

Having lymph node involvement means that you have advanced breast cancer, not metastic breast cancer. Metastic is when the cancer has invaded distant organs of the body - liver, lungs, bones, etc. Being hormone negative means that you will not have to take anything to suppress your ovaries from producing estrogen. Being HER2 means that you have Herceptin available to you and also in February 2007 Tykerb is to be approved by the FDA.
There are two tests for HER-2

IHC test (IHC stands for ImmunoHistoChemestry) The IHC test shows if there is too much HER2 receptor protein in the cancer cells. The results of of the IHC test can be 0 (negative), 1+ (negatiave), 2+ (borderline), or 3+ (positive).

FISH test (FISH stands for Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization). The FISH test shows if there are too many copies of the HER2 gene in the cancer cells. The results of the FISH test can be "positive" (extra copies) or "negative" (normal number of copies).

Only cancers that test IHC "3+" or FISH "positive" will respond well to therapy that works against HER-2. An IHC 2+ test result is called borderline. If you have a 2+ result, you can and should ask to have the tissue tested with the FISH test.

Hope this answers some of your questions.