HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - basal-like AND HER2+?

Becky · 03-08-2009, 09:41 AM

I have always contemplated this as well as several other factors.

First - does a basal type Her2+ cancer respond to Herceptin therapy (might not respond as well) and does it behave more like Her2+ or (triple negative).

Second - I was always under the assumption that basal like is more determined by the "supposed" location of the tumor (or where the first cell to go "bad" was located). If you think about a duct, it is like a hose. If you look down the hose, you have the cells lining the inside, you have cells lining the outside and then you have the middle (the cells that are sandwiched into the inner and outer linings). I was once led to believe that Luminal A (Her 2 neg, high ER/PR) came from cells in the inner lining, Luminal B (Her 2 + and low to moderate ER/PR - and maybe those that are just Her2+)came from the middle and all triple negative from the outside lining (hence the terminology "basal"). I never believed that this was truly the way things worked 100% of the time but it makes sense that different affected cells would evolve into different types of pathology with different prognosis. However, I am sure differing types of bc could arise from anywhere in the duct (or lobe) and we all know there is a difference between ductal and lobular cancer and how they behave.

Anyway - nice article. I learned something today.

03-08-2009, 09:41 AM	#2
Becky Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Stockton, NJ Posts: 4,179	I have always contemplated this as well as several other factors. First - does a basal type Her2+ cancer respond to Herceptin therapy (might not respond as well) and does it behave more like Her2+ or (triple negative). Second - I was always under the assumption that basal like is more determined by the "supposed" location of the tumor (or where the first cell to go "bad" was located). If you think about a duct, it is like a hose. If you look down the hose, you have the cells lining the inside, you have cells lining the outside and then you have the middle (the cells that are sandwiched into the inner and outer linings). I was once led to believe that Luminal A (Her 2 neg, high ER/PR) came from cells in the inner lining, Luminal B (Her 2 + and low to moderate ER/PR - and maybe those that are just Her2+)came from the middle and all triple negative from the outside lining (hence the terminology "basal"). I never believed that this was truly the way things worked 100% of the time but it makes sense that different affected cells would evolve into different types of pathology with different prognosis. However, I am sure differing types of bc could arise from anywhere in the duct (or lobe) and we all know there is a difference between ductal and lobular cancer and how they behave. Anyway - nice article. I learned something today. __________________ 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" Last edited by Becky; 03-09-2009 at 05:21 PM..