Sister of newly diagnosed HER2.

[cjjhero]

My sister was newly diagnosed in December with HER2 positive, estrogen & progesterone negative breast cancer. She is still undergoing staging but the initial reports are right breast tumor with one lymph node involvement.

She just had an MRI done today and in 10 days a bone scan and CT scan will be done. She was given a few weeks off to enjoy Christmas. The main oncologist believes that treatment will consist of 6 to 8 rounds of chemotherapy and a lumpectomy.

The breast surgeon's nurse is thinking that this is a stage 2 cancer. We won't know conclusively the stage until all the testing is done.

My sister is adamant that she wants a double mastectomy because she doesn't want the risk of recurrence. Her main oncologist and breast surgeon oncologist want her to have a lumpectomy only with the lymph node(s) removed also.

The doctors want to start with the chemo first to shrink the tumor, then perform the breast surgery without radiation.

We lost our mother to complications from cervical cancer 25 years this month. My mother's cancer was almost in remission when she developed renal failure. The radiation they used back then basically fried her kidneys. Chemotherapy wasn't given as an option for her. I'm not sure if chemo was used very much at that time. It wasn't cancer that killed her it was the treatments that were meant to save her life.

My sister is mentally handicapped and has been doing pretty well despite the diagnosis. I believe that this has hit me more emotionally than either her or my other sister.

This is sad because there is no cancer history except for my mother in our family's history. My mother's cancer was believed to have started from HPV.

The stress of helping my sister to her doctor appointments and with weekly errands is causing stress with my own family. I am married to a wonderful understanding man. However, since my sisters don't have a car I am there only source for transportation. Other friends and family live back home in PA. We currently live near Cleveland OH.
I'm trying to maintain a home and help out but there might be a time when I can't.

What advise can anyone give to a caregiver of an HER2 patient? I have been down this road before and am hoping for a much brighter outcome.

Thanks so much for any advise.