Any other stage iii er pr positives?

Pray · 09-06-2011, 10:28 PM

Any other sage III er pr postives out there! My cancer did not show on mammograms so I was further along than we hoped. Just hoping to chat with others with same dx. Hoping and praying to make to 2 years with no recurrance this Nov..

Jackie07 · 09-06-2011, 11:59 PM

It is indeed rare. On the following thread

http://her2support.org/vbulletin/sho...ighlight=stage

only JennyB (# 37) and flyrzfan (#5) are Stage III and ER+ PR+.

Pray · 09-07-2011, 12:06 AM

Hi Jackie, Do you know the reasoning of why it would be so rare?

Pray · 09-07-2011, 12:36 AM

Jackie, as far as I can see Flyrzfan is stage 1 and has not posted since Jan. 09?

JennyB · 09-07-2011, 01:12 AM

I don't understand why it is so rare I thought it would have been more common than the negs as hormone receptive cancer is more the norm??
Could it be that because it is more the norm less people go searching for more info???
Its scares me a bit that there aren't more replies to this thread??

Debbie L. · 09-07-2011, 06:30 AM

I don't think it's all that rare. HER2+ cancers are about 1/2 and 1/2 (ER+ and ER-). That's a higher incidence of ER- than in the HER2- population, but does not make triple positive "rare". As for stage III, there are not that many in general, I don't think it has anything to do with ER.

Are you saying you're worried that there aren't more people responding, because you think there WERE lots of them and they are all dead? That doesn't make much sense, all you have to do is look at the many women on this board (both ER+ and -) living long with stage IV disease.

Staging is an old-fashioned way of looking at breast cancer. I've heard it described as a crude method of determining risk, and a very bad method of determining treatment. The more we learn about breast cancer, the more we realize it is SO diverse in behavior and response. That diversity of behavior and response is due to the biology, the characteristics of each individual cancer (and perhaps of the body in which is resides). We have some clues about that now -- clues that tell us much more about what to expect than the old-fashioned staging guidelines do. But we have a lot more to learn before we'll be able to tell any one woman, with any real accuracy, what she can expect to happen.

I remember trying to find stories and studies of people exactly like me, in the early days after diagnosis. I thought that if I could find them, I'd know what would happen. Hah! No one knows what will happen. I think seeking those stories, and that (elusive) certainty is our way of trying to regain the illusion of control -- because a cancer diagnosis takes that right away from us. Life is uncertain and life after a cancer diagnosis, a little more-so. As my 90+ year-old neighbor tells me "get used to it". (I do not mean that harshly, although it certainly sounded so when I first heard it -- I mean it to remind us to try not to get too caught up in fears that prevent us from enjoying our moments, this very day).

Debbie Laxague

Jackie07 · 09-07-2011, 11:43 AM

The abstract below talks about new prognostic factors recommended (used) by the medical field:

Pol Merkur Lekarski. 2011 Jul;31(181):5-8.
[The practical value of breast cancer molecular classification].

[Article in Polish]
Duda-Szymańska J, Sporny S.
Abstract

Breast cancer is the most common female cancer in the Western World and the leading cause of cancer death among women. It is a clinically heterogeneous clinical entity. Histologically similar tumors may have different prognosis and may respond to therapy differently. It is believed that these divergences in clinical behavior are due to molecular differences between microscopically similarneoplasmas.

Breast cancer is a complex disease of genetic background characterized by accumulation of molecular alterations resulting in an important clinical heterogeneity. Current prognostic factors (including lymph node status, tumor size, histological grade, hormone receptor status, ERBB2 expression and patient age) are insufficient to predict accurately the clinical outcome. Microarray expression profiling classifies breast cancer into five (or six) molecular subtypes: luminal A, luminal B, basal-like, HER2 and normal breast-like (sometime luminal C, too).

The different molecular classes of breast cancer not only have different prognoses but also show distinct sensitivities to preoperative chemotherapy. They have specific clinical profiles, as well (reproductive factors, age and race). It means that new, modified prevention strategy for breast cancer is necessary.

Cathya · 09-07-2011, 06:04 PM

Hi;

I am actually not really sure of my stage as I was never told but I guessed 3c....however, it's been six years for me NED (yahoo and touch wood a thousand times). I am her2++ not strongly and would love to have more genetic information on my tumors. I just went off arimidex and actonel this past month (I've never been so hot) and am now seen by my oncologist every six months.....as he still considers me high risk. I keep my eye on all the new research, am grateful tykerb is around now as I agree with Jackie about the genetic complexities of breast cancer and treatments required. Have hope as there are others of us around for long periods of time. Being er/pr+ is a positive in my view as it allows an additional avenue of treatment.

All the best,

Cathy

Melissa · 09-07-2011, 08:27 PM

Hello,

I think my markers are somewhat like yours. I believe not only cancers are different but also individuals effected by the cancer are all different. I think both determine how the cancer behaves. We are certainly on the cutting edge to finding cures, maintenance etc. At least that's what I believe. Research, Research, Research!

I'm still here and thankful for every moment.
Here's to celebrating many more...........

Rejoyce · 09-07-2011, 11:03 PM

I am stage 3B, ER+, PR weak, HER2 +++. I have finished TCH, had a double mastectomy and 33 RADS. My one year of Herceptin will be finished in November. I also am taking Aromasin for 5 years.
I had a CT yesterday and will find out the results next Tuesday.

tricia keegan · 09-08-2011, 03:02 PM

I was triple positve although an earlier stage than mentioned at 2B, but doing fine six years on, is triple positive rare???

Pray · 09-08-2011, 05:54 PM

Thank you so much all of my Sisters! Debbie you are just what I neened! Thank you for all of your info., common sense and your opinion is invaluable!
Rejoyce Gods blessings to you on your ct. I will be praying for you.
Jackie your info. is always so informatice and thats why I pm you!

JennyB to my little Sis, Please feel free to pm em or fb me anytime for friendship. I extend to everyone. I may not be the sharpest tool in the box but, I know where I can go for Great info. Right Here!

dberg · 09-08-2011, 07:30 PM

Rare? I have NEVER heard that before! I was dx in 2004, triple positive, 2/13 nodes+. I got herceptin after chemo and rads because that was when they closed the clinical trial and it became standard of care.
Who knows?? Was the particular clinical trial I did (SWOG 0221) or was it the "late" herceptin that has kept me around? Something is working!

Pray · 09-08-2011, 09:22 PM

Tricia, I think we were talking about stage III triple positve if we were rare. As you can see by Debbie's awsome post were not. I'm very glad you are at 6 anniv. I hope to be there in 4 years!

sassy · 09-08-2011, 09:30 PM

Pray,

I was a stage III triple positive. 5 of 14 nodes.

I'm going strong 6 1/2 years out. My onc guessed maybe around 8% of all breast cancers were triple positive. So not so rare. But we are "special"! Just like all the other special people on these boards!

Pray · 09-08-2011, 09:37 PM

Thank you Sassy! I'm so glad I have come to terms with having cancer. I really do think I'm as special as every one on this site!
You are to sweet!

Pray · 01-04-2013, 06:03 PM

Its been a year since these posts and I believe everyone here is still doing well! Amen!

tricia keegan · 01-05-2013, 03:45 PM

Yes indeed pray and its good to know all of us are still doing well

MJo · 01-05-2013, 03:55 PM

You can add my dear friend Barb to your list of triple positive Stage III. She was IIIB I believe. Diagnosed in 2005 and still NED.

europa · 01-05-2013, 05:27 PM

Hi, I'm adding to this, Stage IIB triple positive. I plan on being around until February 11th 2061. Don't ask me why that date but I keep having visions of it on my tombstone. I'm 38 now, so I will be an old fart by then.
My oncologist mentioned something to me when I was diagnosed. She said that most HER2+ tumors start out ER+ and as the tumor grows it evolves and uses less and less estrogen and more HER2 (protein). Not sure if this is true or not, but I thought I would throw it out if anyone else has heard this as well.