ER-

[AlaskaAngel]

ER- usually aren't on tamoxifen but I have seen a few online who are, sometimes in the belief that it might do some good. Mainly the question applies to ER+, HER2 highly positive, who happen to have a high level of AIB1.

I am just trying to ask questions because I didn't know there was any danger to women who were ER+, HER2 very positive and I want to do what I can to be sure other women to consider whether or not the question of AIB1 is meaningful to them.

A.A.

[Rozebud]

No, it's a good and fair question, one that I have asked myself. I was put on tamox/hormone therapy because (1) I am PR+23% (there are studies that say PR is as important as ER in being hormone responsive, and (2) (and this is the one I'm not sure I "get") I was pregnant at diagnosis, so she thinks it's safer to treat me as "if" I were strongly ER+. I'm not sure I get that, since I would think pregnancy would exaggerate the ER status, but I just took it at face value. I figured, at best, tamox could help, at worst, it would do me no good.

Now I read that it is could interact with her2 to potentially give me a worse prognosis....

[AlaskaAngel]

Thanks for the explanation, very interesting.

Jacqueline's posts are helpful in finding out more.

I haven't been able to find any source that provides any information about how the level of AIB1 is measured or determined. If it were to turn out that you or I don't have a high level of AIB1, then even if we are HER2+++ and taking tamoxifen we aren't in the group that would be affected.

At present the focus seems to be on fixing the problem by adding Iressa to the tamoxifen, but that is still in clinical trial and may not be a perfect solution for everyone who is affected by HER2, tamoxifen, and AIB1.