Odd, but isn't it appearing that the once "dreaded" HER2+ prognosis...

[RhondaH]

is headed toward a BETTER prognosis than ER+/PR+, Grade 1, Her2-?

Rhonda

[anne]

Thank you Rhonda for this. I almost had a heart attack two years ago when they told me my mom was Her2+. It makes me feel a little better. I hope that the newer people dx will get some better info than we did.

Anne

[penelope]

Hi all, I am new to the site but have been lurking for about a year. I get some awesome info here, thank you one and all.

As to Rhondas comment, I have often wondered this myself. I almost feel lucky.

[Sheila]

Rhonda
We have many angels looking out for all of us from above on this I feel!!!!

[RhondaH]

just as I read that:)

Rhonda

[mod*mom]

we have a similar diagnosis.
i'm her2neu+, hormone -, stage 3B, 10X8CM IDC, 3rd generation.

I'm supposed to have a mastectomy in a week or 2.
I've had 4 months of ACT + 2 months of herceptin.

Did you opt for the bilateral or have cancer in both breasts?
Were you genetically tested? I was + I'll get the results in a week or 2.

Have you encountered many people with the same diagnosis?

[penelope]

Hi modmom,
Yes I opted for the bilateral. In fact they tried to convince me otherwise but I was adamant. I feel lucky to have gotten off at stage 1 and I figured that the other breast was just a time bomb even though it was completly healthy at the time. I have not had testing as I feel it is pretty obvious that I have a genetic mutation. 36 with cancer and 3rd generation is pretty obvious to me and I have treated myself as such. The only remaining thing that I could do if I was genetically positive is to have my ovaries out. I figure I will wait until I am 40 for that. They did not give me taxol as I was node negative but I have often wondered if I should have had it. If I was to do it all over again I would have found my mother's tissue samples and tested her for the gene, then had a prophylactic mast ahead of time. Hind sight is 20/20

[mod*mom]

thank you for replying to my questions penelope.
i thought you were 7cm (stage 3)?
good for you that you caught it early.
i am terrified of surgery.
i don't think i could cut off my other healthy breast.
i'm just going to watch it closely.
take care.

[chrisy]

Rhonda, your post really hit home for me.

I had a freaky ride from Stage 0 in 2002 to Stage IV (don't pass go, don't collect $200!) in 2004. So when they discovered liver mets, I was totally blind to what the pathology would be - they didn't test DCIS for ER/PR/Her2 back then.

While I was waiting for the results, a friend in the "BC community" reported that she had told another friend, an oncology nurse at the local cancer resource center, what was happening. Her first response was "LETS PRAY IT'S HER2 POSITIVE"!

Go figure!

[lu ann]

When I had my appt. with my origional rad. onc., 2 years ago, he said that if one is to have an agressive cancer her2 was the better one to have.

Blessings from Lu Ann

[penelope]

modmom,
Surgery was not as bad as I had imagined, totally doable. I looked at lots of pictures before hand and saw some horrific ones. I came out of a bilateral with out a bruise. Absolutely amazing. It is incredible how much strength you will find when push comes to shove. Rember that you have time to make your decisions thoughtfully, don't let them rush you.