My Sister Has Breast Cancer
 

My youngest sister was diagnosed this week with a rare form of breast cancer, papillary adenocarcinoma. She got the IHC test back and she is triple negative. She just turned 50.....she will be meeting with the breast clinic panel at Rush in Chicago this Wednesday....I have chemo that day so we will go together. Please keep her in your prayers....

Re: My Sister Has Breast Cancer
 

I will keep you close to my heart. At least you can be with and near your sister. A sister is a special person. I know when my sister was diagnosed last year, I just wished it was me again.

Keep the faith. I am always thinking about you dear friend.

Re: My Sister Has Breast Cancer
 

My thoughts are with you both, Sheila. Ceesun

Re: My Sister Has Breast Cancer
 

Oh Sheila,
Rats, that is not the news you want to hear. Your sister is in my prayers. I'll be thinking of the both of you.
Hugs,
Kris....

Re: My Sister Has Breast Cancer
 

I'm so sorry Sheila and will be thinking of you both, I have another 24 year cancer survivor friend who's sister was diagnosed this week too:(

Re: My Sister Has Breast Cancer
 

Sheila, you know how I feel about this. Continuing to hold you both in my thoughts and prayers

Re: My Sister Has Breast Cancer
 

Keeping you both in my thoughts and prayers.

Re: My Sister Has Breast Cancer
 

Oh Sheila, I'm so sorry. You will both be in my prayers. I found this group when my dear sis was diagnosed.....Seems like a few of us are among those who have siblings with similar diagnoses. I'm sure you are a source of comfort and strength for her, a role we wish with our whole hearts we didn't need to fill. Hope she gets a good plan in place on Wednesday. Let her know we are wishing her well!

Barb A.

Re: My Sister Has Breast Cancer
 

Sheila,
I am so sorry to hear the news of your sister's diagnosis. What a tough year it has been for you and your family.
There is a woman I meet with frequently at my center who is triple negative with plenty of mets...she's been NED for a very long time now. My best wishes to you all.
Love
Karen

Re: My Sister Has Breast Cancer
 

Oh Sheila I am so sorry.. prayers for you all. And No doubt you will be an unbelievable help to her!

Gentle hugs,
Marcia

(Hope I don't sound insensitive...:(.. but am wondering if you were ever BRCA tested? A high % of BRCA + women are triple negs.
The PARP inhibitors are their most current weapon although they first are treated with standard chemo)
Just trying to be helpful in my small way)

Re: My Sister Has Breast Cancer
 

Awww Sheila......I'm sorry. Yes, I will keep your sister and you in my prayers. I have a sister too. We are very close. I always hope she doesn't get breast cancer too. Like Becky, I would rather it be me. Love and prayers Sheila.

Re: My Sister Has Breast Cancer
 

Sheila,

I have two older sisters (and three older brothers) and I understand how you (and your sister)feel. I'm confident your sister will sail through all the hurdles under your guidance.

Didn't see any genetic testing info in your signature. Perhaps both of you need to be tested?

Sending y'al good vibes.

Re: My Sister Has Breast Cancer
 

Sheila I am sending love to you and your sister. I am so sorry. I understand what Becky and you feel. Michka

Re: My Sister Has Breast Cancer
 

Thinking good thoughts for you both. She is fortunate to have you with her.

Re: My Sister Has Breast Cancer
 

Thank you all for your support and prayers for my sister...I am trying to stay strong bfor her.

I was tested 1 year ago for the BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene and both were negative. Seems the did a BART (?) test on me too and it was negative....makes me wonder with my Mom, then me, now my youngest sister.....but all three of us have had no similarities in our cancers.

Re: My Sister Has Breast Cancer
 

Sheila,
Thought this bit of info might help in terms of BRCA ... Seems that there are families, albeit rare, where although one (affected w BC) family member may be - , tested other family members may be prudent as they could still be +.

At this point the purpose would be to determine if your sister might need to take other steps recommended for those who are BRCA+, ie; Oophrectomy.

Hope I am not being annoying I know u dont need that?!

At the very least speaking with a Certified Genetics Counselor would be in order as there are other familial cancer syndromes that include BC.

With genuine concern,
Marcia

Re: My Sister Has Breast Cancer
 

Sheila, your sister and you are in my prayers. Best Wishes, Mary L

Re: My Sister Has Breast Cancer
 

Sheila,

Life is not fair. As one of my client's said... "S*** happens". There are probably connections that nobody knows. Or maybe it is just pure coincidence. But it sounds like hard new to ingest. I hope the news/outcome for your sister is ultimately good...

Melanie

PS: I should say that my mother too is a survivor.

Re: My Sister Has Breast Cancer
 

Hi Sheila I am sorry to hear this about your sister. I lost my mom , my mother's mom, and my mom's only sister to BC. and I was dxed May 2011.
I have been told by many Drs I most likely carry a genetic mutation that simply has not been identified yet.

We all have thousands of genes, and BrAc1 andBrAc2 is just the tip of the iceberg so to speak.

I lost sister this year and I know the pain well.

Becky I am sorry to hear of your sisters Diagnosis.

It all sucks.

Re: My Sister Has Breast Cancer
 

Sheila, you do surely have my prayers and thoughts each day for you and your sister. Whatever the reason for this, if it's happening, I'm so glad you have each other. Luv to you both, ma

Re: My Sister Has Breast Cancer
 

Not what either of you wanted to hear. Oh why can't we identify the cause of this dreaded disease! Thank goodness she has your experience and words of comfort, hope and wisdom to help her. My best to you both! Hugs!

Re: My Sister Has Breast Cancer
 

Hi Sheila,

I meant to ask your sister's name.

I will definitely pray for you two.

Much Love to you Sheila,


Adriana

Re: My Sister Has Breast Cancer
 

You and your family are getting some challenges lately for sure. Aint that the way? Hang in there.

Re: My Sister Has Breast Cancer
 

Sheila,

Your sister is in my prayers. I'm very saddened to hear this news. Cancer doesn't seem to want to give us a break.

Joan

Re: My Sister Has Breast Cancer
 

Shelia,
I am so sorry your sister got this dreaded news. I can only imagine how hard this must be for the both of you. At least your sister has you to help her through this. But my heart goes out to you both. I will add your sister to my prayers, & that she gets through this quickly and becomes NED.

Chelee

Re: My Sister Has Breast Cancer
 

Any chance of her getting a sample for chemosensitivity testing from primary biopsy/surgery? That would seem prudent given the limited "proven" choices for triple neg.

Re: My Sister Has Breast Cancer
 

Mol Cancer. 2010 Oct 14;9:274.
Synergistic epigenetic reactivation of estrogen receptor-α (ERα) by combined green tea polyphenol and histone deacetylase inhibitor in ERα-negative breast cancer cells.

Li Y, Yuan YY, Meeran SM, Tollefsbol TO.

FREE TEXT

Source

Department of Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1300 University Boulevard Birmingham, AL 35294, USA.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

The status of estrogen receptor-α (ERα) is critical to the clinical prognosis and therapeutic approach in breast cancer. ERα-negative breast cancer is clinically aggressive and has a poor prognosis because of the lack of hormone target-directed therapies. Previous studies have shown that epigenetic regulation plays a major role in ERα silencing in human breast cancer cells. Dietary green tea polyphenol, (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), is believed to be an anticancer agent in part through its regulation of epigenetic processes.
RESULTS:

In our current studies, we found that EGCG can reactivate ERα expression in ERα-negative MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Combination studies using EGCG with the histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor, trichostatin A (TSA), revealed a synergistic effect of reactivation of ERα expression in ERα-negative breast cancer cells. Reactivation of ERα expression by EGCG and TSA treatment was found to sensitize ERα-dependent cellular responses to activator 17β-estradiol (E2) and antagonist tamoxifen in ERα-negative breast cancer cells. We also found that EGCG can lead to remodeling of the chromatin structure of the ERα promoter by altering histone acetylation and methylation status thereby resulting in ERα reactivation. A decreased binding of the transcription repressor complex, Rb/p130-E2F4/5-HDAC1-SUV39H1-DNMT1, in the regulatory region of the ERα promoter also contributes to ERα transcriptional activation through treatment with EGCG and/or TSA.
CONCLUSIONS:

Collectively, these studies show that green tea EGCG can restore ERα expression by regulating epigenetic mechanisms, and this effect is enhanced when combined with an HDAC inhibitor. This study will facilitate more effective uses of combination approaches in breast cancer therapy and will help to explore more effective chemotherapeutic strategies toward hormone-resistant breast cancer.

PMID:20946668 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
PMCID: PMC2967543

Re: My Sister Has Breast Cancer
 

I am sending prayers and support your way for you and your sister. Enough is enough already with your family! There has to be some real good coming your way and soon. I have a friend who was diagnosed triple negative years ago and she was from Chicago but received a special treatment in Wisconsin and I believe it was Madison. She was diagnosed at least 10 years ago and is doing great. I pray the same for your sister.

Re: My Sister Has Breast Cancer
 

X@#%*****!!!!!!! #$%^^ @&*$@& #@$^&(@ !!!!!!!

Translation: damn, f'in disease! So sorry it has touched your family again, Sheila. Totally P.O.'d about this.

Bet she is as tough and wonderful as you! Love to both of you.

Re: My Sister Has Breast Cancer
 

Sheila,

Golly, gee. Would someone please step forward and turn off the cancer epidemic.....So sorry to hear about your sister. Gee, it does not seem fair that so many people have to go through this trauma. Hoping and praying for the right meds and the time it takes to get to the other side of treatment. Wishing you and your sister and your family all the best. Sending good vibes your way.

Catherine

Re: My Sister Has Breast Cancer
 

What did they come up with?

Re: My Sister Has Breast Cancer
 

Rich:
She met with the breast panel at Rush in Chicago...saw all the Dr's needed in one sitting. They ordered her tumor block for FISH testing, as they said it is extremely rare that she would be triple negative with papillary breast cancer and only the IHC was done. She had an MRI done on both breasts, and probable DCIS throughout showed up...not seen on the digital mammo or ultrasound. Timing is everthing when having an MRI and for the best read, needs to be done within certain days of the menstrual cycle. She has to meet with the plastic surgeon, as she is unsure if she wants reconstruction....then she is slated for CT's, Bone Scan, blood work and bilateral mastectomy mid July, and depending on findings and FISH results and node status, systemic treatment, AKA chemo will be added. She was very impressed with the team, and feels as she is in good hands. She seems better just knowing that she is now taking control.

Re: My Sister Has Breast Cancer
 

Seems like not much out there regarding neoadjuvant in triple neg. Of course, no treatment before surgery means chemosensitivity sample could be gathered;)
Saw this, and although from China, the figures are pretty surprising:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21528408

Re: My Sister Has Breast Cancer
 

Hang onto those slides..a new ER test may be worth checking out:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0627162825.htm

Re: My Sister Has Breast Cancer
 

Glad to hear she is in "fightin'" form like her big sis!

Re: My Sister Has Breast Cancer
 

Dear Sheila,
Have not been on the site much in the past few wks and just read your post about your sister. I am so sorry for her and you. I know you will be a wonderful supportive
sister and once treatment begins both of you will feel more in control.

Keeping both of you and your family in my prayers.
Hugs,
Jean

Re: My Sister Has Breast Cancer
 

Unique focus on trip neg:
http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/river...3ec039a91.html