HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - here we go again: How inexact ER status testing is!!!

TSund · 07-10-2007, 08:34 AM

I think I may have posted these elsewhere but haven't received opinions yet:

1) Is it possible that ER+/HER2+ tumors "need" chemo or react to chemo differently than ER+ alone? I ask this because Ruth is 100% ER+/95% PR+ and so far has had a pretty dramatic response to pre-adjuvant TCH chemo.

2) Since Herceptin has been shown to work better with chemo is there some synergistic work between the two which indicates it either way for HER2+ or does that bring us again back to 1) above?

3) Would this data on ER+ testing mostly affect those who are ER-? (in the idea that they might need the hormone treament after all if test was in accurate) Would it possibly affect treatment regime decisions on those who are showing ER+?

4) Lani, can you translate this into a recommendation? When Ruth has her surgery and sentinel node biopsy should we ask for a different dye or since she's already established ER+ is it not a big deal? Can the dye affect anything else?

Lani, Your research is ALWaYS very interesting..tho hard for me to slog thru!

I always appreciate it when you put a few words in to translate!

07-10-2007, 08:34 AM	#11
TSund Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: DFW area (TX) Posts: 431	Lani... I think I may have posted these elsewhere but haven't received opinions yet: 1) Is it possible that ER+/HER2+ tumors "need" chemo or react to chemo differently than ER+ alone? I ask this because Ruth is 100% ER+/95% PR+ and so far has had a pretty dramatic response to pre-adjuvant TCH chemo. 2) Since Herceptin has been shown to work better with chemo is there some synergistic work between the two which indicates it either way for HER2+ or does that bring us again back to 1) above? 3) Would this data on ER+ testing mostly affect those who are ER-? (in the idea that they might need the hormone treament after all if test was in accurate) Would it possibly affect treatment regime decisions on those who are showing ER+? 4) Lani, can you translate this into a recommendation? When Ruth has her surgery and sentinel node biopsy should we ask for a different dye or since she's already established ER+ is it not a big deal? Can the dye affect anything else? Lani, Your research is ALWaYS very interesting..tho hard for me to slog thru! I always appreciate it when you put a few words in to translate!