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Becky · 06-04-2011, 07:09 AM

About 1/3 of people who get mets have a change in the pathology of the tumors. This is because the anti hormonals do such a good job of getting rid of the cell lines that are hormone positive. For example, your original tumor was 90% ER+. This means that 10% of your original tumor was not ER+ but was ER negative. It is these cells that "lived" or were unaffected by treatment and it was those that grew and remained. All of our tumors are mixed in some respect. Sometimes women who are not Her2+ to begin with but only hormone positive become Her2+ with mets because in the original tumor, there were a couple of cells that were Her2+ and those are what grew back. So, it is not surprising that the pathology of these tumors is different - I just wanted you to know that this is not abnormal or strange.

You are a very brave person Michka. It is normal to be afraid and it is brave to say so and seek support. We are all here for you with our loving arms to give you the support you need. You are our sister.

06-04-2011, 07:09 AM	#7
Becky Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Stockton, NJ Posts: 4,179	Re: Lost About 1/3 of people who get mets have a change in the pathology of the tumors. This is because the anti hormonals do such a good job of getting rid of the cell lines that are hormone positive. For example, your original tumor was 90% ER+. This means that 10% of your original tumor was not ER+ but was ER negative. It is these cells that "lived" or were unaffected by treatment and it was those that grew and remained. All of our tumors are mixed in some respect. Sometimes women who are not Her2+ to begin with but only hormone positive become Her2+ with mets because in the original tumor, there were a couple of cells that were Her2+ and those are what grew back. So, it is not surprising that the pathology of these tumors is different - I just wanted you to know that this is not abnormal or strange. You are a very brave person Michka. It is normal to be afraid and it is brave to say so and seek support. We are all here for you with our loving arms to give you the support you need. You are our sister. __________________ Kind regards Becky Found lump via BSE Diagnosed 8/04 at age 45 1.9cm tumor, ER+PR-, Her2 3+(rt side) 2 micromets to sentinel node Stage 2A left 3mm DCIS - low grade ER+PR+Her2 neg lumpectomies 9/7/04 4DD AC followed by 4 DD taxol Used Leukine instead of Neulasta 35 rads on right side only 4/05 started Tamoxifen Started Herceptin 4 months after last Taxol due to trial results and 2005 ASCO meeting & recommendations Oophorectomy 8/05 Started Arimidex 9/05 Finished Herceptin (16 months) 9/06 Arimidex Only Prolia every 6 months for osteopenia NED 18 years! Said Christopher Robin to Pooh: "You must remember this: You're braver than you believe and stronger than you seem and smarter than you think"