Recurrence

Joe, I am still very confused. If the research is saying that there is no difference to recurrence and survival rates in women wo are HER2 positive, why this website, why all the ?hype about being HER2 positive. I don't know how long HER2 status has been routinely tested in the US but where i live in Australia and had my mastectomy in February 2003, HER2 was not routinely tested. i actually requested the test after doing some research. Incidently HER2 testing at the hospital where i had the mastectomy is now done routinely It came back 3+++ and my oncologist said it affects my overall risk of reurrence etc. Has research into the prognostic value of HER2 status now determined that it is not of prognostic value. The other comment my onc made was that if i do recurr at least we know that we can use herceptin. When i later presented to my onc with a sore leg and we discussed the chance of it being bone mets (came back clear on bone scan) he said 'well you HER2 positive' almost as though it was a foregone conclusion that at some point i would have recurrence. Janet