Do all HER2+ eventullay metastasize?

[eileen]

Becky, Hopeful...

Thank you for your support. Guess I'm having a bad week.
I was told by the genetic counselor that I have the brca gene (even though I tested negative) & was also offered to go on the vaccine clinical trial. Too much information for me to handle in one week. I'm just overwhelmed.

Eileen

[Carol Carlson]

Becky,
You are indeed a ray of sunshine. Even though I'm older than many of you ( 66 ) , I feel and act as though I am years younger ( NOT TO MENTION HOW YOUNG I LOOK !!!! ) I am a 3 year survivor and plan to spend many years enjoying my family, particularly my beautiful granchildren.
The year 2004 was a rough one with 2 surgeries , chemo and rads plus 1 year of herceptin which ended in May of '06.
I feel good, look great ( ????) and keep my sense of humor very active. God knows whaI I would have done without it......
Love to all and thanks, Becky
Carol

[Catherine]

Becky and others,
Thanks for putting things in perspective. Early on when I joined this site, I had the impression that I could expect a reoccurrence. Rhonda H and a few others answered personal posts and helped me get a better prespective. I just completed my 4th treatment of Herceptin. I asked my onocologist what my odds were. He said that at the end of one year of Herceptin,the odds of reoccurence decrease to 10-12%, if he understood my question and if I understood his answer correctly. I can live with 10-12% chance. Do you think this is accurate? When I first came to this site, I would leave scared. Then I started figuring out that others who were 2-5 years survivors were maybe no longer coming to the site. So thank you to the long-haulers who are NED and still sharing their wisdom. I feel great and worry less and less about a reoccurence. You have all helped me tremendously. I refer to you as my HER2 girlfriends when I relate stories to my family and local girlfriends.

Thanks and blessings to all and to all a good night, Catherine

[ExpectAMiracle]

I am new to the HER2 board. I have posted only once, in the Welcome Wagon section. I also had questions about the impact of being HER2+ in the long run, especially if you get clear margins and negative nodes with lumpectomy. At first, it seemed inevitable that you would have a recurrence or mets if you were HER2+. So many of the wonderful ladies that post here seem to have mets of some type. It was great to read in this thread that there have been success stories and that some of those women no longer post here. I am so appreciative of all of the special ladies that continue to post here and provide information to the newbies like me.

I had a lumpectomy on 3/7 and 5 of 5 nodes were clear in the OR. I am waiting for the full pathology report from my surgery now. I was supposed to get the report at an appt. with my surgeon this past Friday, but she was out with strep throat. I hope to find out more in the next day or two. For me, the hardest part of this journey so far is the waiting. It seems I am always waiting for something. That part doesn't get any easier, does it?

May God bless each of you in this sisterhood.

Love and prayers,

Susan

[MJo]

Becky -- I am interested in what you said about your support group. Did I understand correctly that the long term survivors (20 years) were still participating in a BC support group. I love my support group but ask myself if I will belong there as I become a long-term survivor.

[Diane H]

A big thank you to Becky and Hopeful and everyone else... it's wonderful to come here and give my spirits a boost, Health and Happiness and of course hugs to all, Diane

[suzan w]

When I first found this site, I was newly diagnosed and had a million questions. Thanks to so many of you, I found answers here. When I feel like my oncologist thinks I am asking the same thing over and over again expecting a different answer, I can come here and get so many different perspectives. There is nothing more important to me than getting answers, information and SUPPORT from women like us, who have been through all these treatments, fears, etc. Cancer is so scary and unpredictable. Friendship and caring can get us through so much! Thanks Everyone!!!