ok all you nutritional gurus....

[Becky]

On some pathology reports the mitotic index is reported as it is part of a Nottingham score where histology, tubules and mitotic index scores (all ranging 1-3) are added to come to the Nottingham score (or Grade of cancer). A score of 1 for any of these is low, 2 is intermediate and 3 is high. So a mitotic score of 1 means that the cells are dividing slowly and a 3 is rapidly dividing.

I have heard that if you get a score of 2 in any area, you should make sure the slides are read at a big cancer center (ie: Sloan Kettering, Dana Farber, UCLA, MD Anderson etc) because it really takes expertise to read a 2 in any category (too much to be low, to little to be high) so you really have to have a "feel" for it.

I am a biochemist by education but worked as a chemist many, many years. Now, I still work in chemistry but in selling and marketing (currently raw materials for hydraulic fluids, brake fluids, transmission fluids and synthetic lubricants).

[penelope]

Thank you Becky for answering my questions. I had wondered about your science background as you are very knowledgable and a great wealth of info on this site. Thank you for that. You help so very many of us.

I actually scored a 1 on the mitotic index and grade 2 for tubles and 3 for how wild the cells looked, which all worked out to a grade 2 cancer.

I had my slides read at UCSF, Franc Buck Breast Center.

I was wondering how it is if Her2+ is so fast growing you can have a tumor slowly dividing? Wouldn't this be a contradicition?

[Chelee]

I have that mitotic index on my path report too and got a 3 in all area's giving me 9 of 9 on my Richardson scale. (Very bad.)

Becky...I have ALWAYS wanted to have my slides read else where...do you think that would be a good idea at this point? I know its after the fact but I've thought many times I would like to send them to UCLA or Sloan. (I was talked out of a 2nd opinion when first DX so my slides were never looked at my any one else.) I've always wondered what a *major* cancer center would come up with? What's your opinion on this if you don't mind?

Chelee

[Becky]

Penelope - my scores were exactly the same as yours. I had a second opinion at Sloan (as my community hospital had the tubules at 3 but Sloan then Hopkins both reported a 2 for that). I think the same about mitotic index being low but that's a good thing to have.

Chelee - at this point, it probably doesn't matter as treatment is over. In the future, we all will want to make sure all the new markers are tested and the readings are correct as even Top2A will start being tested (yeah)!

[Chelee]

Becky, I had a feeling you would say that. I've always had this curiousity about my path report? Nothing has went right since the day I started here. So many problems and oops with me that its not funny. Then later on when I read my path report even the stains my cancer center used were *not* approved at that time nor did they have to be. But since everything on my path report was about as bad as it gets...I guess I always thought how nice it would be for a major cancer center to come up with a better reading of my path report. (Even though it wouldn't change a thing now.) They worked so hard at keeping me from getting a 2nd opinion that I sometimes wonder about the whole thing? I should try to forget it...I'm still here and doing good all things considered. (Knock on wood.) But God forbid something pops up in the future for me, things will certainly be different. I'm ready now! Thanks Becky!Chelee

[R.B.]

Becky

Thanks for the Omega Three post.

It is indeed fascinating complex and relevant.

RB