Now the "Conundrum" as Dr. J. told us may happen when the HER2 tests come back. I am HER2 positive with a score of 5.0. The doctors would have like the 2.2 scale better, but I am a big personality and of course my results come back as "amplified or over expressed". This brings us to a very difficult decision that will definitely involve more than one oncologists opinion.
On Thursday, the doctors round tabled my case with all the test results. There were 3 oncologists in the room: one said I needed chemo with hormonal therapy, one said that I could just take the drug herceptin (an immune treatment) with hormone therapy, and the third person said that he/she will have to do more research....so now you know the Conundrum. It is very confusing and I don't know really what they are all talking about because I have not done my research this far into the cancer and was hoping I would not have to. But reality is we know that I will interview quite a few doctors and weigh the risks, benefits, and toll it will take on my body. The good news is that this herceptin is a tolerable drug.
I know there are many questions as to what is this HER2. HER2 (Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2) is a gene/protein that sends signals to your cells to tell them grow, divide and repair. A healthy breast cell has 2 copies of HER2 gene, but some kinds of breast cancer probably get started when a breast cell has more than 2 copies of this gene, and those copies start over-producing the HER2 protein. And therefore, the affected cells grow and divide too quickly and create the cancer. This amplified protein occurs in many kinds of cancers as well. And the reason you do any treatment is that the HER2 cancer cells may have spread beyond the tumors.
We are very mixed with the results and have no idea what direction we will be heading toward, but we do feel upbeat and positive as I have all along this journey. This, by all means, is not devastating news. As always, we are soo blessed.
On Monday I am going to have post-op visits with Dr. J. and Dr. Song. Probably learn more from them at that time as well.
Everyone have a great weekend. I may even be seen out and about on Saturday nite.
"Life is like a mirror, we get the best results when we smile at it." unknown
Joanie
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