I may not even belong on this forum ---- but wanted to run this by you ladies that know something about HER2.

I will try to make this brief -- but it is complicated.

Dx in 04 at age 63. Lumpectomy, good clear margins, no node involvement, stage I, grade 3, ER+PR+ over 90%, 36 rads w/boosts, took Arimidex for 5 years.

For 5 years I thought I was HER2 negative. While researching for a friend, I learned there are scores and that 2+ is considered borderline. I did not remember ever seeing a number so dug out my path report and looked. It says (HER2 = 2+NEGATIVE)

I called the dr. office and asked why it said negative when it was borderline. They told me that in 04 a score of 2+ was considered negative and at the time of my dx. they were not yet doing the FISH test.

They assured me that being 5 years and 7 months out was really good and I probably have nothing to be worried about!
I saw my Rad Onc last week and she told me the exact same thing.

I never had a Med. Onc. because my Dr, in agreement with the whole care team did not think I needed to have chemo.

Just a word about how I came to agree with them. I am a believer and I was so naive about BC and did not know what to do..... so I put it to prayer and asked the Lord to give the Drs. wisdom to tell me what I should do. My drs. all know how very sensitive I am to most meds and when I was told that I did not need chemo --- I went with it.

It is too late, I know, to do anything, and the tissue is usually only kept 5 years and I'm past that and the test they would do depends on whether it was preserved in wax or frozen.

I have talked to others dx. at that time and their path report have no numbers - just say neg. or pos. so no telling how many are out there that are borderline.

I see my Rad. Onc. still once a year because of not having a Med. Onc. I see my surgeon (breast cancer specialist) Gyn and PCP -- all once a year. I am watched closely and so far so good.

This has been a shock and thrown me for a loop -to think for 5 years I am neg to find out I may be borderline -- and I have no idea what I expect any of you to say
any thoughts will be appreciated.

Joan-05

Joan, it wouldn't have mattered if your tumor had been considered her2+ 5 years ago since Herceptin was only approved for adjuvant use in 2006, and at stage 1, with a borderline positive pathology, you likely would not have been recruited for a clinical trial. You just would have had a higher anxiety level for the past 5 years.

You dodged a bullet, and avoided chemo, and have had more than 5 (healthy?) years. That is something to celebrate, not to be concerned about.

I only worried about the cancer coming back for a few months before my healthy brother-in-law dropped dead from a brain anyurism. His 78 year old mother was devastated, as we all were. That drove home the message that when it is our time, it's our time, no matter what, but not a minute sooner. So now I try to concentrate on living the time I've got and trying not to worry too much about the "what if's" that I really can't do anything about anyway.

Joan,

Try to take a really good breath and relax. Don't worry yourself. All is well with you. I didn't have chemo and it has been 5 years, and to be honest I don't even know any thing about that test and score you are talking about. When my Drs. said no chemo was necessary I was beyond happy and have stayed that way. I worried more about chemo then I did about having BC in the first place. I really believed I wouldn't have survived it.

You must take this out of your mind, and believe you are healed. It doesn't hurt to eat healthy and know by doing that you can get even healthier... and it's never too late to start changing your diet if you haven't done so already. Don't look back, look forward.

PAT AND ROSEMARY,

I KNOW YOU ARE BOTH RIGHT AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT I WOULD TELL SOMEONE ELSE! I'M REALLY GOOD AT GIVING OTHERS ADVICE -- BUT SOMETIMES FAIL TO FOLLOW THAT ADVICE FOR MYSELF.

I REALLY DO APPRECIATE BOTH OF YOUR ANSWERS MORE THAN I CAN SAY. I AM HANDLING IT BETTER AND HAVE BEEN EATING BETTER. I'VE LOST 3 POUNDS RECENTLY, MOVING MORE AND AS I'M NOT ONE TO EXERCISE MUCH --- I REALLY HAVE A CLEAN HOUSE! GOD BLESS AND HOPE BOTH OF YOU ARE HAVING A GOOD DAY.

(I AM NEW HERE ON THIS BOARD AND TRYING TO GET USED TO IT - HAVEN'T QUITE FOUND MY WAY AROUND YET! )

JOAN-05

OKAY !

Call me dumb! When I go to a forum --- I think I am seeing the posts from oldest to newest -- and sometimes I don't want to read that many --- just the last few posts.... and I don't understand the date ????

I know this is not the forum for this question -- but I'm new here so someone please HELP!

JOAN

Joan,

Your Ok, we found you no matter where you want to post a question, under any topic. I know exactly what your saying about being good at giving but not taking your own advice.

You really must get this out of your head. Be gone with it. You were caught early, as I was, 5 years is over and all is well. Even with chemo there is no guarantee of anything. So dwell on the things your doing to remain healthy. Every time I eat walnuts, I think of them as anti-cancer food and on and on throughout the day as I eat different things to keep myself healthy. All the vitamins I take are anti-cancer nuggets for my good health. I've given up eating things too. Or better said, I'll eat something I know is on the bad list, but very infrequently. As you get good with it, you'll eventually begin to crave broccoli. Then you know you've changed for the better.

The bottom of the list is the newest post. Just hit the page number, scroll down to the last post.

Rosemary,

Crave Broccoli ??? Ha

Since I went off the Arimidex and don't know how much estrogen an old gal like myself can have I went on line and found some foods that lower estrogen and broccoli was one of them, along with cabbage, cauliflower, beans, oatmeal, etc.

Now I have a nice bunch of broccoli and cauliflower and bought a new microwave steamer, because the site said it was better for us cooked! ha I ate it once in a while but plan to eat it more..... Eat plenty of beans and nuts, already and have oatmeal (old fashioned long cooking kind) every morning with blueberries.

I'll let you know if I get up in the middle of the night to eat some broccoli! ha ha

Thanks for your answer.

Joan

Joan,

Actually, broccoli has much more nutrients when eaten raw, 30% more which is a lot to lose by cooking. It makes me feel better because I hate to cook broccoli. I don't like the smell in the house.

I've been juicing, not all the time now, but I was doing it every other day there for a long while. Doing that made me feel invincible. I know, the woman is bonkers.

I've decided to buy a vita-mix for xmas. My Jack LaLanne leaves too much pulp left over, and it feels wasteful to just throw it out, and not eat it. Then I have to put a gazillion veggies in to get 12 ozs of juice, so I was thinking the vita-mix might solve that problem. It would be something I could do every day because it's so much easier then juicing. I did a good job of convincing myself that I'll use it everyday.

Your on the right track. Have you seen the CAM heading on the index page? We put our food finds there. Any thing you find is welcome.

Rosemary,

My daughter and son in law bought a Vita-Mix last year and use it all the time. She says she even makes soup in hers. Our other daughter has a Jack L. juicer and likes the Vita-Mix much better and is going to sell her juicer and get a Vita-Mix.

They are very expensive. I don't think I would use it enough to make it pay.

I still eat raw Broccoli but we like the steamed, too. I will take a look at the food thread.

Thanks.
Joan

Uh-oh, talking about Vita-Mix again! I will interject here to say I LOVE MY VITA-MIX!!!!

I use it for everything, even to make my pancake batter. We make smoothies all the time -- get the whole fruit. Makes the best soups!!!