Lymph nodes- They are clear. NO CANCER in them. That is the biggest praise. Thank you for the prayers.
I'm going to give you a bit of Cancer acronym background before I go on.
ER=Estrogen Receptive-http://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/diagnosis/hormone_status
A cancer is called estrogen-receptor-positive (or ER+) if it has receptors for estrogen. This suggests that the cancer cells, like normal breast cells, may receive signals from estrogen that could promote their growth.
PR=Progesteron Receptive-http://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/diagnosis/hormone_status
The cancer is progesterone-receptor-positive (PR+) if it has progesterone receptors. Again, this means that the cancer cells may receive signals from progesterone that could promote their growth. Roughly two out of every three breast cancers test positive for hormone receptors.
HER2=Human Epidermal Growth factor receptor 2-http://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/diagnosis/her2
The HER2 gene makes HER2 proteins. HER2 proteins are receptors on breast cells. Normally, HER2 receptors help control how a healthy breast cell grows, divides, and repairs itself. But in about 25% of breast cancers, the HER2 gene doesn't work correctly and makes too many copies of itself (known as HER2 gene amplification). All these extra HER2 genes tell breast cells to make too many HER2 receptors (HER2 protein over expression). This makes breast cells grow and divide in an uncontrolled way.
When I arrived to the surgeon he was throwing all these words at me and numbers and I was totally confused. He could tell I still had questions and called the oncologist and sent me straight to him. This oncologist comes highly recommended by a Facebook friend that was diagnosed and treated over here has reached out to me after a mutual friend introduced us. The oncologist also happens to be the one the surgeon has referred me to. Again this is all in GOD's HANDS!!!
So here it goes. I'm going to try to explain the best I can what the oncologist told me.
I am ER 10%+, PR- and HER2-. He has told me that since I am ER 10% positive he is recommending I have chemo to kill the estrogen hormone that could cause the cancer to return. Now, he is not sure how much chemo he wants to give. He has told me to have some of the tissue sent for an OncotypeDX test (done in the states and should have results in 3 weeks).
http://www.oncotypedx.com (The Oncotype DX® Breast Cancer Assay can help physicians and patients decide on the best course of treatment. For invasive breast cancer, the Oncotype DX Breast Cancer Assay predicts chemotherapy benefit and the likelihood of distant breast cancer recurrence. The Oncotype DX Breast Cancer Assay for DCIS patients predicts the risk of local recurrence. Even when traditional measures seem conclusive, Oncotype DX Recurrence Score can lead to a different approach).
The Oncotype DX test is a genomic test that analyzes the activity of a group of genes that can affect how a cancer is likely to behave and respond to treatment. The Oncotype DX is used in two ways:
- to help doctors figure out a woman’s risk of early-stage, estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer coming back (recurrence), as well as how likely she is to benefit from chemotherapy after breast cancer surgery (this is why he is asking me to do the test)
Recurrence Score Result | What the Score Means |
| Lower than 18 | The breast cancer has a low risk of recurrence with hormonal therapy. The benefit of chemotherapy is likely to be small and will not outweigh the risks of side effects. |
| Between 18 and 31 | The breast cancer has an intermediate risk of recurrence with hormonal therapy. It is unclear whether the benefits of chemotherapy outweigh the risks of side effects. |
| Greater than 31 | The breast cancer has a high risk of recurrence with hormonal therapy, and the benefits of chemotherapy are likely to be greater than the risks of side effects. |
As far as radiation goes I am waiting for the BRACA test results to come back, hopefully within the next 3 weeks. Should I have the BRACA gene then they are recommending I do a BRACA mastectomy. At this point I will do double. So they do not want to start radiation because it will damage the breast area skin and they want to wait until after that test comes back so when I decide to do reconstruction it can look half way decent. (if there is such a thing, lol). ALSO ASKING FOR PRAYER THAT THIS TEST COMES BACK NEGATIVE!!
So all this being said I WAIT!!! People that know me know how much I despise WAITING!!! If there is one thing in the UAE I have learned it is patience. The doctors are being very precise but it is taking time. It is also holiday/summer vacation here and now is the time the doctors are all taking their vacations. In fact my oncologist will be gone from Aug 4-20. However he did say that if results came back and it was not good (but it WILL be good, I KNOW) then he would have another Dr. look after me until he arrived back to work.
I do know that the tumor is out of my body and it's not continuing to grow and my lymph nodes are clear so not growing there either. So what am I going to do....WAIT!!
Note: I know this is quite a bit of information but this is also my way of journalling through my journey. Also know I DO NOT read things on the Internet about breast cancer but this was the best way for me to get the definitions
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