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Suggest Treatment For Breast Cancer
Question: I am ER+PR+HER2 NEU. What does that mean and also how should it be treated. Currently I am being given Falsodex. I have had Arimidex. I am 2 years out from diagnosis, of metastic breast cancer, with peritoneal cancer that was told to be the breast cancer.
Brief Answer:
Your treatment seems to be correct.
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Thank you for the query.
First of all few words about what receptor is. Please imagine a cancer cell as a rounded structure. It contains some proteins which are located on the surface of this structure. This proteins are used to allow communication between the inside of the cell and outside of the cell. This proteins are receptors. Now every receptor has specific regulator. To make it simple - receptor is a lock. To activate the lock, we need a specific key. This key is another protein which opens only one lock.
ER+ means that the cancer cells are Estrogen sensitive (contain estrogen receptors on theirs surface).
PR+ means that the cancer cells are Progesterone sensitive (contain progesterone receptors on theirs surface)
HER2/NEU is usually is described as positive or negative. If its negative, this is good. HER2/NEU receptor is a special one. If there is too much of it on the surface of the cell (positive) the cell can multiply very quickly. If its negative, it multiplies much longer. I assume your is negative.
Falsodex is a kind of "key" for estrogen receptor. But it does not unlock the receptor. It blocks it so the receptor do not send signals and in result, do not stimulate the cell to multiply. This is a way to stop cancer cells from growing. This treatment is chosen correctly. It should be used as long as the tests results will show cancer cells response to this treatment. In simple words, if there will be no cancer progression in CT or ultrasound.
If the tests will show no effectiveness of this medicine on some point, it will be switched to chemotherapy most likely. But this should be chosen by oncologist.
Hope this will help. Feel free to ask further questions.
Regards.
Your treatment seems to be correct.
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Thank you for the query.
First of all few words about what receptor is. Please imagine a cancer cell as a rounded structure. It contains some proteins which are located on the surface of this structure. This proteins are used to allow communication between the inside of the cell and outside of the cell. This proteins are receptors. Now every receptor has specific regulator. To make it simple - receptor is a lock. To activate the lock, we need a specific key. This key is another protein which opens only one lock.
ER+ means that the cancer cells are Estrogen sensitive (contain estrogen receptors on theirs surface).
PR+ means that the cancer cells are Progesterone sensitive (contain progesterone receptors on theirs surface)
HER2/NEU is usually is described as positive or negative. If its negative, this is good. HER2/NEU receptor is a special one. If there is too much of it on the surface of the cell (positive) the cell can multiply very quickly. If its negative, it multiplies much longer. I assume your is negative.
Falsodex is a kind of "key" for estrogen receptor. But it does not unlock the receptor. It blocks it so the receptor do not send signals and in result, do not stimulate the cell to multiply. This is a way to stop cancer cells from growing. This treatment is chosen correctly. It should be used as long as the tests results will show cancer cells response to this treatment. In simple words, if there will be no cancer progression in CT or ultrasound.
If the tests will show no effectiveness of this medicine on some point, it will be switched to chemotherapy most likely. But this should be chosen by oncologist.
Hope this will help. Feel free to ask further questions.
Regards.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
Answered by
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