ER- / PR- - what does this mean?

StellaG

Hi everyone. Another "new" member of the club no one wants to belong to. I am aged 55 and was Dx in early August 2010 following routine mammogram and after stereostatic biopsy found to have 21mm DCIS non invasive, high grade. Had lumpectomy 23 Aug but there were 2 out of 6 margins with unsatisfactory clearances so the next step was a no-brainer for me - I had right Mx on 20 Sept with immediate strattice reconstruction and the "good" one will be enhanced to match later on. I only have tiny boobies so they didn't stand a chance really. However, I will emerge from this nightmare with a lovely pair of C-cup size boobs. Every cloud, eh???

 I don't know how any other members from the UK feel but to me, it would appear that whilst we have the fabulous resource of the NHS which means that we do not face any of the hassles of insurance payments, we do not have access to such things as second opinions and from my own experience, surgeons and the medical profession in general are vey tight lipped when you ask them a question. Gathering any meaningful information has been a nightmare. This board has been a godsend to me and I have stopped reading any other forums as I have found members such as Beesie to be so knowledgeable and my mind has been put at rest on several occasions, for which I thank you all.

My question is - what does the Er-/Pr- bit in the diagnosis actually mean? I can't get an answer from any one at the hospital. I think it means that my DCIS was not fuelled by hormones. If it did not grow as a result of this, then how / why did it grow? Also my PS said to me that in the "good" breast, when I have the implant to enhance it, that it will actually REDUCE the risk of DCIS in that one. How would that be? I realise that I should have asked what he meant at the time but you don't get a very long consultation and I was almost out of the door when he said this.

 Thanking you in anticipation - Sharon xx

chrissyb

Hi Sharon and welcome.  the ER -/PR - part of your pathology report means that the estrogen (ER) and progesterone (PR) recepters in your tumor were negative meaning the were not fed by those hormones.  There should have been a third one with these two and that woulf be the Her2.  Do you know if this was negative also?  I'm not sure what you PS meant by that comment re your other breast, I think that is one for you to re-ask.  Hope this helps.

Peace, strength, love n hugs.   chrissyb