Please help me understand

elesha

Hello - for these smart ones who can interpret the pathology report...

My original biopsy pathology report showed that I was ER/PR negative, and Her2 positive at 80%.  So, my treatment plan is - mastectomy, AC x4, Taxol/Herceptin x 12, then Herceptin at 3 weeks for a year.

I had a mastectomy 2 weeks ago, and the final pathology report just came in.   My oncologist confirmed that the treatment plan is correct, but when I read the addendum for the pathology, I got very, very confused.

Her2 is reported ambiguousby both Fish and Immunohistohemistry.  

It also says that staining for Her2 demonstrates focal 3+ staining of the invasive carcinoma; while some of the invasive carcinoma shows strong staning, the majroity of hte invasive component, induding the micropapillary variant areas, is negative.  

 WTH does this mean? I emailed the oncologist just now to ask her to explain this to me, but is there anyone who can interpret this for me? And here I thought I  could google well... 

elesha

It does help, thank you!

I'm still waiting for a reply from the onc, and if she says somethign different I will be sure to report back. 

3girls

My tumor also had 2 subset populations. I received the treatment that you outlined above.  Good Luck!!