Her2 Pos Stage 1 Grade 3 Breast Cancer 70 yr old please help

helenelv1944

if getting the call that i have cancer was not bad enough it got worse as i got told the news in December right on Friday the 13th 2013. that made me feel like i was doomed and ready to die. i am a 70 year old mother with Stage 1 or stage 2 i forgot now...i keep getting told its on its way to 2. but im thinking its still stage one....BUT Grade 3 Breast Cancer. further more i am HER-2 Positive as well....i am trying not to get grade and stage mixed up. this is so much to take in right now esp for my age. i am under the impression that i have to have the very aggressive breast cancer that can spread very quickly. 

the thing i am very confused about is that i feel fine. no symptoms from the cancer yet, what does this mean? the tumor i assume is small because i can't feel it and neither can any of my doctors, only tests shows i had a growth. is this a good thing that i am not sick because of the cancer? 

however i have went through a battery of tests since the day i was Diagnosed and so far it would appear that my cancer is still ONLY contained in my breast. so far the plan is for me to have chemo 1st, then surgery and finally radiation. i will be put on the following  during chemo 

( Herceptin,perjeta,carboplatin & docetaxel) is that a good combo? is this a good way to kill the cancer i have? are all these FDA and proven to work? 

i just want to know if there is anybody else who is going through the same thing or something similar to what i am ? i have since quit drinking   all together. and is there any information on the survival rate? am i doomed? should i start to plan my will? what should i have to face at this point? what should i do? i have two sons and i have to be here for them both. i am very scared.  i never in my wildest dreams would of heard i would be one of the many who got breast cancer. 

AlaskaAngel

Hello Helenely1944,

It is hard to get a clear understanding of what the level of danger is, when we are first told we have "early stage breast cancer" and at the same time are told we need to do heavy-duty treatment for it. The problem is that the treatment is the same for a lot of us "just in case", and most of us never benefit from it, but they can't tell with certainty which of us actually need it. I'm sorry it is so confusing. Please know most of all that most early stage breast cancer patients do well long-term. I am 63 and did an earlier version of chemotherapy treatment, and my breast cancer hasn't come back now for 11 years. Does that help any?

AlaskaAngel

Trisha-Anne

Getting a cancer diagnosis is scary and makes our minds go at a million miles an hour.

You have triple positive breast cancer and it's the HER2+ part that is making it aggressive.  Herceptin and Perjeta are the big guns for you and are not strictly speaking "chemo" drugs.  They are targeted therapy designed especially to target the HER2 part.  The carboplatin and docetaxel are chemo drugs and are commonly used with Herceptin and Perjeta - it is the standard of care in the US.  Here in Australia we commonly get FEC-D, which also works well.

Don't think that because your cancer appears small that you aren't in any danger.  AlaskaAngel is right in that the medical community cannot tell which people will benefit from treatment and which won't.  I'm three years out from having Herceptin and FEC-D and doing well.  A very good friend of mine who had a much smaller tumor (but the same triple positive) had FEC and refused hormonal treatment and her cancer spread to her spine within 12 months - so - you just never know.

Some people tolerate chemo fairly well, some don't.  You just don't know till you try it.  Herceptin and Perjeta and are very well tolerated.  I only had some tiredness and diarrhea towards the end of the 12 months I was on Herceptin.

Read these boards - there is also a dedicated triple positive thread - and ask questions.

Oh - and I never had any symptoms from my lump - felt fine - so don't be fooled that because you feel ok at the moment your cancer isn't dangerous - it is - very dangerous.  If you left it and had no treatment at all, it would kill you.

Trish 

helenelv1944

why did she refuse hormonal treatment? and i no i am in grave danger! i am not saying im not. i assume i have 6 months to live one person told me. 

AlaskaAngel

Helenely, predicting either way is not that easy! Please know if you are diagnosed stage 1 IDC grade 3 you have been diagnosed with "early stage breast cancer" and it just means the danger is there for a percentage of us but most of us do very very well because the newer treatments work a lot better than the older ones.

AlaskaAngel

Helenely, predicting either way is not that easy! Please know if you are diagnosed stage 1 IDC grade 3 you have been diagnosed with "early stage breast cancer" and it just means the danger is there for a percentage of us but most of us do very very well because the newer treatments work a lot better than the older ones.

edwards750

Bless your heart Helene of course you are scared and confused. We have all been there, done that and some of us are still doing that. No one should be telling you what your expiration date is; they certainly don't know and even the doctors as good as they are don't know for sure either. You do have early stage BC which is encouraging; the grade if it is a 3 not so good. Doesn't mean the treatment won't work and of course they don't know for sure one way or the other until you are actually treated. They cannot predict how you will tolerate the meds either. Just because you cant feel I am sorry doesn't mean squat. I bet the vast majority of us couldn't do that - me included. I didn't have any real symptoms except looking back the weight loss probably was a symptom. I lost it fast and even though I was skipping sugary things everyone who saw me during that time told me I looked like I had lost a lot of weight. On a small person like I am I guess I did. We all have your fear factor and having the C word is definitely frightening but you will get through this. We all have and still are. Keep us posted and keep the faith. Diane

Kicks

Helen - was it your DRs that told you that you would be dead in months?  If so - then I'd be running away from them to ones more competent.   NO one can predict your death - unless they are planning on 'Offing' you at a certain time!    You say you're Stage 1 or 2 so you don't have mets.  You have not mentioned any positive nodes.  You say you were DXd Dec 13 - that's over 2 months ago.  Drs do not normally wait over 2 months to start TX if the situtaion is critical - TX starts within days or at the most weeks, not mon5hs.

There are always some fools out there that love to give horror stories about 'somebody' the heard of/supposely knew died right away.  I've heard so many of these deliberately negative 'troll tales' (so has Hubby and Son).  They are designed to make the teller pretend to be an expert and to cause negative thoughts in your mind - IF you choose to fall into their 'trap'..

LizA17

as you can see, I am Triple positive. My Oncologist has never been anything but positive about my prognosis and I had 2 positive nodes. While Grade 3 is aggressive, Grade 3 also seems to respond the best to treatment. As there is never any guarantee for any of us diagnosed w/BC a positive attitude goes a long way. Believe me! 

Asb

I am also her2+ stage 2 grade 3, my oncologist said my prognosis was great and that even though a grade 3 is aggressive it responds better to the targeted therapy ( herceptin and perjeta). I am on the same chemo as you and have had 2 treatments without any major side effects, just lots of little very manageable SE.  It is a very scary thing, but the treatments have come along way. In 6th months I plan to have a new set of boobs and to be growing some hair, not planning my funeral. 

ziggypop

Hi Helen, I am so sorry that you have been diagnosed. That said, whoever told you that you have six months to live is an idiot. Seriously. 

You wrote this: so far it would appear that my cancer is still ONLY contained in my breast.

Okay - here's what you need to know. Cancer which is confined to your breast won't kill you. Period. 

Even cancer that HAS spread outside your breast (to for example your lymph nodes) won't necessarily kill you. 

IF you cancer has spread to distant places like your bones or your brain or your liver, THEN, after awhile (and it could be quite awhile) the cancer will kill you IF something else doesn't first. 

So - the treatments that you are going to have - what they are meant to do is to make sure that the cancer that is now in your breast doesn't get outside of your breast. And the treatments they have are GOOD. So rest easy Helen (I know that's asking a lot- this is really scary for all of us, but try to remember that you have made it 70 years on this planet and you are going to kick this thing's behind). 

Now, I do have one question, why haven't they started on treatments yet? They do need to get a move on that. 

As far as December 13 - okay so friday the 13 was the day that you goy the bad news out of the way. Time to move on. Luckily we're past the 13th and past 2013. so it's all good from here on out. 

wyo

Hi Helen

I am reading your timing and the responses and I am concerned about the pace of your treatment. You say you had a battery of tests but honestly what definitive thing has been happening for the past 8 weeks?  Breast Cancer is a whole new world once you have it and find out -my goodness there are so many stages and grades and things to know. 

I see you are in Boston and there is pretty good cancer treatment in that city- also your title posts say you are 70- I want to make darned sure that your treatment is happening timely and somehow somewhere someone is not saying- well she is 70 anyway....This is not to scare or panic you but if you read what the other posters are saying- 8 weeks from diagnosis and treatment of any kind not happening seems a bit prolonged.  Did you have any issues after the biopsy or other health conditions that would make this timeline longer? 

When do you start Chemo because I feel like saying lets get this show on the road already barring any other issues you don't note here.

btw- yes --all your medications are FDA approved for use in breast cancer and not investigational or trials in any way. 

sarahjane7374

Helen - check your private messages