Triple Positive Cancer - Complete Response

PoseyGirl

Hi All,

I am interested in what other triple positive comrades have heard from their oncologists regarding complete pathologic response when it comes to neoadjuvant treatment. I was diagnosed IIIA infiltrating ductal back in June and two nodes looked enlarged and had cancer in them. I had 8 cycles of chemo (AC followed by Paclitaxel). Surgery was November 29 and I had a modified radical mastectomy. 16 nodes were taken out. My pathology came back and it showed a complete response in both the breast tissue and all nodes. So here's my question...both my medical onc. and surgeon were very happy with the results. But then I was online (yes, online) - but looking for positive, not negative - I found some studies that came out stating that the prognostic value of cPR is not very significant for ER positive or triple positive subtypes, but significant for the other main subtypes. This was a bit disheartening. I did find another study from 2014 that seemed to refute these findings, that cPR does have some prognostic value across all subtypes. One of my friends is down in the US and sees a top, internationally reknowned oncologist. She was told that total response would bring risk of recurrence to 15% from a higher value (like 30%). Have you heard anything similar?? I realize I am not a statistic and that I will not get the certificate of guarantee that I desperately want. But I'm wondering if I should be pleased by the results. Thanks so much,

Kimm992

I definitely think you should be please by the results.

A complete response shows that your chemo was incredibly effective at wiping out the cancer. This means that if there were any little cells circulating in your body it is very likely that they were wiped out by your chemo.

I think you have every reason to be happy about this!

I had an ALMOST cPR and my doctors were also very pleased.

Hopeful82014

PoseyGirl, I, too, think you should be very, very pleased with your results.

Regarding the importance of pCR for ER+ tumors - it's my understanding that the issue is more that it's hard to achieve pCR for hormone+ tumors, so in those cases where pCR is NOT achieved, it's not seen as quite as much of a negative as in other subtypes of bc and not it's not given as much weight as a prognostic factor.

I could be wrong, but that's my takeaway from both reading and conversations with my team.

PoseyGirl

Thanks, ladies. I can see that I have more advanced than you did, which might change things too. I know I'm obsessing, but I'd like to at least think that my results do have a little bearing. I can't see how logically they wouldn't matter at all, but...

I still have yet to go to radiation, and am still having troubles managing my emotions about all this. Thank so much,

Carolyn