Two primaries different receptors

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dixie46
dixie46 Member Posts: 19
edited June 2014 in Second or Third Breast Cancer
Two primaries different receptors
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  • dixie46
    dixie46 Member Posts: 19
    edited July 2008

    On March 31 I had a r/m for a .9 er/pr+ her- tumor.  No chemo and put on Arimidex.

    Around June I found a lump on the l/b and under the arm.  L/m done and this cancer is not a reoccurance but another primary er/pr- her2.4amp.  

    Wondering about treatment.  Oviously arimidex won't help this one but will they take me off of it and what effect will that have on the er/pr+ tumor.

    Figure hercepin is a given if muga is ok.  If not does anyone know what they treat you with?

    Will be 62 in Sept and thought I read somewhere that chemo doesn't work well on her+ tumors.

    Wondered if anyone here had anything similar in their diagnosis and what tx they received.

    Will see onc next Tues to plot tx.

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  • Lighthouse1
    Lighthouse1 Member Posts: 20
    edited August 2008

    Dixie:

    I had her2+, hormone receptor negative early breast cancer on left side.  I take Hercepten and it seems to be working.  A few weeks ago, they found the opposite -- on the opposite side:  that is her2 negaitive and hormone receptor positive -- again early -- stage 1.  So, more surgery, and now I take Arimidex, too.  I can honestly say I have very minimal side effects from either the Hercepten or the Arimidex.  I try to take a walk after I take (or receive) either drug, and also eat something.  A few times I feel a little "weird" -- kind of like taking an antihystamine or something.  However, it goes away fairly quickly.  Most of the time, Itolerate both drugs well.

    I just do not understand how I developed 2 different kinds of breast cancers in two different breasts.  I have no family history, have always eaten a very low fat diet, exercised well over five hours per week for over 20 years, maintain a low weight, come from a long line of long-lived women, etc., etc,.  Wish I knew what else I can do.  But in the meantime -- the drugs are not too bad and they do let you take them both at once.  Perhaps it is a double whammy to the cancers! 

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  • LindaLou53
    LindaLou53 Member Posts: 929
    edited August 2008

    80% of women with breast cancer have no family history of BC.  5% of women with a breast cancer diagnosis will at some point be diagnosed with a new primary unrelated BC.

    I had my first BC in the right breast in 2000.  It was a Stage 2A IDC ER/PR+, HER2 -.  5 years later we found a locally advanced Stage 3C ILC in the left breast.  It was ER+, PR-, HER2 -.  We know now that I had the ILC in 2000 while being treated for the IDC, but the ILC was never picked up by mammogram or physical exam.

    My onc says the negative PR on the ILC may indicate a more aggressive form but the strongly positive ER still means I will benefit from the hormonal meds.  Since both my tumors were HER2 - I did not have to do the Herceptin, but did still receive full chemo regimens for both cancers, Tamoxifen for the IDC and now taking AI's (Aromasin) for the ILC.

    I stopped trying to figure out why I got 2 different BCs.  I also have no family history of BC, but do have a heavy history of cancers on my dad's side of the family. In spite of that, most my relatives live to their mid 80s or beyond.  

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