Triple positive ladies out there?

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karen_3
karen_3 Member Posts: 17
edited June 2014 in IDC (Invasive Ductal Carcinoma)

I was recently diagnosed on 2/6/09, going in for the Bilateral this wednesday (3/4/09) just one 3.5 CM lump found in my right breast, but I do not want to deal with this in the future and am trying to minimize my risk, so left breast is really prophylactic mastectomy...

anyway - I've been told I'm ER+ PR+ and HER2+ -- I don't see a lot of data on this type, referred to as triple positive, am I diagnosed with something rare too?  I see more information on triple negative or it seems that most of you ladies are Her2- even if ER+/PR+ ....

I guess I won't know until after surgery but I was wondering if there is a relation between tumor size and node involvement, still don't know if mine will be partially DCIS, but I'm scared since it's so big (3.5 cm) that I have a higher risk of this being a latter stage ...

I hope not!  

Just trying to get some encouragement, still can't believe I'm 40 and having my breasts removed!  this has been the hardest decision in all my life 

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  • swimangel72
    swimangel72 Member Posts: 1,989
    edited February 2009

    Hi Karen - I'm so sorry you have to join us here, and at such a young age, but you'll find a ton of information to help you with your questions. Another web site that can answer many of your questions about Her2+ breast cancer is www.her2support.org.

    I am triple positive - had my right breast removed and rebuilt using a muscle-sparing free tram. I was shocked after my surgery to find out I was Her2++++ (my bresat surgeon dropped the ball with my paper work so it was only after my surgery that the results of my FISH report were faxed). My one bit of advice - be sure you had your tumor sample sent to a SECOND pathology lab to verify the results. My BS insisted on that prior to surgery because so many laboratories have made errors, especially with regard to your Her2 status. My oncologist actually sent my tumor tissue out for a second FISH report - unfortunately it came back with an even higher score.

    Good luck Karen and I'll be praying that God's angels watch over you! Innocent

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  • lexislove
    lexislove Member Posts: 2,645
    edited February 2009

    I'm triple positive as well.

    Check out the Her2 page...you will see a Triple positive thread.....lots of us on there.

    I know the shock about having your breasts remove at a young age...I was 30 (last year) and had mine removed Frown

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  • Denali
    Denali Member Posts: 347
    edited March 2009

    My tumor was 3.5cm too and they found after my mastectomy that I had DCIS as well as IDC.  While I knew that being hormone + was a good thing, when I saw that I was HER2 + I burst out crying as that means it's aggressive.  My dr quickly explained that it's a GOOD thing as they have a drug, Herceptin, for us positives that will reduce recurrences by half.  It doesn't work on the negatives.  Being hormone positve is similar.  It's like we have a puzzle piece on our tumor that the negatives don't have.  They have a chemo or drug that fits onto the puzzle piece that they can't use with the negatives.

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