Both Her2+ and BRCAII+

Hi,

I saw some of your posts. I am BRCA2 and HER2+. My impression is that BRCA1 carriers have a tendency to have triple negative, basal-like tumors whereas BRCA2 tend to have ER+ and PR+. But to be HER2+ is also possible - I don't think it is extremely rare. Not common, but there is more of us around....I am sorry about what you are going through and planning for a second pregnancy. That may not be possible now, especially since you have a hormone positive cancer. I don't know what they recommend - maybe wait a few years? Regarding the oophorectomy, I don't know your age but usually that is not urgent until you are at least 35 or even older, 38, 40.

I had a prophylactic mastectomy and oophorectomy. I was diagnosed during pregnancy and my life was a big mess. Consult with an oncologist and a geneticist that you like and trust and then find the best strategy to deal with all of this. It will take time.

Best wishes,

Helena.

SO glad to hear from you! I was so excited to be done with Herceptin I got my port out the next day. But I understand what you are feeling I stll feel stressed 5 months later. I go from being very excited about the rest of my life and almost blissful to scared to death and crippled with fear.

I am having a hard time wiht determining hormonal treatment and just talking to the ONCS again so often annoys the Heck out of me.

What hormonal meds are you taking? How was your OORPH? Are you having SE's?

I am on the bisphos trial so I still get a lot of good treatment and time for questions etc. Herceptin is still very well thought of and much lower recurrance rates. That being said people to recur and it just worries me sick.

I look with interest at the new trials but don't know if i could bring myself to go through treatment again so soon.

My friend had very similar stats to yours and is doing just beautifully and she has a much better attitude than mine....I wish and I work very hard to get there.

Be well and stay in touch!

Phoenix,

Also wanted to add that your prognosis for the breast cancer itself is not changed (is not any worse) because of the BRCA2 status. It will also not affect your treatment. And I second what lexislove is saying, the oophorectomy can probably wait a few years (based on your age). Although an oophorectomy will lower the risk of developing breast cancer in the other breast. But if you were planning a preventive mastectomy, that issue will go away. Lastly, some people choose to monitor and don't do the surgeries. Also, lifetime risk for ovarian cancer (which usually develops at a later age compared with breast cancer) is about 25% for BRCA2. The risk is higher for BRCA1 carriers. Anyway, you have a lot to think about - so, you should take all the time you need and talk to the experts.

Best Helena.

phoenixmom:

From New England Journal of Medicine, October 20, 2005 "Trastuzumab plus Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Operable HER-2-Positive Breast Cancer" (typically referred to at "The Joint Analysis" study)

Supplemental Figure 2. Forest plot for event hazard ratios corresponding to disease-free survial:

Risk ratio by tumor type:

Ductal 0.51

Lobular 0.15

These numbers mean that for IDC, Herceptin cut the risk of recurrence to 51% of what it would have been without the Herceptin - essentially cut the risk in half.  For ILC, Herceptin cut the risk of recurrence to only 15% (NOT by 15%, but to 15%) to what is would have been without the Herceptin.  This is a phenomenal result - but the number of patients with ILC in this study was small - so not absolutely definitive - but still impressive.

I know this is an old thread, but I am a newer to this forum.

I had the test done in March, and lucky me, found I was BRCA 2 positive as well.

Lump option out the window even though the TCH is working, after 4 treatments the mass is gone. So looking at Bi-lateral, and probably ovaries out. I am only 42, married, and no kids. I am doing Chemo first as the mass was to large for surgery, as they were thinking lump after Chemo.

Would love to hear from others in this situation to see what you did. My life has basically been turned upside down the past three months.

Hi there stlcardsfan & JacquelineG...

I noticed that this is an old thread too, but would like to keep it going. I just got a letter last week telling me my genetics results are in. I have an appt with the dr on Apr. 13th to discuss.

stlcardsfan - I did chemo first as well because we were going for lumpectomy until they found a second tumour in same breast near the chest wall. Even though I don't know the results of my genetic testing yet, I've decided on prophlactic mast on the other side as well. I'm finishing up chemo this week, and scheduled for surgery at beginning of May.

What stages of treatment are you guys in right now?

That's great news about your nodes! I didn't realize they could check them during port placement. Are they recommending radiation for you or not?

I had a needle biopsy done on an enlarged node at the time of my breast biopsy. Both were positive, so I know I am node positive. They have since seen a couple of more nodes that look "suspicious" so I'll be having a full axillary node dissection on the right side.

I don't blame you for feeling the way you do about bilateral. You have to listen to your intuition. Reconstruction is a whole other ball game. So much to think about. If you don't need to have radiation, implants would probably be a great option for you. It also leaves the other options open if needed.

Whether or not they do rads probably depends on where the tumour is. If it's near the chest wall, they will probably want to give you radiation to your chest. But it sounds like because your nodes were clear, you wouldn't need radiation to your armpit or your neck, so that's great!