Please help me understand my path. results

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huntreiter3
huntreiter3 Member Posts: 40
edited June 2014 in IDC (Invasive Ductal Carcinoma)

Path from my 1st biopsy - IDC, moderately differentiated, grade 2. Tumor involves all the tissue submitted with the largest dimension as .8 cm. Estrogen receptor - pos. 30% Progesterone receptor Positive 20%. HER-2/neu:chr 17 signal ration = 8.8 HER-2/neu GENE AMPLIFICATION OBSERVED

Path from my 1st lumpectomy - DC, grade 2, invasive with extensive ductal carcinoma in situ component. Rt. axillary sent. lymph nodes (3) neg. for mestastatic disease. Additional rt. axillary lymph nodes (2): Neg. for metastatic disease. Tumor size 4.5 cm. Ductal carcinoma in Situ: DCIS is present, extensive. Architectural pattern: Comedo type/Nuclear Grade: Intermediate grade/Necrosis: Present,central.

Path from 2nd lumpectomy - Neg. for malignancy. Fibrocystic changes, including cystic formation and dense fibrosis. Microcalcifications are present. No residual malignancy.

I feel bad bothering to ask but my 1st biopsy was June 3rd and I got my diagnosis on June 4th. I just got my path results today and I still don't know exactly where I stand a month later. I was told today by my surgeon that all my info. will be faxed to the cancer center today and the cancer center will call me this week to set up my initial appt. which will probably be next week. It just seems like it never ends at this point. Maybe if i had a handle on my information I will be able to cope a little better. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks so much guys.

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  • saraand45
    saraand45 Member Posts: 47
    edited July 2010

    Your path report and I am no expert, but my 2 year s of going through this I can tell you.  Your nodes are negative for metastic disease, that is very good news.  Your are her2 negative which is also good, positve her2 means a more aggressive cancer.  Your 2nd lumpectomy was neg for malignancy so they probably got clear margins. Did your surgeon specialize in breast cancer surgery?  If so he should have gone over your path report with you. Mine did.  This is the hardest part of this. I was so freaked until I talked with my oncologist and went over a treatment plan. They may suggest chemo therapy because of the size.  Mine was 2.5 cm and I had 4 rounds of taxotere and cytoxan and 33 radiation treatments and now on Arimidex a estrogen supressor because my tumor was high estrogen receptor. Hang in there, you will be okay, we all know what you are going through and we are here to help you through this. Take Care.

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  • CoolBreeze
    CoolBreeze Member Posts: 4,668
    edited July 2010

     I am not a doctor - and I may have gotten something wrong.  Just a warning:

     Path from my 1st biopsy - IDC, moderately differentiated, grade 2. Tumor involves all the tissue submitted with the largest dimension as .8 cm. Estrogen receptor - pos. 30% Progesterone receptor Positive 20%. HER-2/neu:chr 17 signal ration = 8.8 HER-2/neu GENE AMPLIFICATION OBSERVED

    It showed Invasive Ductal Carcinoma.  All of the tissue they looked at on the biopsy was cancerous.  You are positive for estrogen receptors, positive for progestrone receptors and it appears that you are HER2+.  (The proper tests need to be done to determine that - and we don't know what tests you had here.)  Moderately differentiated/grade 2 has to do with how distorted the cells are.  The more distorted, the worse the cancer.  Yours are in the middle.

    Path from my 1st lumpectomy - DC, grade 2, invasive with extensive ductal carcinoma in situ component. Rt. axillary sent. lymph nodes (3) neg. for mestastatic disease. Additional rt. axillary lymph nodes (2): Neg. for metastatic disease. Tumor size 4.5 cm. Ductal carcinoma in Situ: DCIS is present, extensive. Architectural pattern: Comedo type/Nuclear Grade: Intermediate grade/Necrosis: Present,central.

    4.5 cms consisting of mostly DCIS wiith some invasive cancer.  The right axillary nodes show no spread.   Comodo type/Nuclear grade has to do with the cell structure, yours is medium aggressive.

    Path from 2nd lumpectomy - Neg. for malignancy. Fibrocystic changes, including cystic formation and dense fibrosis. Microcalcifications are present. No residual malignancy. 

    You have no cancer, but do have dense breast tissue and cysts.  

    Again, I'm not a doctor, I only know what some of this means because I've had many of the elements in my own cancer.

    Good luck to you.

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  • Lady_Madonna
    Lady_Madonna Member Posts: 472
    edited July 2010

    Hi, I'll just speak to the Her2 gene amplification because you have differing information above... I'm not a doctor either, but according to your pathology report you DO have the Her2 neu gene amplification... this means you are Her2+ and need targeted therapy for this particular type of cancer. 

    You've been very patient waiting for a month for your appointment; please don't feel bad calling the cancer center and being a little more pushy getting in to see the doctor- you need to get started on a treatment plan ASAP!  YOU are the best advocate for your health, and it's definitely possible to fall through the cracks if you don't make yourself "the squeaky wheel!"  

    Good luck.

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