ER\PR 40 percent positive...still worried...

Im not sure what difference the percentage makes. Maybe someone else does so I maybe they will come along and let us know. My was 90% postive

lamps03 -- I was told my MO it is not how much of a percentage such as 40% or 80% that matters as much as the intensity which on my report was 80% ER+ at a +1 intensity.  The intensity could be 1, 2, or 3.  When my oncotype report came back, for their purposes, I actually had slipped into the ER negative category.  I thought someone had messed up.  How do you go from 80% ER+ to ER- with a stage 1a tumor?  That's when my MO showed me the +1 intensity.  Since I was simultaneously having the FISH test done, I found out at the same time that I was Her2+ so I was doing chemo anyway.  If you are Intensity 3, you are getting the most benefit out of hormone therapy for the percentage of cells that test ER +.  I guess, and it just a guess, that those who are over 90% ER+ with a 3 intensity benefit the most from Tamoxifen or AI's.

In my case my BS told me. He was the one who ordered it. I think in most cases you find out from the person who ordered it.

My Onco came in today to the bs office. I called to make sure they faxed a copy to the MO I see on Monday. Only thing I could get out of the ps nurse is that my score is 23.   So we'll see what the rest of it says and if I have to do chemo.

I had more than one tumor in my breast. Apparently the larger one was IDC with ER/PR+ greater than 90% and strong staining. The other ones were ER+ 30% moderate staining, and PR+ 50% strong staining. I suppose I'll ask the MO on Monday what that all means. The larger tumor was found by me and the other, apparently unrelated tumors were found by MRI, not mamo or US.

Lamps03, my neighbor had 22 nodes removed. She does get lymphadema but she deals with it. She had a radical mx 22 years ago. She is still doing fine!!!

Kira1234, they left it up to you? Ya, that is horrible to do that I agree! I'm not sure what my MO has in store. My results just came in on Fri to my bs office and they faxed them to the MO. Don't know if he even had time to look at them before my appt on Mon. I guess if it is left up to me to decide, I will opt for chemo just to be on the safe side. What was your decision and are you in treatment now? I'm getting anxious over this chemo business, I have had a couple of waves of nausea the past few days. I know its panic.

I had 17 lymph nodes removed in 1982 along with a mastectomy. I never got any lymphedema -the possibility wasn't even discussed in those days.  I was a marathon runner at the time and got back into running after 3 weeks. Maybe that helped; eg pumping my arms that much and that often. Who knows?

In any case I was cancer free until last year when I got a new primary in the other breast.

Best of luck to you!

Not to complicate things.... But my pathology report has two different percentages for both er and pr. I didn't have oncotype because I was node positive so my path report is based on two biopsy testing and a sample from surgery. My er was 57% in first sample and 69% in second sample. My pr in first sample was 0% and second sample 2% which they considered positive ( I think very very weakly positive). I am her 2 negative.

They did calculate my ki67 score was was very low and favorable at 7. Sure wish I had oncotype but at the end of the day, I have done everything I could possibly do to ensure a favorable long term outcome.



I had these same questions in the past regarding the meaning of the percentages so I was glad to read the threads.

My ER was 40% PR10% weak staining.

I was put on an AI for a yr but had to stop due to osteoporosis and my ONC didn't think that hormone therapy mattered for me even when my period returned - I was 40 at dx

He said chemo and herceptin were far more important than hormone therapy for my BC and he thought the potiential tamoxifen SE's out weight the benefit.

I feel if my hormone receptors were higher then he would have recommended tamoxifen.