Grade 3 Breast Cancer stage 1 HER-2 Positive as well 70 yr old

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helenelv1944
helenelv1944 Member Posts: 26
edited June 2014 in HER2+ (Positive) Breast Cancer

if getting the call that i have cancer was not bad enough it got worse as i got told the news in December right on Friday the 13th 2013. that made me feel like i was doomed and ready to die. i am a 70 year old mother with Stage 1 or stage 2 i forgot now...i keep getting told its on its way to 2. but im thinking its still stage one....BUT Grade 3 Breast Cancer. further more i am HER-2 Positive as well....i am trying not to get grade and stage mixed up. this is so much to take in right now esp for my age. i am under the impression that i have to have the very aggressive breast cancer that can spread very quickly.

the thing i am very confused about is that i feel fine. no symptoms from the cancer yet, what does this mean? the tumor i assume is small because i can't feel it and neither can any of my doctors, only tests shows i had a growth. is this a good thing that i am not sick because of the cancer?

however i have went through a battery of tests since the day i was Diagnosed and so far it would appear that my cancer is still ONLY contained in my breast. so far the plan is for me to have chemo 1st, then surgery and finally radiation. i will be put on the following during chemo

( Herceptin,perjeta,carboplatin & docetaxel) is that a good combo? is this a good way to kill the cancer i have? are all these FDA and proven to work?

i just want to know if there is anybody else who is going through the same thing or something similar to what i am ? i have since quit drinking all together. and is there any information on the survival rate? am i doomed? should i start to plan my will? what should i have to face at this point? what should i do? i have two sons and i have to be here for them both. i am very scared. i never in my wildest dreams would of heard i would be one of the many who got breast cancer. 

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  • AlaskaAngel
    AlaskaAngel Member Posts: 1,836
    edited February 2014


    Hi helenely, I answered you in the stage 1 forum, if you want to continue the conversation there, but this forum is for you and I also. There is another person who responded to you there also. Take a look, and whichever place you want to continue to post, one of us will help.

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited February 2014

    Helenely, I also answered you, but in the "Just Diagnosed" forum. http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/5/topic/8...

    I think you will do well. Herceptin is a great medical advance, Perjeta is newer and an additional benefit for those with Her2+ BC. Many of us have been around for a long time since diagnosis, still "NED" (No Evidence of Disease). I think the main reason is for these wonderful new drugs - because of them, Her2+ patients have a much better future than previously. I was diagnosed in 2004 -stage III, grade 3 and I'm better than ever!

    You should plan your will anyway - but not because of a cancer diagnosis. I strongly believe that everyone should have a will, and a Healthcare Directive or Living Will (to tell loved ones which measures you want taken if you can't speak for yourself). Even young, perfectly healthy people should do this! So, write your will, then plan to live well for a long, long time.

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  • Faith316
    Faith316 Member Posts: 2,431
    edited February 2014

    I also answered another of your many duplucate posts on the forum. I think you will find it best not to post the same question multiple times.  Good luck to you.

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  • Jan72014
    Jan72014 Member Posts: 7
    edited February 2014

    Hi Helene, I too have just got a diagnosis of HER2Pos Grade 3 breast cancer this year.

    Now, my oncologist told me that this used to be a really bad cancer to get, but now it is actually a pretty good one to get, because they have revolutionised the treatment with Herceptin and other targeted therapies, and our survival chances are really very good. It is scary, but they have developed really good treatment systems to give us a good chance. I started off scared I was going to die soon, and rapidly came to realise that we are not looking at an imminent death, but instead at a major enforced life-style change. When I am tired I sometimes get scared or cranky, but then I need to settle myself down and remember that it only looks bad if I choose to wind my fear up. I met a woman who has been given a year to live if her $15000 treatment and radiotherapy to treat her brain cancer (breast cancer  metastasies) does not work and she has a 7 yr old daughter. Until I get the bad news, I will work towards healing myself and building my health and appreciate the fact that the statistics are on my side. I also found it helped a lot to meet my surgeon and my oncologist and know I was in good hands. Fear is hard to manage in the early days, that is just part of getting used to the situation.

     I was offered to be included in a trial of the neoadjunct treatment you will be doing, and understand that can help shrink or even heal the tumor(s) so good luck with that.  Since I was going to need a mastectomy anyway because I also had 6cm of DCIS in situ cancer the surgeon said it would not really be particularly useful to me.  I chose instead to go straight to surgery and then chemo/targetted therapy. Because my sentinel node was clear, and the surgical margins are clear, I didn't need radiotherapy, but now am about to start the TCH chemo/herceptin treatment next Friday.

    Good luck on your journey. Keep in touch, and maybe we can support each other on the way.

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