Anyone else here both Estrogen AND Progesterone positive?

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scary
scary Member Posts: 213
edited June 2014 in Managing Side Effects of Breast Cancer and Its Treatment


I am wondering because I heard progesterone helps balance estrogen.  so what happens if both levels are high?

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  • SelenaWolf
    SelenaWolf Member Posts: 1,724
    edited March 2014

    I'm not sure what you mean.  ER/PR+ (or hormone positive) breast cancer means that breast cancer cells have been determined to have both these hormone receptors, which means they can make use of both estrogen and progesterone to fuel growth.  It doesn't necessarily mean that you have high levels of both of these hormones in your body; it just means that your breast cancer has figured out how to use the hormones that are present in your body to grow.

    My breast cancer was both ER/PR+ at over 90%.  That means that pathology showed that over 90% of the breast cancer cells in my tumor had developed receptors to feed off both of these hormones.  I have normal- to low (I am post-menopausal) levels of these hormones in my blood, but my tumor figured out how to use it anyway.

    As for "balancing" hormones, I'm not too sure what that means, but perhaps someone with more knowledge in this area will chime in...

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  • AmyQ
    AmyQ Member Posts: 2,182
    edited March 2014

    I too am positive for ER/PR breast cancer which I heard from my surgeon is the most common kind. I take that as relatively good news in that I don't have some rogue cancer cells that the experts no nothing about, nor do they not know how to treat them.  My ER was stronger than my PR but in either case I'm on Femara aka Letrozole to suppress the ability of the cancer to bind with the receptors of these hormones. I think I'm explaining this correctly. What we ER/PR women want is to block the cancers ability to feed off the hormones, so they do not grow and multiply. In either case, your onc should be able to break it all down for you. 

    Good luck and keep us posted if you have other questions

    Amy

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  • SpecialK
    SpecialK Member Posts: 16,486
    edited March 2014

    scary - ER+/PR+ accounts for at least half of those with breast cancer.  As Selena said, this is not a measurement of circulating hormones in the body, but rather the percentage given on your pathology report is the number of cells with receptors out of 100 viewed on a slide.  So, I am 96% ER+, 96 out of 100 cells had estrogen receptors.

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  • scary
    scary Member Posts: 213
    edited March 2014


    thanks ladies.  your explanations help alot.  yes, mine were both in the very high numbers.  i'm still hoping to get out of having chemo, depending on my oncotype. number, which i should know soon.

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  • Sinsin
    Sinsin Member Posts: 358
    edited March 2014

    I am ER/PR positive as well. 

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  • ziggypop
    ziggypop Member Posts: 1,071
    edited March 2014

    Scary, It's all pretty confusing (and scary) at first, isn't it? I hope you don't have to do chemo, but know that if you do that not all chemos are the same. If they are basing whether you have chemo or not on your oncotype score, then it would seem likely that if you do have to have it, you'll get a less aggressive version (you'll still lose your hair - but). If you have to do it, you'll get through it & we'll be here to help.  

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  • AmyQ
    AmyQ Member Posts: 2,182
    edited March 2014

    Hi Scary, 

    I don't work for Penguin Cold Caps so know my suggestion is made strictly based on experience, but if you have to do chemo, you might look into Cold Caps to save your hair.  There are lots of threads here that talk about them and many many women, me included, have saved their hair from chemo alopecia.  Again I hope you don't have to have chemo but if you do, losing your hair isn't a given.

    Amy

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  • scary
    scary Member Posts: 213
    edited March 2014


    thanks for the encouraging words ladies, xoxo.

     

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  • doxie
    doxie Member Posts: 1,455
    edited March 2014

    My tumor was very high ER+ and very low PR+.  Because of the low % PR, I had to have chemo.  If it had been a much higher % then my Oncotype score would have been lower and I may have avoided it.  It was not HER2+ which would have mandated chemo anyway.  So high ER+ and high PR+ without HER2+ is usually less aggressive cancer.  My BS indicated and I have read that higher % PR makes anti hormonal medication more effective.  Perhaps this is what was being referred to?

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  • scary
    scary Member Posts: 213
    edited March 2014


    thanks, i am starting to understand it better now.  anxiously awaiting the phone call for the onco. results.  Now just one more question, for now, lol, and sorry if it's a stupid one, but do estrogen and progesterone fed cancers only occur in the breasts and reproductive organs?

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  • SelenaWolf
    SelenaWolf Member Posts: 1,724
    edited March 2014

    Good question.  I'm not sure...

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  • Sinsin
    Sinsin Member Posts: 358
    edited March 2014

    To the cold caps, it depends heavily upon the chemo regimen your onc is suggesting. I am on Epirubicin, Cytoxan, and Taxol. I was informed by both my pharmacist and oncologist to save my money and not buy the cold cap b/c the Epirubicin would make me lose my hair regardless. So, be sure to inquire with your docs first about your specific chemo. I am grateful that they were honest with me and I didn't waste $500 for something that wasn't going to work for me.Will I miss my hair? You bet! But, it will be nice to not have to worry about styling it, especially with the little energy I have. LOL

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  • mdg
    mdg Member Posts: 3,571
    edited March 2014

    I know that the cold caps work well for taxotere and Cytoxan.  Lots of us had that chemo and still have hair.  I know ACT is much harsher on the hair and there have been some success but not as many.  I don't know about the other chemo mentioned above. 

    I am also ER/PR+.  Tons of us are....we are the common variety of BC.

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  • juneping
    juneping Member Posts: 1,594
    edited March 2014

    good question. i have been wondering the same question too. and i forgot to ask my MO or int doc. i think i will bring it up next time.

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  • MelissaDallas
    MelissaDallas Member Posts: 7,268
    edited March 2014

    Prostate cancer is hormone receptor driven too.

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  • AmyQ
    AmyQ Member Posts: 2,182
    edited March 2014

    You are right Melissa, my father has metastatic prostate cancer and he too takes a hormone receptor blocker just like I do, although not the same one.

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  • scary
    scary Member Posts: 213
    edited March 2014

    that's interesting to know, but it sure does make sense.

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

    My father was also on a hormone blocker for late prostate cancer. He started having hot flashes - plus he grew fuzzy new hair on his bald head!

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