ER+

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FLLinda
FLLinda Member Posts: 1
edited January 2017 in IDC (Invasive Ductal Carcinoma)

I am wondering what everyone's ER+ % is. Mine is 95% and I wonder if that is high or average. I was dx in 2011. One node. Had chemo, radiation and now AI. I've tried them all and now on exemestane. I am having a terrible time with my eyes tearing, itching, burning. I've used anti itch and refresh drops to no avail. This is driving me crazy and I am thinking of stopping exemestane but I am scared. I've got 8 months to the 5 year mark and I am really trying hard to make it;  I am scared to stop. So...I was wondering if 95% is as scary as it sounds to me.

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  • doxie
    doxie Member Posts: 1,455
    edited January 2017

    FLLinda,

    High ER+ (and high PR+) is a good thing. Typically it is more responsive to AIs and less aggressive, than TNBC or very low ER+ BC. Though ER+ can recur anytime even years out, the lower your stage the less likely.

    As for your eyes, you might see if your oil glands are clogged, even visibly swollen. Mine did during chemo and the trouble continued on AIs.

    For a test try putting a very warm moist washcloth on your eyes for 2-3 minutes. Keep it warm. Then gently rub your lashes. If your vision becomes blurred, you are releasing oil that may have been clogged. The more blurred, the more your glands were likely clogged. Even if you make enough tears, they will evaporate without sufficient oil on the surface on your eyes, causing severe dry eye symptoms.

    To get technical I had blepharitis with my meibomian glands clogged. Some have an infection causing the problem. Mine only cleared up after taking antibiotics for a UTI infection. Everyone on AIs should be seeing an ophthalmologist yearly because of the eye SEs caused by both AIs, and chemo if you've had it. As we pass into menopause, we should see one anyway.

    I still use the warm compress from time to time to ease dry eye.

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  • Meow13
    Meow13 Member Posts: 4,859
    edited January 2017

    Yes I had eye problems on exemestane mine was severe. My onco is not recommending anymore AI drugs. But I am at 5 years NED. He did say we could try tamoxifen. Not really sure why he didn't want to try letrozole.

    I had 2 small tumors one idc and one ilc no nodes er 95% positive, pr less than 1%, her2 negative.

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  • mustlovepoodles
    mustlovepoodles Member Posts: 2,825
    edited January 2017

    Most tumors are ER+ to some degree or another. Mine was ER 65% PR <1% Her -. I had chemo and I'm on Femara and doing pretty well.

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  • stephilosphy00
    stephilosphy00 Member Posts: 386
    edited January 2017

    Mine is almost 100% ER+/PR+. Hopefully hormonal therapy will work well for me!

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