discrepant results Oestrogen receptor status

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Hannah1962
Hannah1962 Member Posts: 35

HI, I'm just wondering if anyone else has had something like this -- I was diagnosed by core biopsy at a highly reputable hospital, oestrogen receptor 80% positive and neg for the other two (progesterone and HER). Because I made a choice to be treated in a different city, my pathology slides were sent from the original hospital to the second hospital, where these same biopsy slides were re-read as triple negative. Then in late December I had a lumpectomy, and the pathology result for the tumor itself was 95% oestrogen positive and neg for the other two. Does this kind of thing happen often? Has anyone heard of the same set of slides being read first as pos and then as neg for oestrogen receptor? Just to be clear, both places have great reputations. Also, we are not talking about years later, the tumor characteristics changing. All these results came within 6 weeks of the original biopsy. I'm now waiting on Oncotype dx results. This kind of thing makes me less confident about results in general.

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  • windingshores
    windingshores Member Posts: 704
    edited January 2019

    I had discrepancies between HER2 results in biopsy versus after surgery and also between hospitals. I found a third opinion who retested with more cells and felt better after pursuing it until it seemed more certain.

    Overall I would trust the post-lumpectomy results over the biopsy results. The Oncotype may help you feel more comfortable. But keep going and get retests if that helps. Some doctors will advocate for you with insurance.

  • Georgia1
    Georgia1 Member Posts: 1,321
    edited January 2019

    Hi Hannah. I have no first-hand experience with this, but it's not unusual for the characteristics to change between biopsy (a small cell sample from a small part of the mass) and post-surgery pathology (when a much larger tissue sample can be dissected and more conclusively tested). If you have a good oncologist now he or she should be able to advise on whether any additional tests should be performed in addition to the Oncotype DX.

  • Meow13
    Meow13 Member Posts: 4,859
    edited January 2019

    Mistakes are made I have experienced it with blood tests on my youngest son. Labs make mistakes. I would trust the post lumpectomy over the biopsy.

    Oncodx test will also give results for er, pr and her2.

  • Hannah1962
    Hannah1962 Member Posts: 35
    edited January 2019

    Thank you Meow13, Georgia1 and Windingshores for your helpful replies!

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