her2 amount/number

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pondfrogs
pondfrogs Member Posts: 91
edited June 2014 in HER2+ (Positive) Breast Cancer
her2 amount/number
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  • pondfrogs
    pondfrogs Member Posts: 91
    edited April 2008

    hi all,

    I was dx in dec '07 and my her2 came back +. the number next to the + says 11.3. my surgeon said that was one of the highest she'd seen but I can't find any info stating what that number means. will go to my onc again next week but I always seem to forget to ask her. does anyone know if lower/higher numbers mean anything?

    thanks! 

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  • jerseymaria
    jerseymaria Member Posts: 770
    edited April 2008

    hi, mine was done in 06 and it just says +3/strongly positive.  sorry i can't help you more.  someone will be along soon i suspect with more knowledge than i have. maria

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  • mimi1030
    mimi1030 Member Posts: 700
    edited April 2008

    My mom is Her +++, I have never heard of 11.3...on my mom's path it says from 0-3 and that she is highly positive at 3.  I thought 3 was the end line.  That's amazing.

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  • flyrzfan
    flyrzfan Member Posts: 557
    edited April 2008

    pondfrogs ~ please make sure you bring this up! As the other ladies stated here, the strength of the receptor status is 0-3..with 3 being very aggressive. This is how it was explained to me. My pathology was a 6 for ER+, 8 for PR+ and 3 for HER2...and all was noted for my "left breast" - the tumor is in the RIGHT. My point being, even on the most important documents, typo errors are made. Double check this as I have also not seen anything above a 3 for the HER2 rating. Good Luck ~ let us know what you find out!

    Bonnie

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  • SusieSwan
    SusieSwan Member Posts: 111
    edited April 2008

    I think the # they are referring to as 3+ is a different type of stain to test for HER2.  I had 5.7 ratio which they told me was a pretty high number.  There's a FISH and IHC stain if I remember correctly...one gives the ratio of HER2.

    Susan

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  • CindyB
    CindyB Member Posts: 43
    edited April 2008

    The FISH test gives a ratio and categorizes the range of the ratio into 1+, 2+, and 3+.  I believe the ratio indicates the number of Her2neu relative to other cells, but I'm going to confirm this with my oncologist next week just for curiousity sake.  The first path report I had didn't give info beyond the 3+, but when we sent it to Mayo for retesting, that report indicated the ratio.  If it makes you feel any better, mine is 12.9 - thank God for herceptin!

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  • pondfrogs
    pondfrogs Member Posts: 91
    edited April 2008

    I see my onc monday and will for sure ask her what it means. it was my suirgeon who said it to me and she was honest enuf to say she didn't know how it related to prognosis or anything..just that she knew it was high.

    will be back to update this next week Wink

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  • karenann
    karenann Member Posts: 70
    edited April 2008

    I, too was told I was strongly positive and told I over expressed 6.3 (?).  I have to see my onc in the next couple of weeks, I am going to ask him about this. I don't think it really makes a difference in treatment or response to treatment.  However, I think someone posted at some point and said the more positive you are, the more likely to benefit from Herceptin.  I don't really know if this is true.

    Karen 

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  • BethNY
    BethNY Member Posts: 2,710
    edited April 2008

    It has to do with the amount of overexpression of the her2neu protein.  If it makes you all feel better, my path report, said there were too many to count!!!

    In 4 months, I'll celebrate 4 years-- the important thing is not to stress about those numbers, but to be grateful for the wonder drug that is Herceptin.

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  • sherryw
    sherryw Member Posts: 172
    edited April 2008

    My report said I was 9.5 on the scale which they consider 3+++.  I just celebrated 3 years cancer free.  I agree with Beth try not to stress about the numbers just take care of yourself and get through your treatments and think of how you are going to celebrate each cancer free anniversary from here on.

    sherry

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  • CindyB
    CindyB Member Posts: 43
    edited April 2008

    Sherry and Beth - thanks for that encouragement!  I figure that there isn't anything I can DO to reduce that number anyway, so just go for the best treatment possible and plan for the best.

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