What Does Estrogen Receptor Positive Mean
What does estrogen receptor positive mean - (er positive, oestrogen, and progesterone receptor positive) Most lab testing using special coloring process which makes the hormone receptors appear in breast cancer tissue samples. This test is called the immunohistochemical staining assay, or Immunohistochemical (IHC). Not all laboratories using the same method to analyze test results, and they do not have to report the results in exactly the same way. So you may see one of the following on the pathology reports: (1) The percentage tells you how many of the 100 cells stain positive for hormone receptors. You will see a number between 0% (does not have the receptor) and 100% (all have receptors). (2) an Allred score between 0 and 8. This scoring system is named for the physician who developed it. The system looks at the percentage of cells positive for hormone receptor tests, along with how well receptors appear after coloring (this is called "intensity"). This information is then combined to print sample on a scale from 0 to 8. The higher the score, the more receptors are found and the easier they are to see in the sample. and (3) The word "positive" or "negative."
Keep in mind that the test should be done for both estrogen receptors and progesterone receptors. If your result is reported as only the word "positive" or "negative," ask your doctor for more certain percentage, rating, or other numbers. You can also ask about how a more precise result may affect the decision of treatment for your particular situation.
Different labs have different cutoff points for calling good cancer "hormone-receptor-positive or hormone-receptor-negative." For example, if less than 10% of the cells you or less than 1 in 10 a positive stain, one Lab may call this negative result.Other labs may consider this a positive, even though it is low results. Research studies have shown that even cancer with low amount of hormone receptors may respond to hormonal therapy.
A score of "0" generally means that the hormonal therapy will not help in treating breast cancer. When the score is 0, this cancer is called hormone-receptor-negative. Sometimes, a report will come back from the laboratory said that the hormone status is "unknown." If you receive an unknown result "," ask your doctor what this meant, and asked what further steps should be taken to determine the hormone receptor status.
Talk to your doctor to ensure that you test conducted by a lab with a lot of experience in hormone receptor testing. More laboratory tests are not, the more accurate the results are possible. If you receive a negative test results, ask for a full explanation of why cancer is considered as hormone-receptor-negative. Talk to your doctor about the criteria used to determine the status of the negative and whether the results should be seen again.
What do the results mean? After the test, your doctor will be able to tell you which of the following categories best describes breast cancer. Most breast cancer is a hormone-receptor-positive.
Different labs have different cutoff points for calling good cancer "hormone-receptor-positive or hormone-receptor-negative." For example, if less than 10% of the cells you or less than 1 in 10 a positive stain, one Lab may call this negative result.Other labs may consider this a positive, even though it is low results. Research studies have shown that even cancer with low amount of hormone receptors may respond to hormonal therapy.
A score of "0" generally means that the hormonal therapy will not help in treating breast cancer. When the score is 0, this cancer is called hormone-receptor-negative. Sometimes, a report will come back from the laboratory said that the hormone status is "unknown." If you receive an unknown result "," ask your doctor what this meant, and asked what further steps should be taken to determine the hormone receptor status.
Talk to your doctor to ensure that you test conducted by a lab with a lot of experience in hormone receptor testing. More laboratory tests are not, the more accurate the results are possible. If you receive a negative test results, ask for a full explanation of why cancer is considered as hormone-receptor-negative. Talk to your doctor about the criteria used to determine the status of the negative and whether the results should be seen again.
What do the results mean? After the test, your doctor will be able to tell you which of the following categories best describes breast cancer. Most breast cancer is a hormone-receptor-positive.
- ER +: about 80% of breast cancers are estrogen-receptor positive.
- ER +/PR +: around 65% of estrogen-receptor positive breast cancer also progesterone receptor-positive. This means that the cells that have receptors for the hormone, which can support the growth of breast cancer.
- ER +/PR-: approximately 13% of breast cancer estrogen receptor positive and progesterone receptor-negative. This means that the estrogen, but not progesterone, can support the growth and spread of cancer cells.
- ER-/PR +: about 2% of breast cancer is estrogen receptor negative and progesterone receptor-positive. This means that the hormone progesterone is likely to support the growth of cancer. Only a small number of breast cancer test negative for estrogen receptors but positive for progesterone receptors. Further research is needed to better understand the progesterone receptor-positive breast cancer.
- ER-/PR-: if breast cancer cells have no receptors for the hormones estrogen receptors, cancer is considered negative and progesterone receptor-negative (or "hormone-receptor-negative"). About 25% of breast cancer fit into this category.
- Any positive test results if only to estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors, or both mean that breast cancer is considered a "hormone-receptor-positive." Hormonal therapy can help to slow or stop the growth of hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer by lowering your body's estrogen levels or block the effects of estrogen. These drugs can also reduce the risk of cancer is coming back (recurrence).
What does Triple Positive Breast Cancer Mean?
Types of breast cancer when you get a diagnosis of breast cancer, you will be told what kind of cancer you have. Your doctor gets a good idea about how tumors can act and what kind of treatment might work best by knowing the types. You may tell your cancer is: (a) Receptor-positive endocrine (estrogen or progesterone receptors), (b) HER2-positive, (c) Triple positive: positive for estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and HER2, and (d) Triple negative: not positive for estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and HER2. For all this, surgery and radiation that may care, but those involving drugs such as chemotherapy, hormone therapy, targeted therapy and that is different. They are specific to the type of cancer.Hormone Receptor Positive Breast Cancer: About 80% of all breast cancer "ER-positive." That means the cancer cells grow in response to the hormone estrogen. About 65% of them also "PR-positive." They grow in response to another hormone, progesterone. If you have breast cancer a large number of receptors for estrogen or progesterone, it is considered as a hormone-receptor positive. Tumors are ER/PR positive is much more likely to respond to hormone therapy of tumors are ER/PR-negative.
You might have a hormone therapy after surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation are completed. This treatment can help prevent the onset of disease back with blocking the effects of estrogen. They do this in one of several ways. (1) The drug tamoxifen (Nolvadex) help prevent the cancer coming back by blocking Hormone receptors, prevents the hormone from their binding. It is sometimes taken for up to 5 years after the initial treatment for breast cancer. (2) A class of drugs called aromatase inhibitors actually stop estrogen production. These include anastrozole (Arimidex), exemestane (Aromasin), and letrozole (Femara).They are only used in women who have been through menopause.
HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: In about 20% of breast cancer, cells make too much of a protein known as HER2. This cancer tends to be aggressive and growing fast. For women with HER2-positive breast cancer, the drug trastuzumab (Herceptin) has been proven to dramatically reduce the risk of cancer coming back. This is the standard treatment for giving this drug along with chemotherapy after surgery for people with breast cancer that spread to other areas. It can also be used for early-stage breast cancer. Trastuzumab has far less direct side-effects of chemotherapy for example, there is usually no nausea or hair loss. But there is a small but real risk of heart damage and possible lung damage. Scientists are still studying how long women should take the drugs to the greatest benefit.
Some breast cancer between 10% and 20% known as the "triple-negative" because they do not have estrogen receptors and progesterone and do not overexpress theHER2 protein. Most of the breast cancer gene BRCA1 are associated with triple negative. This cancer is generally respond well to chemotherapy is given after surgery. But cancer tends to return. So far, no targeted therapies have been developed to help prevent cancer returning in women with triple negative breast cancer. Cancer experts learn some promising strategy aiming for triple negative breast cancer.
HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: In about 20% of breast cancer, cells make too much of a protein known as HER2. This cancer tends to be aggressive and growing fast. For women with HER2-positive breast cancer, the drug trastuzumab (Herceptin) has been proven to dramatically reduce the risk of cancer coming back. This is the standard treatment for giving this drug along with chemotherapy after surgery for people with breast cancer that spread to other areas. It can also be used for early-stage breast cancer. Trastuzumab has far less direct side-effects of chemotherapy for example, there is usually no nausea or hair loss. But there is a small but real risk of heart damage and possible lung damage. Scientists are still studying how long women should take the drugs to the greatest benefit.
- Another drug, lapatinib (Tykerb), is often given if trastuzumab did not help. ADO-trastuzumab emtansine (Kadcyla) may be given after trastuzumab and a class of chemotherapy drugs called taxanes, which is usually used to treat breast cancer.
- Pertuzumab (Perjeta) can be used with trastuzumab and chemotherapy others drugs to treat advanced stages breast cancer. This combination can also be given before surgery to treat early-stage breast cancer. In one study, a combination of the two drugs was shown to prolong life.
Some breast cancer between 10% and 20% known as the "triple-negative" because they do not have estrogen receptors and progesterone and do not overexpress theHER2 protein. Most of the breast cancer gene BRCA1 are associated with triple negative. This cancer is generally respond well to chemotherapy is given after surgery. But cancer tends to return. So far, no targeted therapies have been developed to help prevent cancer returning in women with triple negative breast cancer. Cancer experts learn some promising strategy aiming for triple negative breast cancer.
Triple Positive Breast Cancer Survival Rates
Gene and breast cancer - Breast cancer more often discussed as a general condition, but there are a few different types so that requires a different treatment. One way to distinguish the cells of breast cancer genes is through when you are diagnosed with breast cancer, your doctor will test for cancer cells to determine their genetic. "Reading to learn what it means if the genes in the cancer cells have more HER2 protein than you should".HER2 basics - HER2 is a protein that stimulates the growth of breast cancer cells. This can be found in the blood and urine. Sometimes referred to as "tumor marker". Tumor markers such as HER2 can not be used for diagnosis of cancer, but they can give you other important information. For example, the presence of HER2 can help doctors predict how breast cancer is more likely to respond to treatment.
How Much Is The HER2-Positive? The Mayo Clinic estimates that about 20 percent of breast cancers are HER2-positive. Younger women are more likely to be HER2-positive than older women. HER2-positive breast cancer tends to be more aggressive and spread more quickly than with other cancers. That is why it is very important to find out if cancer cells in your body contains protein.
Testing for HER2 - The doctor will conduct laboratory tests to determine whether HER2-positive cancer. The American Cancer Society (ACS) recommend that all patients who are diagnosed with breast cancer should be tested for HER2. If you are a breast cancer HER2-positive, you have a much better chance of successful treatment with methods that target HER2 protein.
Facts and figures on HER2 Recurrence - Routine testing for HER2 is important in the early diagnosis and in repeated cases of breast cancer. The Mayo Clinic reports that cancer cells can develop in HER2 up to 30 percent of those people, even if the protein is not present originally. Researchers at the University of Texas m. d. Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC) conducted a study to determine the risk of recurrence for HER2-positive patients. The results showed that those who tested positive for HER2 in the early stages of the condition with tumors 1 centimeter (cm) or smaller have a higher risk of relapse.
HER2 Survival Rate - The MDACC study found that those with HER2-negative has a five-year survival rate of 93.7%. The researchers also found that HER2-positive patients who have: (1) a 77.1 percent five-year survival rate, with no recurrence, (2) about five times the risk of recurrence than those who are HER-2 negative, (3) close to three times the risk of recurrence than those who tested negative for HER2
HER2 Is Generally The Prognosis: According to the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), up to 70 percent of patients with HER2-positive breast cancer respond to treatment. However, the total remission for this condition occurs in about 7 to 8 percent of patients. Targeted treatments (drugs that target HER2 protein) has improved the prognosis for HER2-positive patients. Remission can also be long, elsewhere in the prognosis.NEJM report that remission can last more than 15 years for some patients.
Targeted Treatment: Was diagnosed with HER2-positive brings special challenges for breast cancer patients. With the HER2 protein can make you more aggressive breast cancer. This can also make it more difficult to treat with hormone treatment used for other types of breast cancer. However, drugs like trastuzumab and lapatinib targets HER2 directly and effective. A new drug, pertuzumab (Perjeta), has been approved by the FDA by 2014. This drug, when used in combination with other drugs, showed some very promising results for improving prognosis and survival rates for patients with HER2 cancer. (See also: The dangers of Masturbation and Risk of Prostate Cancer)
Factors affecting the Recurrence: The risk of recurrence with HER2-positive tumors were significantly higher compared with HER2-negative tumors. Tumors that are HER2-positive more often associated with the factors that increase the rate of recurrence. For example, HER2 tumors are more likely to occur in women who are younger and have higher grade nuclear. Generally, the higher the nuclear grade, more aggressive tumors. HER2 tumors are also more likely to show positive margins during breast surgery.A positive margin that occurs when cancer cells beyond the edge of the network that was deleted. HER2 tumors also have a higher likelihood of residual disease that is found when this extra tissue removed.
HER2 Is Generally The Prognosis: According to the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), up to 70 percent of patients with HER2-positive breast cancer respond to treatment. However, the total remission for this condition occurs in about 7 to 8 percent of patients. Targeted treatments (drugs that target HER2 protein) has improved the prognosis for HER2-positive patients. Remission can also be long, elsewhere in the prognosis.NEJM report that remission can last more than 15 years for some patients.
Targeted Treatment: Was diagnosed with HER2-positive brings special challenges for breast cancer patients. With the HER2 protein can make you more aggressive breast cancer. This can also make it more difficult to treat with hormone treatment used for other types of breast cancer. However, drugs like trastuzumab and lapatinib targets HER2 directly and effective. A new drug, pertuzumab (Perjeta), has been approved by the FDA by 2014. This drug, when used in combination with other drugs, showed some very promising results for improving prognosis and survival rates for patients with HER2 cancer. (See also: The dangers of Masturbation and Risk of Prostate Cancer)