pathalogy report

[addictedme]

estrogen receptor,,92%,,progesterone receptor,,20%,,,ki-67,,30 %,,her-2/neu,,4.0 ( overexpression). On thursday I"m scheduled for a lumpectomy and I"d like to understand this report as I"m very scared right now and confused. Any help would be appreciated TY

[addictedme]

thank you for your reply - another question - my dr. has recommended radiation therapy but hasn't said anything about Herceptin.  would he want to know if any nodes are involved before suggesting it?  is Herceptin a form of chemo?  one last question, my report read 4.0 overexpression for her2/neu, is this high?  Thanks for your help...

[PaulMD]

Hi there.

Estrogen receptor positivity is a good marker, since this means that additional treatments in the form of hormonal therapy can be given after the surgery.  ER+ tumors also tend to have longer disease free survivals.  However, the ki-67 and Her2Neu are both poor prognosis markers, and it would be recommended for you to undergo targeted therapy with Herceptin after the surgery.  Herceptin specifically targets the Her2Neu receptors and has been shown to improve disease control and prevent recurrence.  Ki-67 on the other hand still has no definitive targeting drug.

I hope your operation will be as uneventful as possible.  Regards and God bless.