Hi
Not sure if I am posting in the correct place but I wanted to ask if anybody has had a delay in receiving their HER results. I have been waiting 4 weeks and still not heard anything. I have phoned for my results but they are still not back.
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Hi @djwamw
I was diagnosed in 2023. My HER2+ results took 5/6 weeks as they did one test which wasn’t conclusive so they had to send my sample to another laboratory to do a second test. Mine was then positive.
I think like everything with health care, it depends on your health board, holidays and sickness. I know some of my results were over summer holidays and that delayed some test results.
Waiting for results is always the worst time, once you have them your team will have had a MDT (multidisciplinary team) to discuss your treatment plan. Once you have your plan you will probably feel much better. I know I did.
Maybe the nurses can offer some more guidance.
Thank you. Hopefully not too much longer to wait.
Everything they told me is jumbled up in my head so I think I may need to ask for another chat.
I am confused why radiotherapy for the hormone receptors or chemo for the HER receptors. Its all very confusing xxx
I would suggest writing down any questions you have and so don’t be afraid to say you don’t understand something and ask them to explain again. I found the doctors were very time poor but the breast care nurses usually sat with me for a bit longer and went over anything I needed to discuss.
Breast Cancer Now have lots of articles about treatments and you can ring the BCN nurses
- Helpline: 0808 800 6000 (Mon-Fri 9am-4pm; Sat 9am-1pm). Speak to our trained helpline team. No questions are too big or too small.
I had two primary invasive carcinoma, one in each boob, one was grade 2 ER+ HER2+ 20mm the other was grade 1 ER+ 0.9mm. I had surgery then chemo with Herceptin, then radiotherapy, followed by Hormone therapy to stop the Oestrogen and Zoledronic acid for my bones.
All cancer treatments are individualised. I hope you hear soon.
Hi djwamw
Thank you for posting.
Waiting for investigations and the results of these can cause a lot of anxiety, and it’s clear you are concerned about the delay this may have on deciding on your treatment plan.
It’s understandable you are feeling a bit overwhelmed and have lots of questions about your treatment having recently been diagnosed with breast cancer. Sometimes it’s easier to talk this through on the phone, so do call our helpline if you prefer.
We hear from a number of women diagnosed with breast cancer waiting for their HER2 results. This can often be delayed because it needs retesting using more specialised techniques. The multidisciplinary team (MDT) will suggest a treatment plan once they have all the information. You can call your breast care nurse again to check for the results.
You may be interested in our booklet Understanding your pathology results. Breast cancer pathology results help your treatment team decide which treatments might work best for you. This booklet should help you to understand the information found in pathology results and may help you think about questions to ask your treatment team. As @naughty_boob mentions writing down your questions can be helpful.
Our booklet Treating primary breast cancer might also be of interest. It includes information on the types of breast cancer, making treatment decisions and where to find support.
We offer a range of free supportive services for anyone who has had a diagnosis of breast cancer which you may be interested in. They include face to face and online courses and events.
As mentioned above do call our helpline if you would like to talk this through or have any further questions. The helpline team have time to listen, talk things through and signpost you to additional support and information if necessary. Your call will be confidential, and the number is free from UK landlines and all mobile networks.
The number is 0808 800 6000. If you have hearing or speech difficulties prefix our number with 18001 and the call will go through Relay UK. Our helpline has access to telephone interpreters if language translation is required.
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Best wishes
Grete
Breast Care Nurse
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