Whats HER2 and ER/PR

Hi, could anyone of you lovely ladies explain to me what ER100% andPR100% means, and HER2 1+ means. I didnt take it all in when my breast care nurse told me. While I was waiting for my chemo I peeked in my notes and saw these but am not sure what they mean. I am not worried about them, ( I am a very positive person) just want to know what I am up against.
Thanks in anticipation.
Sue

Hi Sue - not the normal terminology - usually says ER positive PR postive - presumably means the same thing tho

ER pos means oestrogen receptor positive
PR pos means progesterone receptor positive

This means that the cancer cells will respond to certain drugs (like tamoxifen for instance) which stop you producing hormones. They are hormone dependent. By stopping your own hormone production you reduce the ability of cells to reproduce.

HER is another receptor site on a cancer cell. If you are HER positive the cells respond well to Herceptin. You are NOT HER positive - you need to be 3+ to respond to herceptin.

Hope that’s useful!

I always take a list with me to any consulation; and I try to ask at the time if something crops up - you are allowed to look inside your notes you know - they are about you, and you won’t be ‘told off’ for sneaking a look… maybe you can ring your bc nurse again? she will have access to the reports on the computer so can discuss them with you again.

Love, Td xx

Thanks a lot waitingangel. Things sometimes get confusing dont you think.
Sue xx

i am pos+++ on oestrogen and progesterone in my notes… the herceptin result took longer to come through. i am totally neg. that was back in january. herceptin thing is more complicated but i was never good at science…sigh

your BCN won’t mind you calling -they are exprerienced senior nurses who do understand we can’t take it all in at one go, and i aint stooopid!!! it’s a headbanger situation with results!!!

so i am 7 months on and finishing chemo soon…then rads and tamoxifen

take care suesad…
J x

hi sue

one thing to check …

I have medullary cancer ( a certain type) and that is usually ER negative and PR negative …

but because it was medullary they wrote it a funny way - they said it was ER 100% negative re: receptors … same with PR 100% negative … the onc nearly got confused …

just make sure you read the whole sentence and the context …
love FB xx

HI I AM HER2 AND HAVING HERCEPTIN I TAKE IT THIS IS OK

Hi,
The Er+ and Pr+ are scored out of 300 so there might be a difference. My friend was scored 100 and thought this was all of them until mine was scored as130 and I was told mine were weakly receptive! Hope this is helpful in your decision
Lily x

Now I am confused - my er+ was given as a percentage … low in my case at 5%. Why can’t they make all this stuff simple!

Hi,
I have no idea, because 300 seems such an unlikely number to pick doesn’t it. Anyway I had a deputy onc that particular day and that is what she said, we score them out of 300. It is open to interpretation, could it be that they always do 300 where I live, they always do 300 or that they stopped at 300 for me? guess I made the water even muddier then! Woops
Lily