Is HER2-positive a death sentence?
Current treatment algorithms for invasive HER2-positive disease has transformed the face of a disease with a death sentence to one with prolonged and overall survival benefit.
Is early stage HER2-positive breast cancer curable?
HER2-positive breast cancer is highly curable because of the availability of these HER2-targeted therapies, so we treat patients fairly aggressively upfront to reduce the risk of them experiencing a stage IV recurrence.
What is the longest anyone has lived with metastatic breast cancer?
Stage 4: Kim Green Has Lived With Metastatic Breast Cancer For Past 19 Years. Kim Green defies the odds for those living with incurable metastatic breast cancer. Her mother died of metastatic breast cancer at 37, but Green has been living with it for 19 years.
Does HER2 always return?
HER2-positive breast cancer is more aggressive and more likely to recur, or return, than HER2-negative breast cancer. Recurrence can happen anytime, but it usually takes place within 5 years of treatment. The good news is that recurrence is less likely today than ever before.
Is HER2-positive breast cancer more aggressive?
In about 1 of every 5 breast cancers, the cancer cells have extra copies of the gene that makes the HER2 protein. HER2 -positive breast cancers tend to be more aggressive than other types of breast cancer.
What should you know about HER2 + breast cancer survival rates?
But in the later stages, those who have the HER2+ type have better survival rates than those with HER2-. Breast cancers that are triple negative have the lowest survival rates. The 4-year survival rates are as follows: The importance of HER2 status for survival will depend on how far the cancer has spread.
Which is more aggressive HER2 positive or HER2 negative?
An overexpression of HER2 protein causes out-of-control reproduction of breast cells. HER2-positive breast cancers tend to be more aggressive than HER2-negative breast cancers. Along with tumor grade and cancer stage, HR and HER2 status help determine your treatment options.
Can a HER2 positive breast cancer be treated with leptin?
Leptin can impair response to Herceptin in breast cancer cells. However, recent evidence suggests that treating with Herceptin concurrently with chemotherapy may potentially equalize disease free survival rates between obese and normal weight women with HER2+ breast cancer.
How is trastuzumab used to treat HER2 breast cancer?
Trastuzumab helps blocks cancer cells from receiving chemical signals that spur growth. A 2014 study of more than 4,000 women showed that trastuzumab significantly reduced recurrence and improved survival when added to chemotherapy in early stage HER2-positive breast cancer.