Her2

[jaynethepain]

My lovely friend just diagnosed with breast cancer & going for a double mastectomy next week poor thing. She says she has HER2 & so will need chemotherapy. I don't like the sound of any of it but can someone explain in easy language what HER2 is and also it's implications please?

[Sqad]

HER2.....don't get bogged down with the minutiae, but basically it suggests a very aggressive cancer which does not respond to the usual hormonal therapy.

On the positive side it is fairly receptive to chemotherapeutic agents.

[jaynethepain]

I was hoping you would respond Sqad, the sensible voice! Am so desperately sorry for her, had a few very bad years & this is the last thing she needs. Glad to hear that that the chemo will be beneficial, do hope they've caught it all in time, she's not 50 yet! Everything's crossed.

[Sqad]

Yes, not a good card to pull out of the pack..........best of luck to her.

[Mojo-Jo-Jo]

It's a protein. She's lucky they know which one, so the chemo will be targeted towards that receptor more than others.
She may take Herceptin too afterwards to help avoid future occurrences.
They didn't know which protein mine was so they had to kill the lot! :s
I'm here to tell you about it though, so try not to worry too much.
I hope she bears it well and is better soon :)