A beautiful, close friend of mine has just been diagnosed with breast cancer and we've had lots of discussions about what everything means. It's reminded me about how confusing and daunting it can be at the beginning hearing a complete new language if you're not medical.
Before I was diagnosed with breast cancer in February 2019 I was completely unaware of how wildly complex it is. More than four years on and I am still learning and I doubt I shall ever stop.
Feeling great on a glorious run 2 days before I found out I had cancer
I had forty three very lucky years, blissfully untouched by cancer. I have to admit I knew very little about it at all. I have a large family; my Mum has eleven brothers who between them have a lot of children and grandchildren and we were all remarkably healthy. Cancer was the furthest thing from my mind.
Until I found out that a lump I had found in my breast was a malignant tumour. Although I was terrified of it I presumed there was a standard plan of action that would be taken and hoped that would be that.
Uh, nope! It doesn't work like that with cancer.
When you receive your official diagnosis you are informed about things like grades and receptors and quite frankly if you retain or understand any of it at that point you did better than me!
I was very keen to know my staging as that was something I had heard of but had I not asked I'm not sure I would have been told, possibly as actually it's not necessarily accurate at that point anyway. In my case, from the results they had at that moment I was Grade 1, early stage cancer. 1.9cms in size, treatable and curable. Relief after mentally organising fundraising events to support my daughters financially after I was gone. I went for an afternoon cocktail to celebrate and it was quite bizarre feeling so chipper (maybe delirious?) at a cancer diagnosis!
It actually turned out that I was Stage 2A because the cancer had spread to the lymph nodes (in my armpit). Thankfully still treatable and curable and my first step was to be surgery to remove it.
Working it for the camera just before my first surgery; a lumpectomy also known as a wide local excision
I'd never heard of Grading before but from the initial biopsy the tumour is classed as Grade1, Grade 2 or Grade 3 with Grade 3 being the fastest growing, most aggressive tumour. Mine was Grade 3 which can be common in younger people.
Receptor tests.
Hormone receptor tests. This is where it gets more confusing!
Around 80% of breast cancers are oestrogen receptor positive which is shortened to ER+. Some also have receptors for progesterone which are progesterone receptor positive which is shortened to PR+. This means that the cancer cells are stimulated by these hormones. Hormone therapies can be offered to stop the cells from growing and dividing. The opposite to these are receptor negative; ER- and PR- where hormone therapy will not work.
HER2 receptor tests (Human Epidermal Growth factor 2).
Around 15% of people are positive for the HER2 protein receptor. Targeted drugs can attach themselves to this protein and stop the cells from growing and dividing.
My receptor results were ER+ PR+ and HER- which is quite a common combination.
There is SO much more to tell you though about this though I fear losing you to the confusion of it all! So let's save that for another day!
Much love,
Natalie x
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