Can my sister’s breast pain be due to HR-positive BC?

Question

Hello doctor,

My sister has pain in her breast, and we are not sure why. Also, some discharge from her nipples. The doctor said to take a mammogram, but we do not understand the report. Can someone help us understand what HR-positive or HER2-negative breast cancer means? I am worried that she might have cancer.

Breast pain and discharge seem serious, but the report is confusing. Should she take more tests or get a second opinion? Is HR-positive or HER2-negative a kind of cancer? Please help us to understand what this mammogram report means.

Please help.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

Breast pain or mastalgia and nipple discharge are not always breast cancer. The common causes of breast pain are-

Hormonal changes in the body.
Non-cancerous conditions like fibrocystic disease of the breast ( a benign condition where the breasts develop lumpy or rope-like tissue, often associated with tenderness or discomfort, particularly before menstruation), mastitis (inflammation of the breast), breast abscess (localized collection of abscess in the breast), etc.
Injuries or sprains to the neck, shoulder, or back can also cause breast pain.
Some modifications can cause breast pain, like contraceptive pills, estrogen, progesterone hormone therapies, and some antidepressant drugs.

Common causes of nipple discharge-

Non-cancerous breast lumps like duct ectasia, papilloma, etc.
Breast infection and injuries.
Hormonal changes inside the body.

HR-positive and HER2/neu-negative is a type of breast cancer that is hormone-dependent and less aggressive compared to other forms of breast cancer. It responds well to oral hormonal treatment. It is recommended for you to go for breast screening with digital mammography and ultrasound.

I hope this helps.

Kindly follow up if you have more concerns.

Thank you.