How is my aunt’s HR-positive HER2-negative cancer treated?

Question

Hello doctor,

My 56-year-old aunt has been diagnosed with HR-positive or HER2-negative breast cancer, and I am seeking more information about her diagnosis and treatment options.

What does it mean to have HR-positive or HER2-negative breast cancer, and how is it different from other types of breast cancer?
What are the most effective treatment options available for someone her age, and how do factors like her overall health and stage of the cancer impact her treatment plan?
How does hormone therapy play a role in managing this type of cancer, and are there other therapies or medications she should consider?
What can we expect in terms of recovery, side effects, and the long-term outlook with this diagnosis?
Are there any lifestyle changes or support strategies that can help her during treatment?

Kindly help.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I read your query and can understand your concern.

Based on your description, your aunt has been diagnosed with HR (hormone receptor)-positive HER2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2)/neu-negative breast cancer.

This type of tumor is estrogen and progesterone hormone receptor-positive, and HER2/neu is epidermal growth factor receptor-negative.

We also need to know the tumor size. A PET (positron emission tomography) scan should be done to see the spread of the tumor and the stage of cancer. This type of tumor has a better prognosis than the HR-negative one.

The treatment option for this tumor, after staging it and doing a PET scan to rule out distant metastasis, is:

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy with hormonal therapy for about three to four months with different types of regimens after down-staging with treatment, then followed by surgery, either lumpectomy (only removal of lump if it is less than 1.57 inches, multifocal, small tumor with large breast tissue) with radiotherapy or mastectomy with axillary lymph node dissection if lymph nodes are positive.

I would suggest you discuss this treatment in more detail with your oncologist.

After surgery, you may also need hormonal therapy and adjuvant chemotherapy, depending on the histopathology of the specimen removed.
The prognosis and survival rate of this type of HR-positive and HER/2neu-negative breast cancer may vary depending on factors like tumor size, grade, lymph node involvement, and treatment response. The five-year survival is about 85 percent, and the 10-year survival is about 75 percent.
The side effects of chemotherapy will be fatigue, anemia, hair loss, weight gain or loss, and constipation, depending on the different types of regimens that will be needed to treat it.
Lifestyle changes include a healthy and balanced diet, exercising regularly, and maintaining a healthy weight. The patient will need emotional support and counseling, rehabilitation programs, breast prosthetics, and reconstruction.
And the last plus point is that breast cancer can run in the family; screening programs for younger females, less than 35 years old, include breast clinical exams and ultrasounds, while females greater than 40 years of age need breast clinical examinations and mammograms yearly.

I hope I have answered your question.

Let me know if I can assist you further.

Regards.