Should I worry with family history of breast cancer at 47?

Question

Hi doctor,

I am 47 years old, trying to wrap my head around something when I saw my aunt’s test reports. It mentioned HR-positive/HER2-negative breast cancer. What exactly does that mean, and why is it significant? Does it change the way you treat cancer?

My cousin mentioned that some of these tests are done to see if they might affect others in the family too. That got me a bit worried since breast cancer runs in our family. I just want to understand if this is something I should be concerned about for myself or other family members. It is tough when we do not fully understand what is going on.

Please help.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

Regarding HR+ (hormone receptor positive) and HER2 (human epidermal growth receptor) negative, usually HR (hormone receptor) positive breast cancers are better than HR negative breast cancers, as hormone-positive breast cancers tend to grow slowly compared to hormone-negative, and this type of cancer is less aggressive.

HR-positive and HER2-negative breast cancers are sometimes called luminal A breast cancers, as they need less aggressive treatment, sometimes only surgery and hormonal treatment, and they have an excellent prognosis. You and your cousin should undergo genetic testing for the BRCA (breast cancer gene 1). In case it is positive, the whole family needs to do this test and needs proper screening and regular follow-up.

I hope this has helped you. Please feel free to reach me again in case of further queries.

Thank you.