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• Tazzy

  

  • 3 posts
  June 22, 2013 10:09:00 AM WATime

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  Can someone please explain what CERB2 NEG means on your pathology report.

  47 years young mother of 2. Double mastectomy Right breast - intermediate gade DCIS ER POS (3+), PR POS (3+), CERB2 NEG Left breast - Infiltrating ductal carcinoma grade 2 ER Focal POS (2+), PR POS (3+), CERB2 NEG at 11 and 9 o'clock. Sentinel lymph node left and right enlarged with negative tumour. Margins >10mm.
• jado

  

  • 10 posts
  June 23, 2013 7:34:21 PM WATime

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  Hi Tazzy. Did you get a copy of Guide for women with early breast cancer when you had surgery? Lots of info about path reports in it. I got mine from the breast surgeon on my first visit to her. Also the Breast Cancer Network Australia has good Fact Sheets on Glossary of Pathology Terms and Breast Cancer Pathology on their website. I found these very helpful when I was diagnosed. You can also ask for a My Journey Kit. Website www.bcna.org.au.
  Hope this helps. Best wishes. Jado

  68 YO mother of two adult daughters. DX April 2012. Ca right breast.   10mm Grade 2.  IDC. 0/2 nodes. ER/PR pos.   Nodes clear. Wide local excision. Radiotherapy 6 weeks. Tamoxifen to be taken for 5 years. Moderate breast lymphoedema continuing, now Oct 2014..

• Glenys

  

  • Moderator
  • 162 posts
  June 24, 2013 9:24:19 PM WATime

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  Hi Tazzy
  It's easy to be daunted by the complex terms used in the pathology report. Having accurate explanation is very important for anyone trying to understand their results.
  In the 'Q&A' section of the FORUM another member has posted a query regarding pathology results titled 'Understanding results' - where I have provided an explanation of the pathology results including Her2 (otherwise known as CerbB2) .. here is an extract from that entry ..
  "Her2 (or cerbB2) refers to an excess of protein molecules on the cancer cell wall that promote growth (of the cancer). Around one-fifth of breast cancers show this over-expression and are referred to as ‘Her2 positive’. This feature is usually associated with higher grade cancers and may indicate a higher risk of cancer returning, however in recent years treatment with the drug Herceptin is proving to have significant effect in reducing this risk." ...
  
  The important aspect for you Tazzy is that the result was negative - meaning you do not have the over-expression of Her2 receptors on the cancer cell wall - therefore treatment with the drug Herceptin is not required. Having the hormone receptors present on the cancer cell wall indicates that treatment with Hormone Therapy is likely to be recommended - there is a section on this in the 'Treatments' section of FORUM.
  
  Please don't hesitate to ask anything that isn't clear to you Tazzy - I'm delighted to help wherever I can.
  Love Glenys (Click Breast Care Nurse) xx

  The Click Breast Care Nurse