what does ki67 mean?

Roselynn
Roselynn Member Posts: 5
in Breast Cancer #1

have breast cancer hormonal no cancer in lymp nodes, had lumpactomy, my oncogolist is sending me to take a bone density test , she talks about moderate to aggrasive cemo after receive genome results come in, all i hear is screaming in my head,I feel lost scared don't understand what any of this means, please help, I guess after my surgery I would just have radiation no cemo, had a meltdown whwn wastold would have tohave cemo, reading some forums talk about different kinds of cemo andthe side effects scares me more

Comments

  • jessiesmom1
    jessiesmom1 Member Posts: 915 Member
    #2
    New Breast Cancer Diagnosis

    Roselynn, I am sorry that you have become a member of the club no one wants to join. It is indeed scary. so much information is thrown at you so quickly and decisions need to be made. It doesn't help that so many of the words are unfamiliar, too. 

    You asked specifically about the meaning of KI67. It is a Protein in cells that increases as they prepare to divide into new cells. A laboratory staining process can measure the percentage of tumor cells that are positive for KI67. The more positive cells there are, the more quickly they are dividing and forming new cells. In breast cancer a result of less than 10% is considered low and more than 20% is considered high. The higher the percentage of fast growing cells the more aggressive the rate of cell growth.

    If you don't understand something your doctor is telling you then ASK QUESTIONS. You don't have to agree to anything if you don't understand it. Don't even know what to ask? This website has a whole slew of questions to get you started: www.cancer.org/ACS/groups/cid/documents/webacon tent/003284-pdf.pdf. 

    There are many different treatment regimens. I had surgery followed by chemotherapy. I did not have radiation. Others have chemo first and then surgery afterwards. I had 4 rounds of Adriamycin/Cytoxan and then 12 rounds of Taxotere. Others have a completely different chemo drugs. Side effects vary a lot. It is very doable. There are drugs that can help with many of the side effects. 

    Come to this discussion board. Someone here is bound to have had experipence with the issue that concerns you. We are always glad to share with you. Good luck.

    IRENE

  • Double Whammy
    Double Whammy Member Posts: 2,832 Member
    #3
    jessiesmom1 said:

    New Breast Cancer Diagnosis

    Roselynn, I am sorry that you have become a member of the club no one wants to join. It is indeed scary. so much information is thrown at you so quickly and decisions need to be made. It doesn't help that so many of the words are unfamiliar, too. 

    You asked specifically about the meaning of KI67. It is a Protein in cells that increases as they prepare to divide into new cells. A laboratory staining process can measure the percentage of tumor cells that are positive for KI67. The more positive cells there are, the more quickly they are dividing and forming new cells. In breast cancer a result of less than 10% is considered low and more than 20% is considered high. The higher the percentage of fast growing cells the more aggressive the rate of cell growth.

    If you don't understand something your doctor is telling you then ASK QUESTIONS. You don't have to agree to anything if you don't understand it. Don't even know what to ask? This website has a whole slew of questions to get you started: www.cancer.org/ACS/groups/cid/documents/webacon tent/003284-pdf.pdf. 

    There are many different treatment regimens. I had surgery followed by chemotherapy. I did not have radiation. Others have chemo first and then surgery afterwards. I had 4 rounds of Adriamycin/Cytoxan and then 12 rounds of Taxotere. Others have a completely different chemo drugs. Side effects vary a lot. It is very doable. There are drugs that can help with many of the side effects. 

    Come to this discussion board. Someone here is bound to have had experipence with the issue that concerns you. We are always glad to share with you. Good luck.

    IRENE

    So many types of breast cancer

    Unfortunately, you're learning that not all breast cancers are the same and it does get confusing.  I thought breast cancer was breast cancer.  It's not.  I was diagnosed in 2010 and was told from the beginning that I would probably "just" need lumpectomy and radiation and hormone therapy.  Turned out, my oncotype score said I should also have chemo and it scared me a lot.   I learned then that there were so many differnent types of chemotherapies and they all come with side effects, and many of the side effects are the same for all chemos, some not.   One drug works this way, another works that way.  This combination is good for this type of cancer, that combination is good for that type.  And on and on. Keep an open communication with your doctor and ask him/her to explain your type of cancer and why he/she is recommending chemo and what kind and why -  and the side effects.  Chemo is doable, and every effort is extended to help with side effects, but there will be some, just everyone experiences them differently.  I had just about every side effect known to man and then a few obscure ones, but I did well and could have worked (I was retired) all but the last cycle and I think if I had had a job, I could have worked then, but was sure glad I didn't. 

    Good luck and come back with questions.  I have no idea if having chemo saved my life, but I know I'm still here 6 1/2 years later and I really have no regrets in spite of it being a scarey thing to face.

    Best wishes to you,

    Suzanne

  • Iris_G
    Iris_G Member Posts: 50 Member
    #4
    Hi Roselynn

    We completely understand how lost, scared and alone you're feeling!  Unfortunately, we've all been there!  Not a club we thought we would ever have to join, but here we are!  And we're doing fine!  When I first had my lumpectomy, I was told I would only have to do radiation and then Arimidex for 5 years.  But after further testing, it turned out I was triple positive (ER+/PR+/HER2+), so I ended up doing chemo and radiation and will have to take Arimidex for 7-10 years.  All the doctors and nurses kept asking me if I had any questions, but I had no clue what to ask...I'd never been through this before!  I've learned there's no such thing as a stupid question...ask away!  If you don't understand something, tell your team, they'll be glad to help you! 

    As far as the chemo side effects, yes, they vary according to which drugs you're given.  My first treatment really sucked, but it's because I didn't start taking the steroids/nausea meds when I should have, but no one really told me when to start!  You can learn a lot on these discussion boards!  Once I got the hang of the meds before I had a treatment, my side effects were minimal!

    You've already been through the hardest part!  Waiting on my diagnosis was the hardest & scariest for me.  Once I had that, I told my doctors to just get it out of me and let's start treatments! 

    Good luck and let us know how things go for you!  We're here any time you need us!

     

  • Roselynn
    Roselynn Member Posts: 5
    #5
    jessiesmom1 said:

    New Breast Cancer Diagnosis

    Roselynn, I am sorry that you have become a member of the club no one wants to join. It is indeed scary. so much information is thrown at you so quickly and decisions need to be made. It doesn't help that so many of the words are unfamiliar, too. 

    You asked specifically about the meaning of KI67. It is a Protein in cells that increases as they prepare to divide into new cells. A laboratory staining process can measure the percentage of tumor cells that are positive for KI67. The more positive cells there are, the more quickly they are dividing and forming new cells. In breast cancer a result of less than 10% is considered low and more than 20% is considered high. The higher the percentage of fast growing cells the more aggressive the rate of cell growth.

    If you don't understand something your doctor is telling you then ASK QUESTIONS. You don't have to agree to anything if you don't understand it. Don't even know what to ask? This website has a whole slew of questions to get you started: www.cancer.org/ACS/groups/cid/documents/webacon tent/003284-pdf.pdf. 

    There are many different treatment regimens. I had surgery followed by chemotherapy. I did not have radiation. Others have chemo first and then surgery afterwards. I had 4 rounds of Adriamycin/Cytoxan and then 12 rounds of Taxotere. Others have a completely different chemo drugs. Side effects vary a lot. It is very doable. There are drugs that can help with many of the side effects. 

    Come to this discussion board. Someone here is bound to have had experipence with the issue that concerns you. We are always glad to share with you. Good luck.

    IRENE

    thank you 
     

    thank you 

     

  • Roselynn
    Roselynn Member Posts: 5
    edited November 2016 #6
    Iris_G said:

    Hi Roselynn

    We completely understand how lost, scared and alone you're feeling!  Unfortunately, we've all been there!  Not a club we thought we would ever have to join, but here we are!  And we're doing fine!  When I first had my lumpectomy, I was told I would only have to do radiation and then Arimidex for 5 years.  But after further testing, it turned out I was triple positive (ER+/PR+/HER2+), so I ended up doing chemo and radiation and will have to take Arimidex for 7-10 years.  All the doctors and nurses kept asking me if I had any questions, but I had no clue what to ask...I'd never been through this before!  I've learned there's no such thing as a stupid question...ask away!  If you don't understand something, tell your team, they'll be glad to help you! 

    As far as the chemo side effects, yes, they vary according to which drugs you're given.  My first treatment really sucked, but it's because I didn't start taking the steroids/nausea meds when I should have, but no one really told me when to start!  You can learn a lot on these discussion boards!  Once I got the hang of the meds before I had a treatment, my side effects were minimal!

    You've already been through the hardest part!  Waiting on my diagnosis was the hardest & scariest for me.  Once I had that, I told my doctors to just get it out of me and let's start treatments! 

    Good luck and let us know how things go for you!  We're here any time you need us!

     

    thank you

    thank you

  • Roselynn
    Roselynn Member Posts: 5
    #7
    had surgery10/24 everything

    had surgery10/24 everything has healed good but for the last wk have had a lot of pain in left shoulder blade, Dr said was from removing 2 lympnodes but it did not hurt till now, what should I do? should I go on to the hospital or just bear with it

  • jessiesmom1
    jessiesmom1 Member Posts: 915 Member
    #8
    Post-surgical Pain

    It sounds like you are doing pretty well since your surgery. Remember it was ONLY 3 weeks ago. Some pain or discomfort would be normal. Did your surgeon prescribe any medication for the pain? Were any post-surgical exercises prescribed? It is important to follow those directions or you could end up with frozen shoulder/adhesive capsulitis. You also want to make sure that the incision is healing properly and not causing the pain due to some infection. If you are concerned then call your surgeon and make an office visit. It doesn't sound like this is the kind of issue that requires a hospital or ER visit - but only you can determine that. 

    Keep calm and carry on.

    IRENE

  • Roselynn
    Roselynn Member Posts: 5
    edited November 2016 #9
    was not told to do any kind

    was not told to do any kind of excerises, called my oncalagist she said might need to go to emer room or call my family dr. also called surgical dr he is on call at hospital to just go there, feel like not getting any help or support from them at all, if does not feel better over the wkend will call a different dr,are there excires on here I can  do?

  • jessiesmom1
    jessiesmom1 Member Posts: 915 Member
    #10
    No Help from Doctors

    I can see your surgeon saying not to do any exercises for a certain period of time after a lumpectomy and lymph node removal but I've never heard of a blanket ban on exercise. Quite the opposite in fact. It has always been my understanding that the proper exercises are very important to regain full range of motion. You can google "post mastectomy shoulder exercises" for information.

    It is the pain and the lack of help you are getting that is of more immediate concern. If the pain is more than you can bear, by all means go to the ER over the weekend. I don't think your family doctor is the appropriate doctor for this issue. You seem to be having a post-surgical complication/issue that the surgeon needs to address. I'm actually surprised that you weren't given a prescription for pain medication before you left the hospital. Of course, filling a prescription doesn't mean you have to actually take the medication. It is nice to have around in case it is needed though. 

    I'm sorry you are going through such a rough patch. It doesn't have to be like this.

    IRENE

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