Done with #2

It's 4am the day after my second treatment. As part of my pre-med recipe I get Decadron, a steroid with insomnia side effects. I'm not sure if that's what's keeping me awake or if it's the excitement of finally not living out of my suitcase.

We got some amazing news at the doctor yesterday. My tumor shrank!! My once 2.7cm tumor is now closer to 1.5cm!! One week of chemo and boom!! AND, the lymph nodes are barely palpable. Chemo is unbelievable. I still have to finish my full 24-week course (JM and I both jokingly asked if this meant we can be done next week :)) but there is something very satisfying about knowing the toxins they're pumping into my body are working the way they should be working.

I don't think I ever fully disclosed my diagnosis so here it is: I am a BRCA 2 carrier, with grade 3, HER2+, ER+ (20%), PR+ (1%) breast cancer in the right breast. Stage IIB. Tumor was sized at 2.7cm with additional malignant calcification about 5cm away in addition to a few malignant lymph nodes with the largest one measuring about 2.2 cm. So what does this all mean? Well, I'm not an Oncologist but this is my basic understanding. Obviously I don't expect anyone to rely on my laymen's understanding of my cancer diagnosis so please talk to your medical professional if you any questions.

HER2-positive breast cancer is a breast cancer that tests positive for a protein called human epidermal growth factor receptor 2, which promotes the growth of cancer cells. A HER2-positive breast cancer essentially means my HER2 receptor is telling my cells to create more HER2 genes causing an over expression of the HER2 protein; making the breast cells grow and divide in an uncontrolled way. HER2 positive cancers tend to be more aggressive and grow faster. ER+ means that my cancer is estrogen receptor positive making them sensitive to estrogen levels. PR+ means it is progesterone receptor positive making them sensitive to progesterone. Grade 3 means I have a high-grade cancer with cells quickly growing in an irregular and disorganized fashion creating new cancer cells.

So the good news (which I already announced earlier in the post): they have an amazingly effective drug that targets HER2+ breast cancer called Herceptin. Grade 3 cancer, although the worst you can have actually responds well to chemo treatment, because the cells are dividing rapidly, which is what the chemo drugs target and kill...same reason why I'll lose my hair in the next week or so.

Alright, I guess I should try to sleep. It's amazing how life changes so quickly. A month and a half ago, I would have been awake by now getting ready to be at work by 6:00.