Breast Cancer - Estrogen Positive

Estrogen has numerous different functions;tamoxifen, a drug that runs by blocking the
consist of assisting you grow dense, physicallyestrogen receptors on the breast tissue cells and
powerful bones. It's good to have strong bones,slowing their estrogen-fuelled development. A
but it's best not to have the breast-cellstudy advocates that Herceptin might be helpful
development stimulation that goes along with theregardless of your ER/PR status.
higher estrogen levels.Your breast cancer cells could be tested to
A number of studies have demonstrated thatobserve if they have 'hormone receptors' or
elderly women with high bone mineral densitybiological therapy receptors. There are oestrogen
have an increased risk of breast cancer, especiallyreceptors and progesterone receptors. You might
advanced cancer. This has caused rumorshear your doctor talk regarding 'your oestrogen
concerning dense breasts and dense bones leadingreceptor status', 'ER status' or 'PR status'. At
to breast cancer. But it's not the extra thicknesstimes, doctors might say you are 'ER positive' or
of the breasts or the thickness of the bones that'ER negative'.
leads to an increased risk of breast cancer.Women who haven't had their menopause before
Relatively high estrogen levels in the body possiblybeing diagnosed with breast cancer are still
create all three things: denser breasts, strongerproducing oestrogen. If you have an ER positive
bones, and a higher risk of breast cancer.cancer, then oestrogen could encourage the
Your doctor will order a hormone receptorsbreast cancer cells to develop. Consequently
assay, a test to see if the cancer is sensitive todoctors advocate treatment to stop oestrogen
estrogen and progesterone. If a tumor isproduction. They call this ovarian ablation. There
estrogen-receptor positive (ER-positive), it is moreare a variety of ways of doing it. To stop your
probable to develop in a high-estrogenovaries working enduringly, you might have
environment. ER-negative tumors are typically notChemotherapy or Surgery to get rid of your
influenced by the levels of estrogen andovaries.
progesterone in your body. This is one time whenA new study states that current decline in breast
hearing the word "positive" might really meancancer mortality rates have been most
something good.noteworthy amongst women with estrogen
ER-positive cancers are more probable to respondreceptor (ER)-positive tumors and women
to anti-estrogen therapies. If you have anyounger than 70.
ER-positive cancer, you might respond well to