The Unique Features of Breast Cancer: Deciding the Right Course of Treatment
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/ Updated January 13th, 2023

The Unique Features of Breast Cancer: Deciding the Right Course of Treatment

Medical Source: Dr. Elizabeth Comen
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
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Doctors treating breast cancer look for markers on your particular cancer to help decide what course of treatment is best for you. That’s because cancer cells may have what are called receptors that help identify the unique features of the cancer.

The three main receptors are the estrogen receptor, the progesterone receptor, and the HER2 receptor. The estrogen and progesterone receptors go together because they are fueled by hormones. Think of the cancer cell as having little hands on the outside of the cell which grab hold of proteins that help it grow. These proteins are sometimes called “ligands.”

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An example of a type of ligand that can stimulate a cancer cell is the hormone estrogen. An estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer will be stimulated by estrogen to grow.  In this instance, your doctor may offer you treatment to specifically target the estrogen receptor.

Another important receptor to test for is the HER2 receptor. For HER2 positive breast cancers, therapies that uniquely target the HER2 receptor are essential to treating the disease.

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

Dr. Elizabeth Comen serves as a medical advisor to SurvivorNet. She is a medical oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Read More

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