Mom's cancer diagnosis

My mother is a 55 year old female that was recently diagnosed with stage IIIa (T2N2M0) lobular breast cancer with a her2neu level of 3+.  What does this mean in layman's terms?

[CCF-RN,MSN-rf]

Dear browny1981:  Breast cancer staging helps to determine prognosis or the risk of cancer returning or spreading in the future.  A T2N2M0 breast cancer means that the tumor in the breast was larger than 2cm in size but no more than 5cm, and between 4 and 9 of the lymph nodes under the arm were involved with cancer. The M0 means that there is no evidence of spread outside of the breast and regional lymph nodes.  In general, the larger the tumor and the greater the number of lymph nodes present the higher the risk is that the cancer may recur or spread in the future.  Additional treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormonal therapy (if the tumor expresses ER or PR) and Herceptin (when expression of Her2neu is amplified as in you mother's case) can help reduce the risk of the cancer coming back.  The exact treatment regimen will be best determined by her oncologist.  If your mother is willing, you might consider going with her to the appointment so that you will understand the plan of care and be able to assist her.

[browny1981]

What I understand about her2neu is very little.  From what I have been able to find, her2neu lowers the survival rate of the patient.  Approximately what is my mother's survival rate with her diagnosis and her her2neu level being 3+

[gonza]

You just be hopeful and be there for your mother.  In 2003 my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer and had her breast removed along with almost all of her lymph nodes under her arm.  She went through 6 months of chemo and 33 treatments of radiation.  She is recovered and has no signs of the cancer returning.  You and your family are in my prayers.