Welcome to a new and important chapter of The Unexpected Detour❤️ one rooted in education, empowerment, and early detection.
For October, I’m opening the door to the conversations I wish more of us were having—not just as survivors and thrivers—but as women, mothers, daughters, and friends.
This is the beginning of our Breast Cancer Education Series, and today, we’re starting with the biology behind the diagnosis. Understanding what’s happening inside your body can help you advocate, speak up, and make the best decisions for your life.
When you're told you have breast cancer, it’s not just about a lump or a mammogram. Your doctor will test your cancer for specific receptors—proteins that live on or inside cancer cells. These receptors influence how the cancer grows and how it may respond to treatment.
The three most common receptors tested are:
If your breast cancer is ER-positive, that means the hormone estrogen is fueling the cancer cells.
Good news? We can fight this type with hormone-blocking medications like Tamoxifen, which stops estrogen from helping cancer grow.
Similar to estrogen, some cancers are fed by progesterone.
PR-positive breast cancer also responds well to hormonal therapies.
HER2 is a protein that causes cancer cells to grow rapidly.
If your tumor has too much HER2, it's considered HER2-positive.
But here's where science brings us hope:
Targeted therapies like Herceptin and Perjeta have been game changers for HER2-positive patients.
This form of breast cancer does not have any of the three central receptors—ER, PR, or HER2. That’s why it’s called Triple Negative.
It’s more aggressive, harder to treat, and more common among Black women.
Because it doesn’t respond to hormonal or HER2-targeted treatments, the treatment options are more limited, often relying on chemotherapy and immunotherapy.
But let me be clear: Triple Negative is NOT a death sentence. It means your fight will look different—and that’s why knowledge is everything.
On the opposite end, triple-positive breast cancer means the tumor is positive for all three receptors—ER, PR, and HER2.
It responds very well to a combination of:
Hormonal therapy
HER2-targeted treatments
And sometimes chemotherapy
When you know what’s fueling the cancer, your doctor can create a treatment plan just for you.
That’s why I encourage every listener:
Ask for your receptor status.
Read your pathology report.
And if you don’t understand it—ask again.
Because you are not just a patient—you are your own best advocate.
What’s one question you’ve never asked your doctor about your body?
Please write it down. Say it out loud.
When you go in for your next appointment, ask about it. You deserve answers.
Affirmation to Carry This Week
I honor my body by learning about it.
I will not be afraid of what I do not know.
I ask questions. I seek truth. I speak up for my life.
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