Triple Negative Breast Cancer - What Can You Tell Me About It

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slynch
slynch Member Posts: 82
in Breast Cancer #1
A friend of mine was diagnosed with Stage I Invasive Breast Cancer and is classified as a triple negative. What can anyone tell me about that?

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  • joannstar
    joannstar Member Posts: 403 Member
    #2
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    that's what I've got
    Triple negative means that the cancer does not respond to hormone treatment.
    Because of that, after my lumpectomies (the 2nd to get clear margins), I had 4 rounds of chemo (Cytoxan/Taxotere), 2 rounds of chemo (Cytoxan/Taxol) and am now doing 33 radiation treatments. After that is complete, I'll be checked every 3 months the first few years then 4 months, 6 months and finally annually.
    About 15% of cancers are triple negative and there is a lot of research on-going to try to find a targeted treatment (like tamixofin for estrogen positive cancer).
    This type of cancer is more apt to recur but after 3 years, the odds of recurrance goes down to be about the same as other breast cancers.
    I've read that it is more common in younger Afro-Americans and Hispanics, but I am neither and was diagnosed at 57 (which while I consider that young...most don't).
    Invasive means that it is broken through the ducts otherwise it would be "in situ".
    The following website is dedicated to just this type of cancer and has a lot of information:
    http://www.tnbcfoundation.org/understandingtnbc.htm
    You are a good friend for researching this.
    Good luck to her.
    JoAnn
  • slynch
    slynch Member Posts: 82
    #3
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    joannstar said:

    that's what I've got
    Triple negative means that the cancer does not respond to hormone treatment.
    Because of that, after my lumpectomies (the 2nd to get clear margins), I had 4 rounds of chemo (Cytoxan/Taxotere), 2 rounds of chemo (Cytoxan/Taxol) and am now doing 33 radiation treatments. After that is complete, I'll be checked every 3 months the first few years then 4 months, 6 months and finally annually.
    About 15% of cancers are triple negative and there is a lot of research on-going to try to find a targeted treatment (like tamixofin for estrogen positive cancer).
    This type of cancer is more apt to recur but after 3 years, the odds of recurrance goes down to be about the same as other breast cancers.
    I've read that it is more common in younger Afro-Americans and Hispanics, but I am neither and was diagnosed at 57 (which while I consider that young...most don't).
    Invasive means that it is broken through the ducts otherwise it would be "in situ".
    The following website is dedicated to just this type of cancer and has a lot of information:
    http://www.tnbcfoundation.org/understandingtnbc.htm
    You are a good friend for researching this.
    Good luck to her.
    JoAnn

    Thank you
    I was diagnosed with DCIS and had mastectomy last year. I was so hurt when I found out she had cancer but I think I can help her alot. I am trying to get all info that I can to help her. Thank you for your response.
  • joannstar
    joannstar Member Posts: 403 Member
    #4
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    slynch said:

    Thank you
    I was diagnosed with DCIS and had mastectomy last year. I was so hurt when I found out she had cancer but I think I can help her alot. I am trying to get all info that I can to help her. Thank you for your response.

    Everyone deals
    with cancer differently.
    I have been very public (at work and my temple) in hopes of being able to help others. I do know several women who kept everything private. When hearing about my diagnosis, they would come up to me and tell me their experiences, but again, they asked for me to keep their confidence.
    Try not to be hurt--it wasn't about you, but instead her method of coping.
    Best to you,
    JoAnn
  • slynch
    slynch Member Posts: 82
    #5
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    joannstar said:

    Everyone deals
    with cancer differently.
    I have been very public (at work and my temple) in hopes of being able to help others. I do know several women who kept everything private. When hearing about my diagnosis, they would come up to me and tell me their experiences, but again, they asked for me to keep their confidence.
    Try not to be hurt--it wasn't about you, but instead her method of coping.
    Best to you,
    JoAnn

    Talk alot
    We are walking partners and we talk alot everyday. She wants to know what is going on and wants to research. She is very open and I think that is helping her deal with it. For me reading and talking about it helped me more than anything and I think that it is helping her. But you are so right, everyone handles it differently -- she was a good friend to me during my time so I am certainly going to be there for her. Once I was diagnosed it made me want to help other people who were diagnosed.
  • DebbyM
    DebbyM Member Posts: 3,289 Member
    #6
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    slynch said:

    Thank you
    I was diagnosed with DCIS and had mastectomy last year. I was so hurt when I found out she had cancer but I think I can help her alot. I am trying to get all info that I can to help her. Thank you for your response.

    You're a good friend Slynch!
    You're a good friend Slynch! Praying for your friend and sending you some too!


    Hugs, Debby
  • pokrydi
    pokrydi Member Posts: 99
    #7
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    DebbyM said:

    You're a good friend Slynch!
    You're a good friend Slynch! Praying for your friend and sending you some too!


    Hugs, Debby

    good info joann I am also a
    good info joann I am also a triple neg found out at xmas (can't find the receipt to return haha) had lumpectomy 1/14/11 and on 2/8 more margin taken out and port put in. I will have to do 8 rounds chemo (first one this past thurs) and 6 1/2 weeks of radiation. Being a considered rare my doc is being aggressive. This website is so helpful and positive it has really helped my comfort level stay in touch. Di
  • linpsu
    linpsu Member Posts: 747
    #8
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    TNBC
    I too am triple negative. At first it was just DCIS but I had a mastectomy, no chemo, no radiation. Then it came back exactly 2 years later under my mastectomy scar, this time it was stage 3C. So I had chemo first, then surgery (to remove implant and lots more tissue and 18 nodes), then radiation. Dr. said she did everything that can be done, but unfortunately there's no hormone therapy for us TN sisters. There are several ladies on here with TNBC, so keep asking questions when you have them. Hugs, Linda
  • slynch
    slynch Member Posts: 82
    #9
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    linpsu said:

    TNBC
    I too am triple negative. At first it was just DCIS but I had a mastectomy, no chemo, no radiation. Then it came back exactly 2 years later under my mastectomy scar, this time it was stage 3C. So I had chemo first, then surgery (to remove implant and lots more tissue and 18 nodes), then radiation. Dr. said she did everything that can be done, but unfortunately there's no hormone therapy for us TN sisters. There are several ladies on here with TNBC, so keep asking questions when you have them. Hugs, Linda

    Under Scar
    How did you find it under the scar? Did you feel it yourself or was it determined from tests or how was it found. That is scary because I had DCIS no chemo, no radiation. I am not triple negative, I am triple positive but I still always worry about reoccurence.

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