Triple Negative Breast Cancer

24242 said:

I am 17 yr survivor

I am a me too girl, stage 3 with 11 our of 21 positive nodes and I had two lumps before diagnosed.  I was very ill and in allot of pain unlike most.  I didn't find out I was triple negative till years later the test wasn't up here in Canada at that time.  But because I was part of study found out later when part of testing process I guess.

Though a mother of a teenage son my first instinct was not to have any treatments except surgery but that soon changed with the advice of my mother.  The Nurse came out and reality was put in perspective something I needed for my son.  So I decided if I was prepared to have surgery then I must resign myself to anything that might increase my life expectency and that is what I did.  Even thoug radiation didn't add that much on to my survival rate I did it too because I was up for a couple more percentage points even after everything I had been through.

I have always known there are no gaurantees and have found gratitude like it has never been for me.  I too went on to become a professional Drywall Taper and Painter something I never dreamed of.  It hasn't come without a price a few diseases to learn to live with but it is doable and as you see we can survive.  That is why I still come here is so others know what it can take.  I hope that you do what you need to do and can live with because we have to be able to look at ourselves in the mirror at the end of the day and be happy with it all.

Tara

Your story is inspirational.  I am 13 yrs post bc stage 2 grade 3 triple negative treated with lumpectomy chemo & rads.  I only found out around 2 mnths ago that I had triple negative bc - It never occured to me to ask or find out!! anyway 3 weeks ago i was dx with DCIS in same breast following routine yearly MRI so having double mastectomy with DIEP flap recon this coming Sat 12 Oct (i am also BRCA1 - had stage 2 ovca in 2010). 

i do feel so sad and a little bit angry about this - I mean I am just not an ILL person but 3rd time round does somehow take the wind out of your sails!!! but I am STRONG and I will survive (i'm sure those a words from a song lol!)

Hugs to all.

Michelle xxx

FCNYC said:

TNBC surgery or alternative therapy?

Hi - I am writing on behalf ogf my mother who was diagnoed this past may with TNBC Stage III Grade III with several limphnodes affected.

Since then she has gone through several chemotherapy protocols (6 cycles of PEC first, 4 cycles of Cisplating later) and nothing so far as worked (i.e. the tumor has not stopped growing.) We've consultyed several oncologist and she is now following another chemo protocol (eribulin, once per week) and will soon start tomotherapy (in conjunction with Chemo.)

Needless to say that all these drgus have debilitated my mother substantially and, more important, we have very little hope that the current therapy will work. In the past few weeks, we've also been proposed to do a mastectomy. Some doctors have agreed with this therapy, some other do not. We are very confused as we do not have sufficient information to make a educated decision.

I guess that my question is if any of you has had a mastectomy with a tumor in excess of 7cm and spread to the lymphondes. What are the dangers? 

Thanks for your help.

 

 

I believe I have a question FCNYC or maybe two lol...  How old is your mother and did she have lump ectomy before??

Understandably this is all too confusing and know that things have changed allot in the 17 of my survival but I am also involved right now with an 87 year old woman who is just gone through treatments for her breast cancer and opted not to have mastectomy and when you realize the risks versus the actual percentage of increase in life expectancy then one can make a choice. 

When I had my cancer I already knew what I would do due to a grandmother who had had breast cancer and went through horrid surgery compared to what they do now and cobalt something they don't do.  I did not get what a wanted and that was double mastectomy off the bat.  My mother was a Palliative care Nurse and the Surgeon both talked me into having a single mastectomy with the choice of second one later.  They both agreed that the cancer should be delt with first since stage 3 and many lymphnodes involved and for once I actually listened to my mother and believe one reason still here.

Every cancer is different and everyone is too as it turns out.  At older ages it seems mastectomies do not increase longevity of life so one reason stopped doing them.  At 87 I can see why they don't suggest it for unhealthier people cause it is trauma to the body we can do without or should do without.  Side affects are there every step of the way and they can have the worst affects.

Keep asking the questions until you understand what you need to know before making a decision.  Knowledge is Power and necessary in this fight for LIFE.  You found a great place to be why I still come here and let your mother know I will keep her close at heart.

Sincerely

Tara

Jasminfatt2 said:

Hi i know you posted This

Hi i know you posted This years ago but my mom was diagnose the same as you and she wants to skip chemo .. Can you please tell me what you did? 

You probably should start a new thread as some members from years ago may not be checking in very often. I urge your mother to listen to doctors and do what they recommend. Alternative treatments are usually bogus. She wouldn't want to have any regrets down the road. Chemo is not as bad as people think, the drugs have greatly improved in recent years. Its just a couple of months and then you have the great feeling that you did everything humanly possible. (Some alternative treatments can be used to help with the side effects and improving nutrition/exercise is always good as recommend by a real doctor.) Good luck to your mom!

Same as my wife. Long story but basically my wife's estrogen positive turned triple negative with multiple small mets to the spine. She was put on Xeloda and has been on it since March. Previous PET/CT scan showed most small mets gone and the rest in remission with reduced SUV. Just had another PET/CT scan yesterday and nervously awaiting the results. Xeloda is doable but has some nasty side effects in particular hands-and-feet syndrome. Also, she's on Zeloda, a bone strengthener. It also has it's own SE's but it is a form of chemo and helps to get rid of cancer in the bone.