TNBC survivor rate

Being triple negative is only one part of the equation
Having TNBC is not by itself an indicator of low survival rate. There is stage, node status, grade, type of cancer, BRCA status, chest wall invasion status, age of the patient, and on and on. There are also factors that we can't quite quantify yet, such as lifestyle and environmental factors. Generally, yes, the survivor rate for TNBC is lower than for a similar BC that has positive hormone receptors. Still, the majority of TNBC early stage patients will live to a ripe old age. There are even some positives to being TN: once we survive 3-5 years, our recurrence rate plummets, whereas hormone postive ladies have a pretty much constant (though lower) rate of recurrence their whole lives. I know many triple negative survivors who are many years away from diagnosis and have not recurred.

Here is a site where you can put in your individual factors to come up with some statistics. Of course remember that your wife is not a statistic, but I understand her need to see these: http://www.lifemath.net/cancer/

My best to both you.

Mimi

HI
I can completely relate with your wife. I was diagnosed with tnbc about 18 months ago. I'm done with treatment now and starting to get some of my old stuff back. TNBC is a scary dx because of the limited options but there is so much room for hope! I am cancer free now, and praying that I stay that way. God bless you and your wife!
Will keep you in my prayers.
Alison

marines911 said:

Great to hear
that someone else is cancer free and that the possibility is there. I will continue to feed my wife the success stories to counteract the ones she reads and hears about. Hopefully tomorrow will have some more good news.

Thank you,

Thomas

whoops
sorry, double post

Aortus said:

Mimi is 100% right
Your wife is a person, not a number. Whatever statistics she may come across while Googling are likely to be outdated, misleading, or just plain wrong. When the Moopster and I first came here in January 2009, Mimi had already been out there sifting through the pile of "information" out there, and she was very good about steering us to accurate sources. Please encourage your wife *not* to Google!

All I would add is that there are indeed all sorts of TNBC survivors out there living happy, fulfilled and recurrence-free lives. You don't hear from them, or about them, all that much because, well, they're busy living their lives. But they are out there. A year and a half ago Moopy and Mimi were practically going through chemo together (I think Mimi was one three-week cycle ahead), with all the fun that includes. Now they are out and about and having their lives back. There is a life after TNBC, and as your wife will find out, it is a joyous one. So please ask her to keep at it, okay?

Best,
Joe

I came to CSN...
following completion of my chemotherapy in June. I too, am triple negative and was very confused about markers, etc. Aortus and the Moopster, damned if we don't get familiar fast here, were gracious enough to encourage me after one of my first posts.

I recommend the internet for shoe and book shopping, investigating the lives of celebrities, updating your NetFlix queue, chatting and emailing with friends on the other side of the planet, and the occasional icanhazcheeseburger. As suggested previously, there is a lot of outdated information and even this site can get anecdotal. Trust your physicians and ask questions.

My grandmother use to remind us that worrying would never add a minute to our lives and that we would never get those minutes back.

It's hard to give up control, I know, but I am learning to think of this journey as an inconvenience and trying to keep my focus on a life after cancer.

marines911 said:

Fighting
This has become my tag line. I use this word all day, every day. It's just those low days that get the best of us.

Low days are a given ---
when dealing with this dis-ease! You're allowed. I'm not a triple neg, but do have something to offer. Remember years ago, before we know what we know now, (or we think we know ;-)) there was not such thing as staging....no such thing as triple neg, triple positive, or any combination of the mentioned, alot of the chemos just weren't around....and yet...AND YET...there are survivors. My aunt is one. They don't know what stage hers was (found lump under the arm, early 40's.); didn't know the type (idc, ilc, dcis...whatever); didn't know the properties (triple pos., triple neg, or comination). She had a radical mastectomy (only treatment then), and was told to go and live. Which, incidently she still is.

My point is.......................we don't know what the future is for any one of us. I do know that there are many, many ladies living with Stage IV. My pcp tells me of her friend who has bone mets, and has survived 12 years. Even rides horses!

Your wife doesn't have an expiration date on her foot, does she? No, didn't think so. None of us do. Once your wife gets her feet beneath her, and can wrap her mind about what she's fighting, she will be surprised at how well she will live.

Fists up, Marine!! The battles are on, and we are right behind your wife, giving you both all the support we can. And, by the way, sir...............thank YOU for the service that you give to your country!! That can't be said enough!

Rague said:

We are all so unique!
I'm not TN - I'm IBC. I choose not to look at the so called "survival rates" (which aren't good for IBC) - Sat will be my 1 year since DX - YES! Those 'rates' are based on mega-people - I am "me, myself and I" AND nobody else. So for me, it is either 0% or 100% - either I keep 'riding' NED or I don't - there is no in-between.

Do your own checking 'on line' with a positive mind set. 2 people can read the exact same words and get/read 2 different 'things'.

(OH - Thank you for serving - Hubby of 34 years is retired USN)

Susan

I am not TNBC either, but I
I am not TNBC either, but I never asked my prognosis or wanted to know. this is not my first time, I had BC in 1994, and got it in the other breast 2009.As far as I am concerned statistics are for determining what kind of treatment you need, not when or if it will recurr or if you will die. I did not need that number to focus on, because it may or may not pertain to you. with cancer there is just no way to really know. I try to focus on the day, but I think its harder when you are in active treatment a constant reminder. hugs to you both!

The Statistics Are Old and Skewed
In order to calculate a ten year survival rate, they need to be using results that are at least ten years old. They don't separate out by race, brca status, quality of medical care...

It sounds like your wife is seeing a good doctor. Remember that triple negative responds well to chemo!!


Keep the faith

Bob

John_32 said:

Obviously I am looking at
Obviously I am looking at brain metastasis from breast cancer statistics (and there doesn't appear to be much of a difference in the survival rate, i.e., 4-6 months on average, between brain metastasis from TNBC as opposed to other breast cancers, which is horrifying). I am just saying that, likewise, he may find it more useful to focus on statistics/studies of lung metastasis from breast cancer, for example, instead of just reading up on breast cancer. Once it has migrated out of the breast, it isn't just breast cancer anymore.

John,
I know a few women with TN brain mets who have made it well past the 4-6 month mark. Have you or your wife been on www.youngsurvival.org? There are some young women on there in the same situation as your wife. One woman I can think of has had TN brain mets for over a year and is doing well. My best to both of you.

Mimi