Er/Pr + to now triple negative........please help!

UGA1234

Hi Ladies - My mom had breast cancer 7 years ago - ER/PR +, HER 2 -.  Had bi-lateral mas., no chemo or rad, no node inv., We just learned today, that the cancer is back in the lymph nodes (one the size of a golf ball) under the same arm as the breast cancer prior.  However, we learned now she is triple negative - either the receptors changed or this is a new cancer - she is 63??  We would told this diagnoisis is simliar to someone in her 20's and 30's.  Her ki-67 is 82, so this is growing fast.  Her pet scan came back today and the cancer is only in the nodes (this was the only good news today).  Where is the primary tumor??  The mammogram us and MRI did not cover the right breast??  I have heard of a kris-cross of the lymphatic system and the lymph nodes under the left arm get cancer and the right breast holds the tumor? 

Does anyone have a similar diagnosis?  She will begin chemo next week - 12 rounds of taxol, then 4 of AC.   Very, very scared.

Any advice is appreciated.  We are in the Atlanta area and will be looking at a consult elsewhere soon.

Luah

UGA: Is it possible there is no primary, that this is a local recurrence that morphed to triple negative? Although it's unusual, I have heard of hormone status changing; one of those women may be along shortly. Rarely there are occult tumours that are never located; the treatment moves forward. But I would think they'd want to be sure to cover the right side as well as her left. 

In the meantime, it's understandable to be scared. Triple negative is known to be aggressive, and that Ki number would not be unusual at all. That said, TN is particularly sensitive to chemo and many, many (most) TN women get through treatment and return to health. There are hundreds of women here (and thousands more who go on with their lives and don't visit the boards anymore) who are proof of that! Your mom's chemo regime reflects the latest evidence... taxol followed by AC yields best results. I would expect that she will be scanned during chemo to see how well the the tumour is responding/shrinking... there are many chemo options to try if not.