"Aggressive" "Hard to treat" Blah blah blah

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Tabatha00
Tabatha00 Member Posts: 133
edited June 2014 in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

This is going to be a rant so if you don't feel like listening then I suggest you look away NOW!  lol

Everyone goes on and talks about how TNBC is "aggressive" and "hard to treat" well isn't ALL cancer?   We could be ER/PR+ and be HER-2+ and because the HER2 is positive the cancer is "aggressive" and "hard to treat".   Sure they have herceptin but it's an aggressive cancer nonetheless.   Those with ER/PR+ sure they can take Tamoxifen and a few other things to help prevent recurrence but I happen to know my sister had the kind called "comedo" or something like that and they said it was one of the "worst" kinds of breast cancers you can have.   She's FINE 11 years later.    She was 29 when she was diagnosed.

Sure, I wish there was a pill we TN's could take to help prevent recurrence and I think they are working on something but to be HER2- is a GOOD thing.  

Cancer is cancer......it can be "aggressive" and "hard to treat" on anyone no matter what kind of cancer you have.   It's just something that has really griped me today and I had to share that with everyone.  I'm a giver...........that's what I do.   I give!   lol

O.k. I'm off my soapbox now.    Carry on!    

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  • navygirl
    navygirl Member Posts: 886
    edited July 2009

    LOL...isn't it sad that these things are obvious only to the ones who have it? I appreciate a good rant and yours had the added benefit of ending on a funny note. Well Done!

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  • lexislove
    lexislove Member Posts: 2,645
    edited July 2009

    Tabatha, I am not TN,you can see my stats, but I agree with you and your post. To me, ALL cancers are aggressive. I do not feel I am better off than someone who is TN or Her- or has multiple lymph node involvment. The BC is tricky and there is no "rules"

    Rant away! LOL

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  • helena67
    helena67 Member Posts: 357
    edited July 2009

    I totally agree with you. Any kind of cancer. If it was not aggressive it would not be called invasive cancer. It's the name of the game. So there!!!!!

    Smile

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  • Tabatha00
    Tabatha00 Member Posts: 133
    edited July 2009

    THANK YOU MY SISTERS..............LET'S UNITE!!!!!!    I mean I just get sick of hearing oh THIS cancer is more aggressive or THAT cancer is more aggressive...........cancer is cancer and everyone is different.   We could all have the same kind, same treatment and everything and none of us are going to react the same to it.  DUH!

    Signed,

    Dr. Tabatha Allen (I'm not a real Dr I only play one on this message board)   lmfao 

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  • carolinachick
    carolinachick Member Posts: 387
    edited July 2009

    I agree.  I think it's pointless to compare our cancer - stage, hormone status, her-2 status, etc.  I've actually had someone on one of these boards say that she would happily trade with me when I expressed my fear of recurrence - how is that supportive or productive?  We are all here because we have been recruited into the breast cancer-fighting army.  We need to all stick together and encourage each other so that we can win the battle!

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  • hollyann
    hollyann Member Posts: 2,992
    edited July 2009

    Cancer is cancer and it is all hard no matter what........I loved the rant tabatha!...Did i mention I have a niece inlaw named Tabatha?.....LOL

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  • Tabatha00
    Tabatha00 Member Posts: 133
    edited July 2009

    Well then she must be an OUTSTANDING niece-in-law is all I can say!   lol   

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  • Titan
    Titan Member Posts: 2,956
    edited July 2009

    I'm not freaking out about it and neither are my oncs!  I work with a lady (yes triple neg..over 5 years now..clean)...anyway...she said that she was concerned it would come back..no matter what kind of breast cancer it was...she is also GLAD that she doesn't have to take any more drugs.  Once she was done with chemo (no rads). she was DONE....no side effects of anything...she looks and feels great! 

    I had 4 AC's and now 4 taxols (2 more to go) plus radiation..dose dense. 

    I personally don't know anyone named Tabitha..but I don't think I would mess with anyone of that name....I bet your cancer has been gone for a long time!!!!  

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  • Tabatha00
    Tabatha00 Member Posts: 133
    edited July 2009

    Girl I just got on this roller coaster ride.   I was dx with bc on May 22 a month before my 38th birthday.   Found out I was TN and went to a large breast health clinic 2 hours away from where I live and they did CT scans w/contrast, bone scans, mammos, ultrasounds of axilla nodes, the gamet and we found that I have a 2 cm "tumor" (oh how I hate that word) dangling from the bottom pole of my kidney........pole dancing I guess.  lol    I had a biopsy on it and it is renal cell carcinoma (kidney cancer) grade 1 which is the sloooooooowest growing kind.   Good for me that they can remove it laproscopically on July 30 but worse case scenario is they may have to remove my whole kidney because the "thing" is close to my ureter (blah blah blah).   So, I'm thinking positive (I'm a positive person can you tell?  lol) and I am determined to have the little bugger removed laproscopically, get out of the hospital the next day and start chemo 2 weeks later.

     I will be doing dose dense chemo every 2 weeks for 9 treatments and then having bilateral mastectomies.   WHEW........my fingers are out of breath!   lol   They said the kidney cancer is NOT related to the breast cancer so I'm grateful for that.   Who gets 2 kinds of cancer at the same time?   I mean what is that about, really?    lol

    I have a Caring Bridge page if anyone is interested............. www.caringbridge.org/visit/tabathaallen    It'll give you a little background and a look into my sense of humor.   I'm definitely a glass half-full kind of person.

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  • JanMarch
    JanMarch Member Posts: 167
    edited July 2009

    Tabatha - I'm LOVING your attitude and sense of humor!  I have no doubts that you are going to kick some cancer butt!

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited July 2009

    Tabatha,

    I'm not triple negative but one of my best friends is and she is a 6 year survivor - YOU GO GIRL!!!

    HUGS, Dawn

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  • LRM216
    LRM216 Member Posts: 2,115
    edited July 2009

    I'm triple neg too and am sick, sick, sick, of the "oh, it's so agressive and hard to treat" bullcrap as well.  Tabatha - it may seem like a rant to others (although I doubt that), but it's music to my ears, honey!

    Linda

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  • misty123
    misty123 Member Posts: 242
    edited July 2009

    You Go Girl....Cancer is cancer and all of them are aggressive that's why we have to fight so hard agianst it. Loved the rant.

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  • sftfemme65
    sftfemme65 Member Posts: 790
    edited July 2009

    OMG I love what you had to say!!! I totally agree.  I hate it when everything is so negative...then I mention that I had positive nodes and I get the "oh my goodness I am so sorry" and the "look".  Whatever.  Im beating this, dang it.  My doctor feels very good about the treatment I had, so I do too.

    Teresa

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  • Titan
    Titan Member Posts: 2,956
    edited July 2009

    My doctor's don't seem overly concerned about the triple negative.  Chemotherapy works VERY well on triple negative.  That's why we are doing it...duh!   I actually wasn't concerned about it either.  The MAIN thing is lymph node involvement....but then again...if you have lymph node involvement there is NO reason to not think that chemo and radiation will take care of that either..and another thing...since we don't have to take drugs after our treatment it will be up to us to watch for any signs of ANYTHING DIFFERENT.... There is nothing wrong on insisting on scans,,,whatever to keep us healthy..(both mind and body)....We aren't being psycho...just diligent....If it turns out to just GAS..well whatever!

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  • Karen09
    Karen09 Member Posts: 320
    edited July 2009

    I'm tired of all the triple negative "hard to treat" crap too.  Way to get me discouraged from the start!  I started to feel down when I was first told about the triple negative and the high rate of recurrence.  Then I thought "If I don't think I'm going to beat this, I won't" so I am trying to focus on the positive and be strong. 

     Tabitha, you are so funny!  I'm sure you will beat both those cancers!!

    As far as going to the doctor any time you notice anything different at all after treatment - well my doctor is going to love that because I was a hypochondriac BEFORE the cancer.  Imagine how bad I'll be afterwards.  LOL!  Oh well, more business for her.  hehe!

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  • Tabatha00
    Tabatha00 Member Posts: 133
    edited July 2009

    Well I do aim to please in the humor department.    If I haven't posted, I have a Caring Bridge page if ya'll want to keep updated on my daily humor.  lol

    www.caringbridge.org/visit/tabathaallen     Please sign my guestbook cause I always like to read what people write.   Don't make me beg.   Really!   lol

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  • NavyMom
    NavyMom Member Posts: 1,099
    edited July 2009

    Hello to everyone.  This is my first post.  I am looking forward to finding support from this forum.  Even tho I am not happy to be here at least I know that I am not alone

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  • Tabatha00
    Tabatha00 Member Posts: 133
    edited July 2009

    Navy Mom, no ma'am (how did you like that for a salute?  lol) you are most certainly not alone!!!!   I was dx on May 22 so I see we have a lot in common!!!!

    Main thing is to know that this is no surprise to God.   God is in control and I KNOW how we want to be in control of everything but God has plans for all of us.   I will be praying for you!!!! 

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  • Shirlann
    Shirlann Member Posts: 3,302
    edited August 2009

    Hi sisters, I was a TriNeg, Medullary BC, had only lumpectomy and rads.  Nor hormones or chemo, mainly because my tumor was small and no nodes, but back then, they did not know very much about TriNegs, either.

    I am 11 years post treatment and just fine.

    Gentle hugs, Shirlann

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  • cancerviking
    cancerviking Member Posts: 46
    edited August 2009

    Hello to everyone,  I was diagnosed 12/07 with TN stage 1 IDC.  I too am sick of the negative stories painted about triple negative breast cancer.  All cancer cells are invasive by nature aren't they?  Why give such a gloom and doom scenario?   I kicked cancer's butt!!! lol  I actually had someone tell me I was lucky to have TN breast cancer because there is more research being done on this subgroup of breast cancer.  I said " are you kidding?  nobody is lucky to have any type of cancer"  I guess this made them stop and think.  I plan to be being around  for a long time because I have never found an expiration date yet.  Tabatha keep up the humor.  Laughter got me all the way through all my chemo and beyond!!!

    Best wishes, Pam 

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  • NavyMom
    NavyMom Member Posts: 1,099
    edited August 2009

    I love a good sense of humor!  Positive thinking is a must, too.

    Thanks for the upbeat posts. 

    Going for my port tomorrow and will my have first chemo (TAC) on the 18th. 

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  • Titan
    Titan Member Posts: 2,956
    edited August 2009

    I was done with chemo yesterday! Had 4 DD ac and 4DD Taxol...things are fine..Onc. told me that I was young and healthy...rads next in a couple of weeks...I think I am doing everything possible to fight this...whether TN or not...

    I agree with you guys...all the gloom and doom stuff is just a bunch of ****...

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  • Scoobydoo
    Scoobydoo Member Posts: 499
    edited August 2009

    I would like to jump on this bandwagon.  I definitely do not feel this is any kind of a death sentence.  If anything they will be monitoring us more closely for any sign of recurrence.  I start my tx on 9/3 of AC/T.  I will be getting my port in the next couple of weeks.  The thing is cancer is cancer.  There is enough to deal with without having to deal with those people who want to put us in a wooden box.

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  • Tabatha00
    Tabatha00 Member Posts: 133
    edited August 2009

    AMEN SISTER YOU JUST JUMP ON THIS OLE BANDWAGON WITH US!!!!!!!!!

    The more the merrier!!!!!  

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  • Shirlann
    Shirlann Member Posts: 3,302
    edited August 2009

    Hi gals, remember, while TriNegs tend to be more aggressive tumors, if you get to the 2 to 3 year point, our recurrence/metastasis rate COLLAPSES, unlike our other sisters with the other types of breast cancer.  That means just hold your breath for 2 years and then you are almost home free!

    Love you all, Shirlann

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited August 2009

    Hi all, my first TNBC was dx'd in 2004.  It's back in the same breast, but now it is weakly er+.  After 4 years.

    I also do not like it when my friends inform (each other) that it is the "aggressiv" type.  But guess what, it is true.  And we need more research.  

    My original tumor was less than a centimeter in diameter.  My team attacked it very, very aggressively.  I had a lumpectomy, node dissection, chemo and radiation.  All for a cancer that was smaller than a pea.  Well, something did not work because it is back, and it is HUGE.  It grew overnight while I was on vacation.

    We need a big celebrity to declare that they have TNBC so more attention is paid to the disease.

    But you're right.  I don't want the attention on me. 

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  • tibet
    tibet Member Posts: 545
    edited August 2009

    Adnerb

    If your first was TN and second is weakly er+, it is probably a new primary not a recurrence as the two don't share the exact same pathology.

    My doctor said about 13% TN can have ER positive new primary in the same or other breast.

    If you had a mastectomy, do you think it would have eliminated the second time? Did you have DCIS the first time or/and the second time? Are you BRCA tested? 

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  • snuziq
    snuziq Member Posts: 107
    edited August 2009

    Tabitha00,

     I'm not even sure I am Triple Neg yet but I am of the same mind.(biopsy came back grade III triple neg but the lumpectomy was just done yesterday)   I was apologizing to a coworker for my "bad cancer timing" on a project we are working on and his response was that no matter the time or year, being told you have cancer would always be "bad timing".  Every time I think of the things that I have on hold, while I wait to find out what treatment we are going to try; I think of his comment.  It makes me smile, because he is SO right and so are you.  We just have to face this thing head on regardless of the severity and kick it's butt.

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  • kane744
    kane744 Member Posts: 461
    edited August 2009

    Here's a laugh on me!  I was so happy when I learned I was triple negative.  I was just so happy to finally hear "negative" after that awful "positive" telling me I had bc.  TRIPLE yet!  Wow.  And I've felt that way all along until I stumbled on to this forum.  I've spent hours since educating myself online.  The result?   I think I will choose to continue to be positive about my triple negative just knowing that I've done all I can do to rid my body of this dreaded, but beatable, disease!  

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