Just Diagnosed Triple Negative.. Scared

Hi Angelisa

My triple neg was found in my multicentric calcs in my right breast.  I opted for bilat mx with recon.  My DCIS turned out to be IDC according to the mx. tissue, but sentinel nodes were clean.    You are not being vain, you are even younger than I was at the time of my dx. you deserve to have what you want !!!  I am assuming that you have not had your nodes biopsied yet ??   I am so sorry that you have to go through all this, sending you hugs and positive energy !!

Anna 

Hi Angelisa,

I was initially diagnosed by microcalcifications at mammogram and told DCIS, Stage 0. At surgery, it had already spread to my lymph nodes and I became Stage 111a (but no mets). My DCIS biopsy showed HER+, but I've since been told by 3 doctors that DCIS is, for some reason, always HER+. They were, at that time, essentially doing the biopsy pathology on a different part of my tumor(s) than the IDC it turned out to be. 

I am like you in that I told myself I'd have BMX if I were BRCA positive - I have a strong maternal side family history. As it turns out, my BRCA was negative, but I was told that they believe they have probably only identified 2/3rds of heredity connections.

It's a very personal decision whether to go with the recommended lumpectomy in this case or BMX -- my first thought on diagnosis, no matter how early (and as it turns out, it wasn't early and I've not regretted it a single minute), was "I want them GONE!". In my view, now that insurance companies are required to pay for reconstruction, there is no reason to keep them and possibly have to have follow up surgeries if they don't get "clear margins", no more mammograms this way, my boobs will be an even size/shape, etc. But mostly, my feeling with my strong family history is somehow that - for whatever reason - my risk of recurrence IN the breast tissue is higher and I want almost none of it left! :-)

 As I understand it, for a diagnosis like my initial one (and probably yours), doctors don't "recommend" that you do BMX because it's not the "least invasive response", it's your decision. However, when I said I wanted it my surgeon immediately agreed and over time, literally every one of my doctors have told me it was wiser if a woman is okay with the idea of it and would make things easier on me in the long run (testing, etc.).

Good luck to you as you make your individual decision! And I will be sending positive vibes your way for NEGATIVE nodes! :-)

Hi sisters,  I am 75 and just finished my 12th year post treatment for TN.  I am doing fine.  Hope this info encourages some of the scared ones.  Actually, most of us do quite well, after 2 to 5 years our recurrence/met incidence just plummets, almost home free.  Other types just gradually turn down.  This is something to be glad about.

Gentle hugs, SHirlann 

I was diagnosed with a 2.1 centimeter, node negative, grade 3 tumor, triple negative in 7/2005.  I had a lumpectomy and chemo/radiation.  Last year I decided I wanted genetic testing even though my previous oncologist said it would probably be negative.  Well, I was positive for the brca2....I opted for a bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction and I've never regretted it.  I was told that the chances of breast cancer in the other breast would have been high and also a risk of ovarian cancer.  So, I also had an oophorectomy.  I just didn't want to have to worry all the time about it.  And even though I am 5 year cancer-free, thank god, and a recurrence will always be possible, I was told my risk of recurrence now has dropped dramatically.  Hope this helps !

 hugs,

PS