Breastcancer.org Blog: You CAN Survive Triple-Negative

Thanks for this post.  I needed to see something like this today!

I feel like I just woke from a bad dream everthing moving so fast. Surgery  and now chemo getting ready for second chemo. I am in a daze.

I don't know if I am triple negative or not. I am 1-5% Er positive yet have been told that my tumor is more like a triple negative. They are also wondering if it won't come back ER- from the oncotype test.

I have a small tumor (1.2cm) no node involvement and clear margins. Now here is the thing that really confuses me. My oncologist told me that the chance of relapse for me is 13% and given such a low relapse risk chemo will not be of much benefit (aroudn 3.6% reduction in risk.) The Tumor Board does not think either Tamaxifin or chemo will be of much benefit, but it is my decision; and I was told it is a dilemma how to treat me. I will be getting radiation. Has anyone had a similar status or lack of treatment suggestions. 

I was dx in 05 and i am still here.  all of you hang on, you can do this.  I had high grade, stage 2 IDC..  I am still ned as of last check-up.  Hugs to all.

Thanks for the post - The truly negative connotation of Triple Negative really hit me when I overheard an RN, who was new to my center, and not onc. trained, comment to the other nurse that it was too bad that I had the "worst case scenario" - my heart just sank when I heard him - 

I experienced a similar reaction when talking to a patient navigator. I got an "Oh" when talking about TNBC. Got an "OH (more pronounced)" when I mentioned BRCA1. It is encouraging to know that we can survive!

mcharl - you're an inspiration!

This is why i came back and check in occasionally.  I am not saying i havent had my moments, we all do, but our fighting spirit is what keeps all of us going day after day.  My love, hugs and prayers to all of you always. 

I've had TNBC twice and I'll be five years out from the second one this April. Mine was even two separate types of tumor, medullary in 2005 and IDC in 2007. You don't see lots of TN old-timers here on BC.org but that just means they've gone on with their lives.

At the beginning, you take it one day at a time. Then a week at a time, then a month. Nowadays, I don't even notice when my "cancerversaries" go by. <grin> I'm not saying I wasn't forever changed by BC, but the fear does eventually subside and your real life starts back up.

--Cindy

Thank you, Chumfry--I needed some good hope right now!

Greetings Everyone.

I just completed my DIEP free flap surgery a couple of weeks ago and recovery is going well.   My chemo treatments of 4 months prior to my surgery went well with mnimal side effects.   I am feeling very good....walking twice a day, eating super healthy...not taking any meds due to almost no pain...just a tad bit sore at times.  I am simply amazed on how well I am feeling after such a major surgery.  

Even though I was diagnosed Triple Negative, I feel blessed that things have gone so well and I hold to the belief that I will not have a reoccurrence.  I live in the moment ...enjoy each day to the fullest...I know that I must die one day but it won't be anytime soon :-) 

You are all strong warriors...and I believe that we will all share a "truimph of spirt" over this adversity once we complete our surgeries, treatments and get on with living and loving our lives!  

Everyone stay blessed and strong!

Denise

My mom has recently been diagnosed with Stage 2a breast cancer. She has undergone Modified Radical Mastectomy. Her Histopathology report says that she has triple negative cancer. Margins and lymph nodes were all negative. Scores were ER = +1, PR = 0, HER2 = 0. What are her chances to fully recover so that this does not recur ? what are the further treatment courses she needs to undertake ?

I'm grateful to find this blog. I'm newly diagnosed (Jan) and as you all know it has been a wind tunnel since. Just a FYI if anyone is considering options. I enrolled in a trial at Dana Farber in Boston which is chemo before surgery (neoajuvent) for 12 weeks,,followed by surgery (which I still haven't decided on yet), followed by 4 more cycles of chemo (AC) then radiation most likely. The trial drugs are Cisplatin, Taxol and Rad (Everlimus sp??) or placebo.I just finished tx #10 and side effects have been tolerable. I get examined every three weeks and the tumor, about 3cm to start, can't be felt now on exam!! I met another woman in the trial who had similar results. Hopefully this is good news for TN treatment. We need to be positive not negative (sorry for the pun) . Support and best to all........ Nance

I don't know if it has to be measurable. But there was a recent article reporting that a Canadian study made some discoveries regarding TNBC. When I went to research that it led me to another drs review on research being done on TN. He reviewed PARP inhibitors and Cisplatin ( a trial I'm doing) and the Cisplatin showed promise with Taxol. Cisplatin is an old drug but not used on BC as much. There is also research about Tyrosine Kinase inhibitors for TN. Maybe you can ask your onc about it there are drugs you can try.