TN Poor Prognosis survivors

Hi Dalia,

I was diagnosed in 2002, my doc at the time looked at me and said "this is serious". I had a big tumor, 2 nodes positive and grade 3 triple neg. DId lumpectomy, chemo and then rads. I was fine for 8 years until I had a new primary last year. (Please don't let that scare you , I am brca pos and didn't know it at the time).

Hi Dalia. I just read your biography and our BC diagnostic is somewhat the same. I was diagnosed in august 2010 at the age of 37. I had 3 tumors in my right breast (4.5cm-2.5cm-1.5cm) and 2 positive nodes. When I found my lump in june, it was just 2.5cm but grew very fast after that to 4.5cm before starting chemo in the 1rst week of september. I too had a good response to chemo (4 DD AC + 12 weekly Taxol) but not a complete one. At surgery, last february, (right mastectomy and 7 nodes out) , there was still a bit of active cancer in my breast and in 1 node. My doctor didn't want to give me anymore chemo, said I didn't need anymore. But to this day, I feel I should have had more after surgery. So went straight to radiation. Did 5 weeks of rads. My doctor wasn't all doom and gloom about my cancer being triple negative so that gave me a little bit of reassurance at the time.I am doing fine for now but like many,I am scared too of this beast coming back. I have a 6 years old son that I want to see grow up. Take good care.  

I'm not sure what would be meant by "unfavorable group" unless it was in reference to being TN. But please know the vast majority of TN woman are successfully treated and go on living their lives. Unfortunately, many of them don't visit here anymore, so you won't hear from them.... and conversely, you will hear from many women who have recurred because they are on these boards  for support.

Linda's right, please join us over on the "Calling all TNs" thread because there are many of us there who continue to post long after our diagnoses. 

Congratulations, Dahlia!  You sound very happy and that is wonderful.

Sometimes I blame myself, but the great risk factor, as my gyn recently put it, is having breasts. I used to exercise 4-5 days a week strenously for over 20 years and didn't for about 4-5 years before diagnosis - I also didn't do self exams as frequently as I wish I had.  I have a dim memory of feeling some tiny little lump a few months before I found mine but I had had a fibroadenoma that the breast surgeon watched for several months and I thought it was another one.  I wonder now if it was my tumor at a low stage I.  But hindsight is 20/20 and there isn't anything I can do about it now.

I'm exercising now, and trying to reduce stress. I have also cut most sugar from my diet, but still have trouble with the fat content at times. I eat too many pizzas when I work late because it is the only place that delivers.  But I get low cheese and never eat meat, so I guess that helps.
Diagnosis: 2/5/2011, IDC, 2cm, Stage II, Grade 3, 2/16 nodes, ER+/PR-, HER2-

Dalia, I was diagnosed with Triple Neg Breast cancer 5 years ago this month.  At the time of my diagnosis, my tumor was 3.5 cm and there was 1 lymphnode suspect.  Within 2 weeks, my tumor had grown to 7 cm and my lymph nodes were loaded... in other words, my tumor had more than doubled it's size in 2 weeks. Obviously, I had very aggressive cancer.  Over my course of treatment, my oncologist became a close friend with my husband, but he kept his distance from me.  When I hit the 3 year mark past treatment, my doc shared his insights with my husband.  He said that he avoided having a personal relationship with me as he was certain that I would be dead within 2 years.  I'm glad he didn't tell us that to begin with, I might have given up.

It's 5 years later.  I'm still alive and I made a promise to myself that if I made it to this point, I would go on the blogs and help shore other women up.  Best wishes, I'll say a prayer for you. 

Dalia, 

My pathology report also stated unfavorable for the triple negative staus. The first thing my oncologist said was it was good, that chemo usually knocks it out. Alas, not for long for me. However, I am still here 4 1/2 years later and am looking forward to seeing my children graduate and go to college... Whenever someone asks if I am a survivor my daughter gets the you're so stupid look on her face at them. 

Congratulations on your marriage. many anniversaries to you!!

Pam 

Did htey only give you taxotere and carboplatin?  Can you take more chemo?  For me A/C wiped my tumor out and then I had taxol AND after surgery I had taxotere and carboplatin.  I credit my life to all the chemo.  Can they give you more now instead of doing nothing and waiting?   Are people not taking A/C anymore?  My very feelable tumor went flat after just 2 rounds of A/C and then was invisible on the scan after 4 A/C.  The taxol was just to do microscopic clean up. 

One thing I  know for sure, we are not all alike.  There are sub-groups within triple negatives...what if you are like me and your cancer is squashed by A/C?  I'm not perfectly up to date since it's been 4 years but my oncologist let me have more chemo after surgery for just one spec of cancer left in one node.  I thank God she did.  (also I had taxol and taxotere...if one works ...often its cousin drug will work too)....but for me it was AC that kicked the most A$$

Hugs to you sister.

Meg

Lydia, thank you for sharing that.....OMG.....it takes so much strength but some how we find it.

I am a fan of Ac as well! I had my Taxol first and it shrunk my tumor to half the size, but the AC took care of the rest of it - except 6mm which was on its way out according to the pathologist - and it obliterated the cancer that they knew was in at least two of my nodes - all came back negative at the time of my surgery. Yes, a HUGE fan of AC here!