Cancer back....now it is triple neg???

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UGA1234
UGA1234 Member Posts: 9
edited June 2014 in Stage III Breast Cancer

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.

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  • pupfoster1
    pupfoster1 Member Posts: 1,484
    edited July 2012

    Hi Hon,

    I wish I had some great advice, but I'm not familiar with your Mom's status.  The good news is you are in a large city with very competent doctors.  I'm sure someone will pipe in soon that might be able to guide you through this new scenario.  Hugs to you and your Mom.

    Sharon

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  • Josiekat
    Josiekat Member Posts: 85
    edited July 2012

    Hi Uga. I too had a golf ball sized tumor in my axilla. My KI67 was even higher than your mom's. Take it one step at a time. Once she starts chemo, you will both start feeling better. I did a/c and taxol, she will get through it!

    Good luck and check in to let us know how she's doing.

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  • TectonicShift
    TectonicShift Member Posts: 752
    edited November 2018

    I'm not a medical professional, but I am a stage 3 BC patient who's done a ton of research.

    As I understand it, breast cancer is usually heterogenous, meaning it is a mix of different kinds of cancer. If your mom was ER+ and PR+ originally, that meant that some measurable percentage of her breast cancer tumor cells had ER and PR receptors on them. But unless she was 100% ER+ and 100% PR+ (and I think not very many people are), then she also had some cancer cells that did not have ER+ and PR+ receptors on them. THAT part of her original tumor was triple negative -- those CELLS were triple negative. BTW she could also have had some cells that were hormone negative but HER2 positive. My own tumor was a mix of hormone positive and triple negative, and mostly grade 1 and but some areas of grade 2. Unfortunately it was the grade 2 cells that got into my nodes and so I had a lot of positive nodes even though most of my main tumor was grade 1.

    Anyway, it only takes microscopic cells to leave the main tumor and make their way into the nodes or blood or tissue and start to grow. In your mom's case, it happened to be some triple negative cells that "got out," or "got left behind" after the mastectomy, so the new tumor they grew into is triple negative. It makes sense.

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  • ali68
    ali68 Member Posts: 1,383
    edited July 2012

    My ki-67 was 80 had golf ball in armpit with 9 cancerous nodes. Finished chemo and had Lumpectomy with 32 nodes removed, had complete response so there is hope.

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  • jennyboog
    jennyboog Member Posts: 1,322
    edited July 2012

    I'm sorry to hear and have no advice, just wanted to send hugs and prayers as she will begin tx again.  I did read an article somewhere a long time ago about how the pathology can change.  It mutates as it learns to survive without ER, it builds an immunity or something.  The triple neg (TN) forum might be helpful with info about tx.  Best wishes.

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