Stage 1 TNBC - need chemo?

nickythebean
nickythebean Member Posts: 50
edited January 2015 in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Hi, all. I am writing on behalf of my mom. As you can see from my bio, I am a Stage 3 triple positive survivor, but now my mom has been diagnosed with Stage 1 TNBC. She had a lumpectomy and a sentinel node biopsy on December 22. Tumor 1.5 cm and negative sentinel node. She is 71 years old and has numerous other health issues including heart disease (with 3 stents so far), a pacemaker for complete AV heart block, possible COPD, and others.

I am new to the TNBC scene, but am wondering if anyone could tell me whether chemo is the "standard of care" for ALL TNBCs, or if it varies by stage, or what. We are very concerned about her ability to tolerate chemo. Before surgery, MO said that, if chemo was necessary, we could do a lower dosage for a longer period of time, but even that worries me.

(BTW, my mom's father had double breast cancer (unknown type), but we are BRCA negative and P53 negative. Clearly something genetic going on, but we don't know what.)

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Comments

  • Meow13
    Meow13 Member Posts: 4,859
    edited December 2014

    i would think her options may be limited. Maybe CMF but it could be the onco might say no chemo. Good luck to you.

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  • Beachbum1023
    Beachbum1023 Member Posts: 1,417
    edited December 2014

    Hi nickythebean,

    I am also triple negative BC and just had surgery. I'm not sure if all TN would get chemo or not. I had a larger tumor that shrunk about 60% on AC, but it regrew quickly on Taxol. So three weeks after the last Taxol I had a mastectomy. The margins were clear, and I did not have any node involvement. But TN is tricky. I did really well with the chemo, however I did develop a few issues with the AC, and I am 58 and in pretty good shape. I know that some chemo works better on TN, and some not at all. But I am sure that the Oncologist will include your Mother's Cardiologist in the treatment discussions before they decide on the treatment. If you have any questions, please PM me and I will be happy to answer them

    Happy New Year!

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  • TortyLass
    TortyLass Member Posts: 43
    edited January 2015

    Hi, I met with my oncologist today and she indicated that due to the lack of targeted therapies for TNBC that chemo is a standard protocol, although there are a variety of chemo drugs for the team to choose from.

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  • TortyLass
    TortyLass Member Posts: 43
    edited January 2015

    and actually, when I asked why Adriamycin wasn't part of my regimen, she indicated that it was a bit more hard on the veins and heart, and taxatere+cytoxan has proven to be just effective, yet less damagin

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