Just left ONC, Triple Neg, Ki67 80%

popples1108 · July 2017

Hello. I've posted on here a couple times over the past few days about my mom's bc. She was originally DX in 2015 and had a lumpectomy then rads. She was recently re-diagnosed with IDC. We just left the oncologist and have learned she will need 16 weeks of chemo, then a bilateral mastectomy, then possibly radiation again (on the armpit) depending on what the lymph nodes show.

We also know that the tumor is 1.5cm, triple negative and Ki67 is 80%.

Can someone explain a little more about what all this means, is this something that's beatable/how bad is it?

MTwoman · July 2017

popples, okay, I know it is scary, but please take a minute and breath. So, triple negative means that it is ER/PR- as well as being HER2-. That means that it isn't being fed by estrogen or progesterone and that it isn't overexpressing the HER2 growth factor (HER2 is a human epidermal growth factor protein involved in normal cell growth. when overexpressed, it leads to rapid cell growth). Ki67 is a protein that increases in cells as they prepare to divide. That is a sign of rapid growth. The implications of these things is most likely that they will want to do neoadjuvant chemo (chemo before surgery) as they can then tell if the chemo is effective in slowing/stopping the growth or actually shrink the tumor before surgery. That gives them an opportunity to make sure they know which chemo agents are most successful prior to surgery. It also means that she will not be recommended for a targeted therapy like Herceptin (that is for HER2+ bc) and will most likely not be recommended for anti-hormonal treatment (which is for ER/PR bc). There are women here who had positive lymph nodes before their neoadjuvant chemo, but the nodes were negative after. I know you're posting to get support popples, how is your Mom doing? Sending her gentle ((hugs))

Trishyla · July 2017

Hey popples1108,

I'm so sorry your Mom has to go through this, especially since this is a reoccurrence for her.

That being said, her diagnoses is very similar to mine (in my right breast - the cancer in my left breast was er+/pr+, her2-) The main difference is that my Ki-67 was over 90%, a little bit higher than hers. I know it's really scary when you hear triple negative, especially if you've been out on Google. Ignore Dr. Google. The outlook is much better for triple negative than it would lead you to believe.

The treatment you're describing sounds very similar to mine. Chemo, then surgery then possibly radiation. That's the standard of care for triple negative. It's a tough course of treatment, but very doable. I'm three months past my surgery, five months past chemo, and I'm finally starting to feel like myself again.

You didn't say how old your Mom is. If she's elderly, the treatments will be more difficult for her. But if she's middle aged, 45 to 65, and in reasonably good health, she should do just fine.

The best thing you can do for her is to be as supportive as possible. Listen to her. Let her tell you what she needs. If you can, offer to go with her to doctor's appointments. It helps to have someone write things down for you.

She'll be pretty wiped out from her treatment, so helping with practical things, like cooking, cleaning, shopping are always welcome.

Again, I'm sorry she has to go through this again. I wish you, and her, all the best.

Trish

popples1108 · July 2017

Thank you! It makes me feel better, I guess, looking for stories and all the information I can. I have been able to go to all her appoitments so far and can hopefully keep going to those with her. I've also suggested this site to her, too, so she can talk to you all too.

Just left ONC, Triple Neg, Ki67 80%

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