Calling all TNs

31 years old, single, diagnosed aug 11 with Stage 3A while on long term assignment for work.

Still a bit lost and waiting to fly home for consultation with local oncologist and their recommended treatment plan.

I still can't grasp exactly how aggressive TNBC is...trying to fight the urge to think that the tumor is growing each day. just trying to make it until the flight (aug 31) so i can see family (brothers and parents and deal with the treatment head-on.

thank you ALHusband for the encouragement.

The second I read somewhere that TNBC responds well to chemo, it felt that was all I needed to know in order to go through treatment. On some days a little bit of impatience surfaces.. "let's do this! let's shrink this tumor"

It's also great to be able to talk to people about this who are going through the same things

Rdeesides, I had a genetic test (Foundation One) because my biopsy showed HER2+ while my lumpectomy tumor pathology showed triple negative. Unfortunately, it didn't classify my tumor as far as the categories mentioned in the article you shared. I don't have the BRCA gene, but none of the mutations I have appear to have any trials ongoing. Hopefully, treatment and my body's ability to fight the cancer will prove sufficient to prevent mets or a recurrence.

Lyn

Hi Ladies! I don't post much anymore, but like to stop in every now and then especially when my "cancerversary" comes around. Tomorrow will be my 7 years from diagnosis. It does get better ladies - no, the fear never goes away, but it does lessen and you will begin to live life more like you did before. Best wishes to all the newly diagnosed- you won't find a better group of ladies and men to help you through the nightmare. A big hello to all the wonderful ladies I went through this with!

Re: Cocker (Annie)- I am in a private Facebook group with Annie. She has had a rough go with treatment, but is hanging in. She commented as recently as 8-25. I will let her know you are all thinking of her and encourage her to post if she is up to it!

Cathytoo - Thank you! I count from my diagnosis date as my oncologist did. It is not first on my mind anymore, however, it is there everyday when I get in the shower and see one reconstructed breast that will never match the other. Don't give up hope, you won't always feel this way. I look forward to my family's future and don't think "If I'm there to see it" like I used too. Don't get me wrong, I do think about it. The main thing cancer has taken from me is my peace of mind, but it doesn't rule my life anymore. Congrats to you on your upcoming 2 years! 

congratulations TiFJ! That's great news! you are an inspiration

Hi everyone, I was just diagnosed with bc last week and this morning my MO told me its TN, KI67 80%. I am 34 and am really really scared. I am not really familiar with TN. I just know it's kind of a worse type. Thanks everyone who post good message in this thread, I am reading very one of your posts now try to get some positive energy.

I notice someone did surgery first followed by chemo, and others do chemo first. Does anyone know usually which one should be done first? I am trying to find a best plan and start treatment asap.

Congrats TifJ, you give us all hope!!

Hi there everyone. I hadn't checked in for awhile, and of course when I do I'm always sorry to see young newbies joining the "club". I remember how scared I was in those early days. I was diagnosed 2 1/2 years ago and it seems like all of the news was bad. Breast cancer - Triple Negative - Aggressive - Lymph Nodes positive - I remember I felt like I had one foot in the grave.

Well, I just had a yearly check up and got a clean bill of health. YEAH!! Also, I wanted to tell all of the people that are newly diagnosed how well TN can react to chemo. I did neoadjuvant chemo ( before surgery) and it was palpably smaller after the first chemo treatment - and the golf ball sized lump that was there before was seemingly gone after the second treatment. My MO actually said it was the fastest "shrinkage" she'd seen - which prompted all sorts of "Seinfeld" references to the shrinkage.

Needless to say, I continued going after it aggressively. I did all my chemo, did a double mastectomy ( my choice) and radiation. After surgery they told me I was a PCR ( Pathologic Complete Response)

Every once in a while I can get negative feeling and imagine it recurring, etc...but we just got back from a 9 day trip to England and I don't think I even thought about it once. For the most part, it really is life as usual. Maybe even more grateful for birthdays ( 2 weeks ago) and getting older- I just turned 56.

My best advice would be to make sure you completely trust your doctors and just do what they say. I got excellent care and always felt they had my best interests at heart. Also, let people help you if offered. I was shown so much love, and it brought me closer to family and friends.

Anyway, enough rambling from me. I wish the very best and if anyone who is newly diagnosed and scared wants to PM me to ask specific questions I will do whatever I can to answer them. Love, Marcy ( my name Georgie61 -is from my great grandma Georgia who was SOOOO strong - I wanted to channel her strength in the early days!)

TifJ,

Thank You for the Cocker update!

I remember as a Newbie the Oldies uplifting words kept me from going down the rabbit hole.

Today, my yearly MO visit went okay.

May everyone have a fun Labor Day weekend............last call for Summer!

A neighbor posted the following bale of old hay pic on Facebook.

VLH, thank you for your information and encourage. My tumor hurts, I don't know if it's the same for anyone else, and that's one of the reasons I'd prefer surgery first. My surgeon and MO both think it doesn't matter which one to perform first so they told me it's my call. I am trying to see other people's experience and make a decision asap.

Swedish_Girl, I agree with you. With the tumor gone, I'll definitely feel better, at least mentally. Right now the tumor reminds me constantly it's there. You are almost done with your treatment. Good job!

Great news, Georgie61. The vacation sounds super.

Ewu, my tumor was painless so that wasn't an issue for me..

I'm finally starting radiation next week. I'm 15 months out from my diagnosis so hope I'm not risking side effects for nothing. My tumor was on the left so I'm driving farther to access an RO who is a breast specialist and offers prone positioning. Node negative, I'll be able to have 16 sessions after a "rehearsal" appointment. I've had delays and complications every step of the way so hope this will go smoothly.

Lyn

Ah Meadow. Favorite food? Fresh Bread, crisp bread oh and more bread. Potatoes all ways, fried, steamed with herbs, mashed, baked. Carbs and more Carbs.

Meadow, - Have fun with the wedding prep, and of course, at the wedding, too!! Enjoy and take lots of pics!!

Hope all here are having a good Labor Day weekend! A little cool and rainy here in NYC, - but will be sunny tomorrow!

Sam0632, I too didn't have what they call a pathologically complete response to my neoadjuvant chemo. I didn't find out until after surgery either. As for the nodes, my BS thought some looked larger at first diagnosis ut chemo must have taken care of them as she took out 7 and none showed cancerous. I remember feeling blindsided about the residual cancer too tho.

You may want to read up on Xeloda. It's a 6-8 month treatment that may lessen your TNBC nonPCR recurrence rate. There is a discussion board for those of us taking it at Xeloda and TNBC. I'm sorry you have to deal with all this,but there is always hope.

https://www.breastcancer.org/research-news/xeloda-...