Quick Question About TN

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Kelly2380
Kelly2380 Member Posts: 21
edited September 2020 in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Sorry if I am posting this question in the wrong place. I was diagnosed on 8/14 with DCIS, but it's becoming clearer from my pathology report that I have IDC in that same tumor. It's hard to find a home board on here when it's all sort of up in the air. My path report indicated that I am ER/PR negative. They did not order HER2. They'll do that after surgery.

This is a really dumb question. Is it more favorable to be triple negative, or ER/PR neg/HER 2 positive? It's hard to hope for an outcome when they both sound rough.

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  • Trishyla
    Trishyla Member Posts: 1,005
    edited August 2020

    Tough question. I'm both, so I have an unusual perspective. The first five years are scary as hell for us triple negatives. If it's coming back, it will normally be within the first 3 to 5 years. And if it does come back it's usually aggressive as hell. That's the downside. The upside is that after five years your risk drops to essentially the same as any woman off the street.

    Hormone positive cancer is less likely to come back early, and is often not as aggressive if it does return. Plus you have many more treatment options with hormone positive cancer. But your risk of a recurrence rises every year. You're never free of the possibility that it might return.

    So, short answer? It depends.

    Sorry I can't be more helpful.

    Good luck.

    Trish

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  • moth
    moth Member Posts: 4,800
    edited August 2020

    I think if wishing could change things I'd wish for her2+ over triple neg

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  • Trishyla
    Trishyla Member Posts: 1,005
    edited August 2020

    I'm kinda with you on that, moth. Not ten years ago, when it was a virtual death sentence, but now, when there are so many new treatment options. I just hope some of the immunotherapies they're working on for us come to fruition. Soon.

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  • Kelly2380
    Kelly2380 Member Posts: 21
    edited August 2020

    Thanks for your replies! Is it possible to be ER-/PR- and still be HER2+? Or should I expect that it will be HER2-?

    I've been scanning everyone's signature lines across the community and I haven't seen that combo.


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  • Beesie
    Beesie Member Posts: 12,240
    edited August 2020

    There are quite a few people who are ER-/PR-/HER2+. There is a very recent thread on this topic:

    Topic: ER-/PR-/Her2+ Rare?? https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/80/topics...


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  • NorCalS
    NorCalS Member Posts: 288
    edited August 2020

    My understanding is that ER/PR-,Her+ is more common than TN. I agree with the other ladies comments, if I had a choice ER/PR-, Her2+ would be my choice. There is a very effective target drug now for Her2 and Her2 also responds really well to chemo. I’m surprised they didn’t test you for Her2.

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  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited August 2020

    I'm ER/PR negative and HER2+. I was so grateful to have the treatments that are available for HER2. And at the same time grateful that I didn't have to take hormone blockers.

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  • helenlouise
    helenlouise Member Posts: 420
    edited August 2020

    Agreeing with Moth and others. my cancer morphed from TN to Her2+, that meant a whole new range of standard treatment are possible. As opposed to seeking out trials for TN. Since taxol , herceptin and perjeta I am currently NEAD so yay

    Good luck for Her2+.

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  • santabarbarian
    santabarbarian Member Posts: 3,085
    edited September 2020

    I had TNBC. It's a shit diagnosis.... with a silver lining for those who respond well to treatment (high grade TNBC tends to respond well). I was hoping for the Her2 to be positive but it was not. But since I did very well with treatment, I am grateful for the expiration date of active worry that 5 years will bring. I am 2 years out now and feel normal/ good. If you have TNBC, be aggressive! It is beatable! TNBC has 6 subtypes and it can be important to know which one for the right treatment.

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