Triple negative beyond 2 years- What was your treatment?

4 Years ago today I had my last radiation treatment. Wow...time has flown. I chose a lumpectomy, and also had 6 lymph nodes removed.I was pre-menopausal at 41 years old & a triple negative,so they gave me the  FEC chemo of   6 treatments 3 weeks apart along with neupogen shots. After the chemo I went for a  re-excisional biopsy on the lumpectomy site to obtain clear margins. Yay, they were clean, and not even a calcification showed up on the mammo( thank goodness, otherwise it would have been a mastectomy at that point). I finished up with radiation and was able to skip the boost, since I had just had the surgery for clear margins.

I feel pretty good, only constant complaint is my swelling( puffy hands, feet,face etc.) Not sure what it's all about, but getting it looked at now. 

Looking back, I still say this is the best place to come for support and sharing of ideas. I live in a small community, and being able to come on here, was so important to me through my breast cancer treatment. The women on this site certainly helped to keep my mind positive...:)

Hugs

Barb 

I was also triple neg, grade 3, four centimeters, node neg.

Five year survivor on June 13th, had mast., chemo, doing well.

It looks like I'm new to the board, but I had to re-register for some reason, never posted much, but I come here a few times a week at least, have for years, going to try and post a little more, giving the newbies some more hope, five years!

I'm 2 years out as of yesterday. Mastectomy, 4 AC, 4 taxotere, and 35 rads. Still NED.

Sue

Dx Oct 2001, R boob, triple negative.  CMF chemo treatment.  Three  months of chemo, 6 weeks of radiation, and 3 months of chemo again (they call it the sandwich here).  Horrible results from lumpectomy and radiation, due to radiation damage at the time all that could be done was reduction, went from C to triple A.  Now getting my boobs rebuilt on Monday, June 16/08.  Getting a pedicle tram on R boob, and 3 months later will receive an implant on left to achieve symmetry.

Hi all,

Shirlann -- I'll bet they know living in San Diego is so wonderful that nobody would ever get a recurrence there!

Love,

Annie

I don't check in as often as I used to.  Still see some familiar names from my dx in April 2002.  Shirlann was one of my greatest inspirations and so helpful.  I had a lumpectomy, chemo (a/c x 4) and rads.  No nodes but 2.1 cm. ER-PR-.  Life is good now, I've had 3 grandchildren since all this mess began.  They keep me positive.  I still see my onc every 6 months.  Hugs to you all.

Kathy

Hello all, I was diagnosed triple negative in July 04.  Had bi-lat mastectomy, 13 lymph nodes removed and the axillary node was positive.  I had my ovaries removed because I was high risk so I hit menopause at 34.  Started wit 4 rounds of A.C. and the disease was kept at bay.  Came back and Taxol and Avastin controled it for 10 months.  PT Scan showed that it spread to the brain (4 areas) so I got 14 dats of brain sterilization (radiation).  Then xeloda and ixempra which I couldn't tolerate.  Now I have a chronic cough and they believe it has entered the lungs.  I was at Johns Hopkins and I will be starting Abraxane and Avastin on Tuesday.  I pray that this works!  Anyway, I'm about 4 years out since initial DX.  Good luck all and God Bless!    

Some additional info that may be helpful.  When I was on Taxol and Avastin my nails were discoloured and ready to fall off.  I bought some bagbalm (used on cow's milkers/utters) at a local feed store and rubbed it on my hands and nails before bedtime and then I slept with my husband's socks covering my hands.  Believe it or not, my nails showed slight improvement the next day.  I did it for the next 3 months until I was taken off Taxol and my hands and nails were completely normal.  It cost about $7.00 for a container that lasted me about 3 to 4 weeks.  I really hope this information helps someone out.  May God bless to all.   

Hi everyone,

I will be 3 years out tomorrow!!!!!!!  I had a 1.7cm lump.  I had a lumpectomy and did 6 treatments of TAC.  + Radiation.  The first year after chemo I had a lot of aches, but slowly they have all gone away.  I feel great now, except maybe less stamina than before.  I exercise 3 times a week for an hour and take flaxseed everyday.  I also take vitamins everyday which I NEVER did before. I also drink Danactive everyday.  I don't know if it helps with the immune system but it tastes good.

Shannon 

I am all but 4 years out.  I had a lumpectomy.

I had 4 rounds of AC and 35 rads before the lumpectomy.the surgeon found no cancer in the breast tissue or nodes after chemo, so I did not have Taxol.  It's been 6 1/2 years since diagnosis and I have had clear sailing since I finished treatment. Still don't look forward to those yearly mammograms, though! 

Hi!

I am 3 years out.  DX 4/20/05 @ 36 years of age, mast. 6/22/05, re-excision 7/5/05, chemo began on 8/10/05; ended October 23/05.  I had genetic testing (results came back 6/12/05), before I made a decision as to whether I would get a bilateral or unilateral mastectomy.  It was recommended by multiple specialists that I get a lumpectomy, they suspected less tha 1CM.  I went against their recommendations, and chose a unilateral mastectomy.  My genetics were negative. They found a 1.7CM tumor, as well as another that was not previoulsy seen which was found becuz of the mastectomy (it was 1.3 CM).  Had a sentinel node biopsy which was negative, and only first node was removed.  I had 4 AC, and nothing else, since I was triple negative.  For first two years after chemo ended had exams every three months, then moved onto every six months.  My next exam is in September (3 years 1 month, since chemo began).  I had a scare with my third (in my lifetime) mammorgram, in April 2007; then decided to have a prophylactic mastectomy (in May 2007) rather than going through another biopsy.

Then I had bilateral expanders placed in May 07, expanders exchanged for 800 CC Silicones in December 2007, re-excision(lift) on left in May 2008, still waiting to have tattoos placed.

I was diagnosed at 34 in 1994 with IDC, stage 1, 1.5 cm, Grade 3, ER-/PR-. I had bilateral mastectomies and chemo (CMF). 

Debbie

Hi Debbie/dah0123,

I just finished ACT chemo last week -- Adriamycin & Cytoxan every 3 weeks for 3 months, then Taxol every week for 3 months.  

 Margaret