Forum Discussion
Triple Negative Breast Cancer
Hello,
I am a healthy (I thought) 69 year old woman and I feel as if I could live forever… I enjoy my life, am reasonably fit and very active – I swim, go on really pleasant bush walks with my partner, ride my bike occasionally, love to potter in the garden…. I also eat well and am conscientious about my diet but not fanatical. I must admit I maybe indulge in a little too much wine. Life is good!
But suddenly, out of the blue comes a diagnosis. Triple Negative Breast Cancer, Grade 3, but luckily found early. Those of you reading this will know what a mind-numbing shock this is.
And with this comes the beginning of huge decision making.
So, I have read as much about my cancer as I can..I learn it is a particularly aggressive little nasty (but, as I said earlier…luckily for me caught early), only 15 to 20% of people with breast cancer actually get this type… the amount of research is also less than for the more common hormone adaptive cancer and metastasis tend to occur sooner rather than later.
I am also reading as much as I can about how to strengthen my immune system eg diet, supplements, food regimes etc. There is a lot of information out there, and often it is contradictory.
My initial decision was for a lumpectomy, with radiation, as opposed to a mastectomy without radiation. First hurdle jumped….clear margins around the tumor and 4 lymph nodes removed with no cancer. A good result!
But the chemo question still looms. The pros and cons, the weighing up of my evidence (biopsy, surgery etc), can I take the risk, the odds%% - it’s like a gamble – there is so much speculation involved. Did some cancer cells escape before the tumor was removed?….absolutely impossible to know.
I’d appreciate hearing from someone who has faced this diagnosis and have a chance to share the experience and hear how someone else tackled this situation.
14 Replies
- Hello @rozbanno I had TNBC in 2012... I was told my daughters/granddaughters should be checking their breasts monthly for changes and at Least begin Mammograms by 40 if nothing else has cropped up prior to 40.
- Hi everyone l am new to this group and am lucky enough to be in remission after having a mastectomy in 2017. I chose not to have chemotherapy as my lymph nodes were clear.Does anyone know if this type of cancer is high risk for daughters? And also whether my daughters should be having mammgrams and / or scans if they are under 40. Thanks
- Hi @RosaPink I was diagnosed with TNBC 12 months ago at age 51. Stage 1 Grade 3. Very first mammogram. After a lumpectomy and node removal I had 6 rounds of chemo (FEC-D) and 16 rounds of radiation. I am currently in remission. I highly recommend the Facebook site Triple Negative Breast Cancer Australian and New Zealand Sisters, @SoldierCrab shared the link in a previous message. I found a lot of information didn’t apply to me being TN and it’s been nice finding a group of women going through something very similar. I have also found the BCNA site and all the lovely woman wonderful. Try to be careful with googling TNBC it can be very dismal and often shows the worst case scenario. In fact after googling I’d return to these wonderful forums to get back some perspective as the information I’d stumble upon could be very upsetting.
- Hi RosaPink, have just sent you a private message
- Hi @RosaPink I am also TNBC I finished active treatment in Jan 2018 after being diagnosed in April 2017. My treatment was dose dense AC every 2 weeks then pactlitaxel with carboplatin for 12 weeks then surgery and radio therapy. My diagnosis was 2b grade 3 as at least 1-2 nodes were involved. The chemo was tough but doable as I looked at it as getting rid of any nasties that may have escaped. As @Shellshocked2018_said if you ever want to chat please feel free to PM . I hope your treatment is sorted out soon so you can get it over with and get on with life (that's what my oncologist told me to do when he discharged me) I now have check ups every 6 months with the surgeon and hopefully will continue to do so with no mishaps (fingers crossed). Take care 😉
- Hi @RosaPink My chemo was the same as yours for TNBC I was TC chemo for 4 lots and 3 weeks apart as well. I understand your feeling about a herbalist but just be careful as from what has been mentioned quite a few times on this forum as well as my own Onc some herbs can counteract the benefit of the chemo drugs. We even have to be careful after treatment has finished. Please just ask your Onc and advise what herb supplements you intend to take.
Hopefully someone will be on shortly to clarify. xo - RosaPink to have a private chat you can click on Shellshocked2018 above then click on message when it opens and begin chatting IF you need further help to do that let me know
https://onlinenetwork.bcna.org.au/messages/add/Shellshocked2018_ hopefully this link would also take you straight to a message box to inbox her.
Soldiercrab - Thanks Shellshocked2018,
Thanks for your response. Since posting l have decided to go ahead with the chemo and start tomorrow...part of the difficulty with these decisions is the speed with which everything happens. This time last month l was going into surgery and a week before that l was receiving my diagnosis. It's been a whirlwind.
I have also been to see a Medical Herbalist who is willing to support me through this process. Me being me, l feel l need to be contributing to my healing so think this will be a good way to 'have some control'... even if it is psychological.
My chemo is to be administered intravenously, 4 lots 3 weeks apart, then radiation. The chemo part sounds quite different to yours. It also sounds as if regular body checks for more cancer is the go after reading your experience of recurrence.
I appreciate the contact... feel the need to talk to others in similar circumstances. How do we make contact privately? Just exchange email addresses?
Your online name speaks volumes. Very appropriate under the circumstances... would like to hear back from you. Thanks. - Hi RosaPink.
sorry to see you here, but you have come to the right place.
I have also been diagnosed with TNBC in October 2018.
Had a partial mastectomy and two sentinel nodes removed in December clear margins and nodes, tumour was 2.5 cms Grade 3.
Commenced dose dense A/C every fortnight for 8 weeks in February of this year, currently on week 8 of 12 Pactlitaxel
I wanted to throw everything at this nasty disease and leave no stone un turned as I wanted no regrets down the track. Yes those nasty cells can escape as I found out personally even after
the all clear. After an unplanned CT scan when admitted into hospital they noticed a swollen lymph node under my left armpit, which after investigation they found some cancer cells, fortunately some had already died from the chemotherapy.
So my treatment of chemotherapy hasn’t changed, once I have finished the round of Pactlitaxel I will then be having more surgery for a full, auxiliary clearance. Once healed my next step is Radiotherapy.
No one can make your mind up what you should or shouldn’t do.
I didn’t even think for one second that I wouldn’t have chemo or Radiotherapy, as I didn’t want any regrets .
This is a horrible disease, but WE CAN BEAT THIS. There are quite a few people here that are 7 years cancer free from TNBC.
If you ever want to talk more I’m happy to send you a private message.
Sending cyber hugs 😘 - I had a triple negative diagnosis in November 2018. Had a lumpectomy then 4 lots of TC chemo and 25 radiation treatments. I was similar to you with clear margins and 3 lymph nodes with no cancer, I didn't want to take any chances with not doing chemo as I really wanted to throw everything at it. I think it is a personal decision for everyone in this crappy situation.
