Recent Research on Chemotherapy For Triple Negative Breast Cancer

@CherylMcI  I believe if less than 3 nodes after clearance then radiotherapy might not be needed. They will change your implant over if needing radiotherapy as necessary. They may suggest a tissue expander slightly larger than you implant due to shrinkage before  radio but that's up to your surgeon. Probably it would only be the auxillary that they would be targeting. You won't know until path back and discuss with your team. 

Hi there @Carols I had TNBC may 2016 aged 43 and I had 4 doses of AC chemo two weeks apart and 4 of paclitaxol 2 weeks apart so 8 rounds of chemo  in total I had grade 3 stage 2a with no lymph node involvement and my scans were all clear.  I’m not sure of the study you are talking about but your oncol should have access to it for you to get a copy. Margie. Xx

Sorry. Don’t know my way around all this yet but I’ve just noticed the tab above so I’ll do it now.  Thanks.

hi @CherylMcI
it might be best to make this a new discussion do you know how to do that ? 

Hi everyone. I was diagnosed with BC late last year. 1 was DCIS and the other DCIS which had broken out (size 17 mm) I opted for mastectomy and implant reconstruction. Pathology came back as triple negative BC and I’ve now gone to have full body and skeletal scans.  I’m going to have the Axillary Clearance not sure when as the Sentinal Node showed cancer.  My doctor has talked about many options but is getting discussed at multidisciplary team meeting next week to guage best way forward.  Problem is if I need radiotherapy at some stage, it will wreck the implant and it will need to be removed, followed by tissue reconstruction.  I’m hoping (given my surgery was so successful) that radiotherapy won’t be necessary. I am realistic about chemo. Any thoughts??

Thank you everyone for your comments.  My chemotherapy has now been changed after completing 5 cycles every 21 days (15 weeks) of TAC to now another 9 weeks of chemo but only one drug Paclitaxel every 7 days.  I now don't have to worry about completing 8 cycles of TAC which was really taking its toll on me physically.  The chemo regime has been changed due to the TAC causing issues with my heart.  This new regime will be much easier to handle and will still give me 24 weeks of chemo which is what they wanted to achieve with 8 cycles.  The recent research was about doing chemo for 24 weeks instead of 18 weeks. 

Hi @carols - I also had triple negative, and the chemo regime was taxol/carboplatin for 12 weeks (couldn't manage to get to 18).  Also had double mastectomy, 28 radiation treatments, and hysterectomy. My Oncologist wanted to hit it with everything in the arsenal.  So far I am 5 years post-surgery and clear of any symptoms. All the best for your chemo!

@socoda that is interesting reading. Thanks for the link. @Carols i have not seen anything on the number of doses of chemo just the combinations. It seems most oncologists want to hit triple negative hard. I was triple negative and considered high risk ...larhe tumor and positive lymph nodes. Had neoadjuvant AC on 3 weekly cycles x4 then Paclitacel/Carboplatin. I was meant to have the latter weekly for 12 weeks but after 4 weeks it was evident the tumor was growing again so it was stopped and i had surgery and another 2 dose dense AC after the surgery as a safety net, followed by radiation. I am heading towards 3 years since diagnosis and all is good other than joint pain relating to menopause. I am trying hard not to think about what might happen and take heart in the knowledge that the more time passes it gets less likely :)

Hi @carols , I dont know whether this is helpful at all but is certainly an interesting read and a good site . http://www.gotoper.com/publications/ajho/2016/2016mar/neoadjuvant-and-adjuvant-chemotherapy-considerations-for-triple-negative-breast-cancer
Hope it helps Xx Cath