New to all this - TNBC

I would like to recommend that those of you being told that you need full node clearance enquire about sentinel node biopsy. This is a relatively new process but widely performed by many surgeons. They inject you with ink which travels from the tumours to the nearest lymph nodes. They remove those and biopsy them during surgery to see if there's any evidence of the cancer having travelled to them. If there's no cancer they leave your lymph nodes where they are. This has some important implications for your long term quality of life because removal of lymph nodes significantly increases your risk of lymphodema (although radiation therapy can also cause it). 

Sentinel node isn't available everywhere but some women have travelled to have it. 

Some women opt to have either a single or double mastectomy for their peace of mind. I completely understand this. My breast conserving surgery ultimately became a double mastectomy but I'm not sorry that I went with my first option and tried to save the breast. It's still important to know that the evidence on mastectomy is that it will not improve your survival odds against having breast conserving surgery and radiation. It's rare for someone with triple neg NOT to have radiation, regardless of the surgical option. Radiation to a conserved breast is also likely to have less burning and blistering that radiation to a mastectomy site. 

Even more important is the research showing that if you have a mastectomy BEFORE chemotherapy for triple neg is makes your survival odds WORSE. All the research on this is available on the Triple Negaitve Foundation web site. It's such important information because, instinctively, you just assume that having your breasts removed will be the safest option. It isn't. 

If you have neo adjuvant chemotherapy and then opt for a mastectomy your survival odds are the same as they would be for those that have breast conserving surgery and radiation. Some women still opt to have mastectomy.

I hope this is helpful.

Meg

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