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.
Treatment decisions-Triple negative
Hi everyone I was diagnosed with triple negative, stage 3C breast cancer in October last year. Initially I had a lumpectomy with sentinel node removal. As there were no clear margins and cancer in the nodes I then had a mastectomy and nodal clearance. I had cancer in 14 out of the 31 nodes that were removed and locally advanced. I have finished my AC dose dense drugs and the Paclitaxel standard care treatments. In addition to this I opted to take Carboplatin with the taxel as it had the potential to have some benefits but due to low neutrophils I missed the last dose. I start my radiation therapy tomorrow. After radiation therapy I will have to decide whether to continue my chemo by taking another drug called Xeloda or Capecitabine. Again there is some potential to be of benefit but not clear cut and was told not to expect definitive advice on whether I should or shouldn’t take it. I am hoping to hear from others who are in the same situation and have had to make that decision themselves.