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Triple Negative Breast Cancer


How can I have Triple Negative Breast Cancer when I am a triple positive person? Just the term triple negative sounds depressing. 

Shortly after being diagnosed with breast cancer, I had a call from my surgeon to inform me that I have what is called a ‘Triple Negative Breast Cancer,’ which is an aggressive cancer and that I would be needing chemotherapy before surgery. 

So what is Triple Negative Breast Cancer? 

Triple Negative Breast Cancer is negative to:

  • Oestrogen receptor
  • progesterone receptor
  • Protein HER2
This means that the cancer does not use oestrogen, progesterone or HER2 to grow. Therefore, the drugs used to treat these types of breast cancer are not effective for Triple Negative Breast Cancer.

The main treatment for this type of cancer is chemotherapy. I will be having 16 rounds of Chemotherapy starting next Tuesday. Breast Cancer Network Australia state that chemotherapy is the only systemic (treating the whole body) treatment for fighting this cancer. The main benefit of having chemotherapy first before surgery is that you are able to see if the type of chemotherapy is working. This is done through scans before and during treatment to see if the tumour is shrinking. If it is shrinking, it is a sign that the chemotherapy is working.  If it is not shrinking, the treatment can be altered to a different drug or consider something else. 

Who gets Triple Negative Breast Cancer?

Triple Negative Breast Cancer makes up for only 10-15% of women who are diagnosed with breast cancer. Typically people who get this type of cancer fall into a possible three categories which are:

  • People under 40 years of age
  • Have inherited BRCA gene mutation (particularly BRCA1)
  • Have not reached menopause
Research have also shown that African American or Hispanic cultures are more susceptible. 

The hard thing about detecting this type of cancer is you can’t get a mammogram until you turn 40 or if you happen to do a self-examination and feel a lump. My tumour was not detectable by touch as it is 5cm deep from my nipple. The only way this was picked up was because I had a mammogram a few months after turning 40. I had no signs or symptoms and was very lucky that the mammogram picked up the cancer. It is so very important to get the mammogram when you turn 40 as it may very well save your life. 

So I nearly meet the under 40 criteria. I most likely had the beginning of the cancer when I was in my 30s. I have also not reached menopause. The I am unsure on the third criteria as I am yet to have genetic testing but this is something that I will need to have in the near future. This is especially important as I have two daughters so if I have the gene then they will need to have testing. This part really scares me. 

What is the risk of this type of cancer coming back?

Research states that this particular type of cancer has a higher risk of coming back or spreading than other types of breast cancer. I had a PET scan and was lucky to find that the cancer is nowhere else in my body or lymph nodes. I have also decided to have a double mastectomy to help with the chances of it coming back. A positive about Triple Negative Breast Cancer is that after five years the risk of it returning is less likely than other types of cancer. The risk is minimal with a 97% of those who make it past five years remain recurrence free. So some good odds in the long term. 

Lessons learned from my diagnosis 

  1. Don’t Google, as some of the information is overwhelming and negative (how ironic).
  2. Join support groups of people experiencing the same type of cancer. Best knowledge comes from those who have experienced it or are currently going through the same thing right now.
  3. Look for the positives - the stats after five years is very promising. 

Image of triple negative breast cancer retrieved from https://www.labroots.com/trending/drug-discovery-and-development/11823/triple-negative-brest-cancer-treatment-using-innovative-drug-technology


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Comments

  1. UnknownMarch 31, 2022 at 3:09 AM

    Yours sounds like mine. I too want a double mastectomy. Who did you tell that too? Im starting my first chemo next Tuesday and havent had that option discussed indepth

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