Treatment FAQ

what is triple negative breast cancer treatment

by Ned Schiller III Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) doesn't have estrogen or progesterone receptors and also makes too little or none of the HER2 protein. Because the cancer cells don't have these proteins, hormone therapy and drugs that target HER2 are not helpful, so chemotherapy (chemo) is the main systemic treatment option.

What is the survival rate of triple-negative breast cancer?

5-year relative survival rates for triple-negative breast cancerSEER Stage5-year Relative Survival RateLocalized91%Regional65%Distant12%All stages combined77%

Can you be cured from triple-negative breast cancer?

Chemotherapy can shrink triple-negative breast tumors, and patients can become candidates for less-extensive surgery. Triple-negative cancers are more common in patients with hereditary genetic mutations, and genetic counseling and testing should be considered.

Is triple-negative breast cancer hardest to treat?

Triple-negative breast cancer is that which tests negative for three receptors: estrogen, progesterone, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). It is also the least common form of breast cancer and the hardest to treat.

Is chemo Worth it for triple-negative breast cancer?

Chemotherapy is often recommended for treating triple negative breast cancer. Unlike most other types of breast cancer, triple negative breast cancer does not respond to the presence of certain hormones, such as estrogen and progesterone, nor does it have an abnormally high level of HER2 receptors.

Where does triple-negative breast cancer spread first?

Route of first metastasis correlated significantly with survival of TNBC patients with brain metastases being the poorest survival indicator, followed by metastases to liver, pleura, bone, and lung.

Who gets triple-negative breast cancer?

Who is most likely to have TNBC? Triple negative breast cancer appears more frequently in women age 40 and younger than in older women. Black and Latina women are more likely to develop TNBC than white women. Women who have the gene change BRCA1 are more likely to develop TNBC than other women.

How long is chemo for triple-negative breast cancer?

A standard triple-negative chemo regimen is 12 weeks of taxol, followed by four doses of adriamycin and cytoxan. In the new study, doctors gave patients an additional chemo drug called carboplatin.

Can stress cause triple-negative breast cancer?

Social stress connected to triple-negative breast cancer via fat cells. Local chemical signals released by fat cells in the mammary gland appear to provide a crucial link between exposure to unrelenting social stressors early in life and to the subsequent development of breast cancer, according to new research.

Should I have a mastectomy with triple-negative breast cancer?

Because triple-negative disease is considered more aggressive than breast cancers that are HER2-positive or hormone-receptor-positive, many doctors believe that it should be removed with mastectomy rather than lumpectomy followed by radiation to reduce the risk of recurrence and improve survival chances.

What is the most treatable breast cancer?

Ductal Carcinoma. About 1 in 5 people who are newly diagnosed with breast cancer have DCIS. This type is very curable.

Stages I-III Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

  • Surgery first: If the early-stage TNBC tumor is small enough to be removed by surgery, then breast-conserving surgery or a mastectomy with a check of the lymph nodes may be done In certain cases, such as with a large tumor or if the lymph nodes are found to have cancer, radiation may follow surgery. You might also be given chemo after surgery (adjuvant chemotherapy) to re…
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Stage IV Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

  • Chemois often used first when the cancer has spread to other parts of the body (stage IV). Common chemo drugs used include anthracyclines, taxanes, capecitabine, gemcitabine, eribulin, and others. Chemo drugs might be used alone or in combination. For women with TNBC who have a BRCA mutation and whose cancer no longer responds to common breast cancer chemo drugs…
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Recurrent Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

  • If TNBC comes back (recurs) locally, cannot be removed with surgery, and makes the PD-L1 protein, immunotherapywith the drug pembrolizumab along with chemotherapy is an option. Other treatments might be options as well, depending on the situation. If the cancer recurs in other parts of the body, options might include chemotherapy or the antibody-dr...
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Overview

  • Triple-Negative breast cancer is any cancer tests negative for three of the main things -- the hormones estrogen and progesterone and a protein called HER2 -- that drive other forms of the disease. Knowing that helps doctors figure out how to best treat you.
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Prognosis

  • Thats important because triple-negative breast cancer is more aggressive than other forms. Its more likely to spread beyond your breast, and theres a higher chance it will come back within the first 3 years after treatment. Its also more likely to be fatal within the first 5 years. But once you pass those milestones, your odds of beating it are about the same as someone with any other ty…
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Treatment

  • One other thing about this kind of cancer: It doesnt respond to some of the medications that work for other types. That means there arent targeted therapies approved to treat it like there are for other types, like HER2-positive breast cancer. But that doesnt mean it cant be treated. Once youre diagnosed, your doctor will work with you to decide the best treatment plan.
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Signs and symptoms

  • The signs and symptoms of triple-negative breast cancer are often the same as those of otherbreast cancer types, and include:
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Causes

  • Doctors aren't sure what makes you more likely to get triple-negative breast cancer. Not many women do -- it only affects up to 20% of those who have breast cancer. You're most at risk for triple-negative breast cancer if you:
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Diagnosis

  • There's no way to know which type you have until youre tested by a doctor. When doctors find an area in your breast that isnt normal, theyll cut out a little bit of the tissue to test the cells. This is called a biopsy.
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