Hi I was diagnosed with triple negative invasive breast cancer with positive lymph nodes on 21st may. Had my 4th blast of chemo on Thursday, due full mascetomy and rads. Just finding it scary that after all this there is nothing else for me to take!
You read so many positive posts regarding getting through 5,8 10 years on here, just wondering if there’s any triple negative survivors out there?
Kat
hi i was diagnosed triple negative grade 3 sage 2 withlymph node involvement in 2007 had mastectamy chemo3 fec 3 tax and rads and im still nad thankfully there is light at the end of the tunnell you will get through this just stay positive xx good luck
Hi, Just wondering if there are any triple negative survivors who did not have tax?
I didnt have tax,diagnosed with grade3 17 mm tumour with one lymph node may 2009 i had 6 fec ans so far all ok x
I’m so glad to hear there are triple negs out there doing o’k without having had tax. Whenever I read about people being triple neg they always seem to have had it. I was supposed to have docetaxol but had a terrible allergic reaction to it and was told it was too dangerous for them to try again so had 6 fec instead. My tumour was 12mm, grade 3 with no nodes or invasion and I had a WLE. Did any of you change to a healthier diet or take supplements etc?
I was dx with triple neg grade 3 last January (2011) Had E CMF surgery and radiotherapy. Finished all in Sept 11. Had mammo Jan 12 all ok so I have got to 16 months post dx Not sure if that makes me a survivor but still here to tell the tale lol 
Jill
Hi
I was diagnosed with tn grade 3 in August 2005, 3.5cm tumour, 8 out of 32 nodes involved.
No tax for me, I had 4 x epi and 4 x CMF plus radiotherapy, still NED, almost seven years now.
Good luck to everyone.
Gayle
Im a tripple negative breast cancer survivor. I had fec x6 and radiotherapy. l was diagnosed in 2005 I had a lumpectomy and had to choose between lumpectomy and mastctomy. l was 40 at diagnosis.
Although its impossible not to worry, I can tell you there have been 5 women in my family all diagnosed in their fourties although lm the only tripple negative we are all still here. My mother in law nearly 30 years after diagnosis although she had a new cancer in the other breast 10 years ago she was treated for that sucessfully too.
When you reach your 5 years you will be amazed at how fast the time has flown by.
Good luck with your treatment xxx
Not sure I count as a survivor yet either, but I had 4 FEC, and went to complete pathological response on that so no more chemo after. When they operated I had no tumour in the breast or lymph nodes.
I had chemo on a large lump and it shrank to nothing within 3 weeks. It shrank before my eyes. It started to shrink about 10 days after the first chemo, and everyday it got smaller.
I can’t tell you I ‘survived’ yet, but I can tell you that TN tumours can be VERY chemo sensitive.
Hi,
I was dx Sept 08 triple negative, 15mm no nodes, had WLE, 4 x EPI + 4 x Capacebitine tablets (spelling??) as was part of TACT II trial + radiotherapy…aged 34 at dx, no history of BC in family. Still NED and forever may it continue !!
All the very best to you all
xx
I was dx TNBC Oct 2010 39mm IDC 2/13 lymph nodes…had bilateral mx, FEC-T & 15 rads…treatment finished May 2011…have been in good health so far (fingers crossed) . Just found out i have BRCA1 gene so that explains my family history! Wishing all survivors the best of health xx
Hi Heather
Were you advised to have bilateral mx or was this your own choice? I was dix TNBC 27mm IDC 2/12 lymph nodes affected. Last chemo tomorrow (3 FEC and 3 Tax) and will start radiotherapy (19) in August. I have been tested for BRCA 1 & 2 but dont yet have results. I would def request bilateral mx if it turns out I have the gene but am also wondering if there is any advantage to this if it turns out I don’t have the gene or if the test identifies a fault of no known significance.
Would appreciate your comments.
Carabel
Hi, I was diagnosed with a grade 3, 3cm tripple negative in December 2009 at the age of 29. No lymph node involvement. I chose to have a lumpectomy which I had in Jan 2010 then 6 rounds of FEC chemo and 3 weeks of radio. I have just passed the 2 year aniversary of my last chemo, and I can’t believe how quick the time has passed. I still think about it all the time but I am so grateful to be here and I keep my fingers crossed for each aniversary. Next week I go for genetic testing to see if I have BRCA 1 and 2 so that my sister and mum can be tested if I do. I don’t think I class myself as a survivor yet, but I’m working on it. I wish you all the very best for the future and I hope it’s filled with health and happines. x
Hi, I was diagnosed with a grade 3, 3cm tripple negative in December 2009 at the age of 29. No lymph node involvement. I chose to have a lumpectomy which I had in Jan 2010 then 6 rounds of FEC chemo and 3 weeks of radio. I have just passed the 2 year aniversary of my last chemo, and I can’t believe how quick the time has passed. I still think about it all the time but I am so grateful to be here and I keep my fingers crossed for each aniversary. Next week I go for genetic testing to see if I have BRCA 1 and 2 so that my sister and mum can be tested if I do. I don’t think I class myself as a survivor yet, but I’m working on it. I wish you all the very best for the future and I hope it’s filled with health and happines. x
in may 2009 had TNBC grade 3 1.9cm tumour and 0/2 nodes… i had epi-cmf, lumpectomy and rads.
previously had ER pos tumour in other side in 2006.
in jan 2010 tested positive for brca 2 from my dad and had overies out and hysterectomy in sept 2010.
then in aug 2011 was diagnosed with a recurrence of the grade 3 TNBC in the chest wall lymph nodes (2/2 interpectoral lymph nodes 0/9 aux nodes) with invasion into the muscle… had tax& carbo, exision biopsy and rads.
dont really class myself as a survivor… i class myself as living with BC as i feel that i probably havent seen the last of it in my life although free of BC at the mo…
not had bilat Mx was scheduled to have surgery in this year but was diagnosed with recurrence before i got a chance to have it… so def having a year off hospitals and will reassess my situation next year.
Lulu I have read a number of your posts and if I recall you are a bcn? Do you think there is any benefit to me having a bilateral mx. I realise that this would not prevent a recurrence of my current cancer but would would vastly reduce the risk of any new primary but I may be wrong about that? I know I need to have the discussion with my surgeon but not sure what approach to take. Can you advise what questions I should be asking to aid with any decision, particularly if I turn out not to be brca 1 or 2.
I completely understand your decision to be free of hospitals for the next wee while! I truly hope that you do indeed, one day soon, consider yourself to be a survivor and that you have seen the last of bc…
Hello Carabel
I wasn’t sure from your post if you’ve had an surgery yet? I was advised to have bilateral mx due to my family history (mum & sister) plus i had widespread DCIS in right breast as well as my primary IDC . You didn’t mention the grade of your BC but I guess your future decisons will depend on the results of your gene tests. BRCA1 & 2 positive results mean a high chance of recurrence in other breast so bilateral mx is a way of reducing that risk. Also faulty BRCA1&2 genes means a higher risk of ovarian cancer so now another op to consider - removal of ovaries- and all that entails! However, just take things a step at a time…there are so many factors to encompass…your age and whether you want children are big ones! i’m 43 now & decided not to have children because of my own family history. Please feel free to contact me if you want any further info of my experiences. I’m being treated at the Marsden in London so I’m really happy with the treatment & aftercare I’m getting.
Wishing you all the best for your last Tax…take it easy for the next 10 days at least! xx
Hi heather. Thanks for your reply and good wishes. My cancer was grade 3 and I have already had wle and lymph node clearance before chemo. I am having genetic testing because of strong family history (mum, aunt and grandmother). Geneticist already advised bilateral mastectomy and oopherectomy if it turns out that i am BRCA1 or 2 but may not have results until after radiotherapy which I believe would limit my options for reconstruction. It is interesting that you were advised on mastectomy before based on history but before knowing results of genetic test! I know that triple negative has quite a high chance of recurring in first three years which is why I wondered about mastectomy even without faulty genes but not sure of the percentages or if there is also a higher chance of a new primary either in the same breast or the other. Of course, as the radiologist pointed out, having a mastectomy will not prevent a recurrence elsewhere in in my body!
I guess I need to discuss percentages etc with my surgeon. I don’t want
surgery for the sake of it but I do not want to go through this all again in the future. I am 47 and my family is complete so don’t have concerns on
that score if oopherectomy is necessary as well.
Wishing you all the best for your future and good luck with oopherectomy if you go down that route xx
Hi, I was diagnosed with triple negative Grade 3 BC in July last year. No node involvement but because of the size of tumours they advised me to have chemo first. After the mx just before Christmas the post op biopsy showed a tumour of 4mm Grade 2 only so the chemo had really shrunk it thank the Lord! I then had radiotherapy so couldn’t have reconstruction at the time and couldn’t have faced it in any case. I have now been genetically tested due to strong family history and have the BRACA 2 gene. I now want the ‘healthy’ breast removed. In fact, I can’t wait to get rid of it as I was told at the genetic counselling that I have an 85% of recurrence in that breast. It’s a no brainer for me and will have the oopherectomy too as soon as possible. I know another mx won’t prevent a new cancer in another area but it is one more thing I feel I can do. The option of having a double reconstruction is now more appealing though as I feel a bit stronger and wonder if it could bring a little more closure to the process psychologically.
I am waiting for an appointment for discuss the different options for reconstruction as I understand it will be different for each side given the damage done by radiotherapy etc.
My sister, who died last July of breast cancer at the age of 45 didn’t have triple negative BC but had no node involvement like me and the cancer spread just the same. The fact that the behaviour of breast cancer is so random and unpredictable is what makes it so hard to treat and also so frightening. However, I wish everyone the very best. I meditate every day and my mantra is “I enjoy perfect health and peace of mind!” It sometimes helps!
Best wishes
x
Blondebutbrainy
I am so sorry to hear that you lost your sister to this terrible disease. As you say the behaviour of breast cancer is so random and unpredictable. I hope you get sorted out with a reconstruction option you are happy with and that you continue to enjoy perfect health and peace of mind! It is a good mantra to have.
Xxx