I’m a 31 year old mum of 3, 10,6 and 5, I was diagnosed with grade 3 stage 3 triple negative metaplastic carcinoma in July 26 measuring 5.6cm with an area of non mass enhancement equalling 10cm, lymph node involvement with IDC morphology and an area of DCIS.
At the end of August I started the keynote 522 regimen but after 3 weekly rounds of paclitaxel my breast had rapidly increased in size, noticeable from the second round.
I had an MRI which showed tumour growth which was measurable to 10cm (no treatment from July to August and no scan before treatment so could growth have happened outside of the treatment time?)
Breast changes led to pressure on skin and nipple so the decision was made to assume progression and remove the breast while still operable (pseudo progression could still be the cause, still waiting pathology results)
My concern now is that because I have had the mastectomy and only 1 round of pembrolizumab my oncologist says I will not be eligible to receive anymore immunotherapy because I didn’t complete a sufficient amount of neoadjuvant systemic treatment. She also states this would take me out of clinical trial.
I feel metaplastic is under researched and is treated to much like standard TNBC
There aren’t many people in the same position as me who had growth on systemic treatment let alone metaplastic.