Hi everyone. I was diagnosed March 2025 with 42mm tnbc. Completed 16 round of chemo and immunotherapy (paclitaxol/carbo/pembro/EC). After lumpectomy I was told there was 19mm of live cancer in what they removed. I was devastated. Clear margins and lymph nodes though. I am currently having radiotherapy. What treatment have people had after radiotherapy if you had residual? I’ve been told I will continue on immunity but surely I need more than that??
Hi mrsbb,
Thank you for your post.
When chemotherapy is offered before surgery it is usually to slow the growth of fast-growing breast cancer or shrink a larger breast cancer before surgery. Your treatment team would have measured your response once you completed as you mention, with the aim of surgery to then remove any residual disease with clear margins. Although some people do have a complete response to chemotherapy, it is common for some cancer cells to be present when the area is removed.
Treatment after surgery like radiotherapy aims to destroy any potential cancer cells which may have been present, to reduce the risk of recurrence. Treatment is tailored to the individual and based on the features of the breast cancer. You may find it helpful to speak to your breast care nurse or treatment team about your induvial situation. They can talk through the additional immunotherapy treatment you have been recommended and answer any questions you have about this. Immunotherapy is a targeted treatment used for triple negative breast cancer.
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