My mum was recently diagnosed with BC. She has had her operation to remove the lump and had an ANC. It was a 45 mm Grade 3 lump with 1/15 lymph nodes involved. The bit that suprised me is that she is Triple Negative. The ONC said most BC in ladies of this age were ER+. I wish I knew what the trigger was as it seems so strange getting to 71 with no previous incidents of BC. I was diagnosed myself with BC in March last year and was strongly ER+ so have been through all of this myself and can support my mum. Just makes you wonder if its stress related! She is going to have 6 x FEC90. I had EC90 and Docataxyl which was brilliant stuff and i had a great response (I had chemo before surgery). I thought my mum would also get Docataxyl as she had 1 lymph node involved.
I don’t really know what I’m asking or why I’m posting but I just can’t understand the diagnosis. Does anyone else have a similar experience of TN in older ladies?
TN can happen at any age but more likely to occur in younger women. But the risk if getting breast cancer increases the older you get and that’s hey they have extended the age range. Also your mum must be a very fit 71 yr old for them to be offering her FEC which is pretty hard going chemo, but docetaxel is even harder and I think the risk could outweigh the benefit in somebody your mums age.
I’m sure you will be a huge support to your mum having been through it yourself.
Hi Diana
I am 73 with TN secondary BC,I was dx in2007 with hormone positive in left breast had WLE and rads then recurrence in 2012 soft tissue mass and spread to sternum and now TN I had 12 weekly taxol and 4 epirubicin before it was stopped because of side effects (that was really tough )I had cyber knife treatment with some success in Nov 2012 but now showing signs of progression so after bone and CT scan will probably be starting on capecitabine (oral chemo )and a bone strengthening drug.I am wishing your mum well as she starts this journey which with a caring daughter like you she will get through as i don’t know what I would do with out mine but at 71 and 73 we are a couple of tough old birds and not ready for giving up yet.
I send you both lots of love and sincerely hope you yourself are keeping well.
Love Macie x x