Chemo for Triple Negative Breast Cancer

Hi

I was recently diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer. I have already undergone a lumpectomy, and will start chemo soon. My surgeon achieved clean margins, and there was no sentinal node involvement.

My pathologic staining was: T2; NO; MX (PET/CT is scheduled soon as well to verify lack of metastases).

CXR is clear; EKG normal; all lab work perfect.

My oncologist believes I will do as well with a CMF regimen versus the more conventional regimens that include adriamycin.

He does not believe the use of adriamycin matters in terms of ultimate outcome, and that the risks of using it outweigh the benefits long term.

Can you provide any studies that support this in triple negative patients?

I am only 53 and would like to be as aggressive as possible to avoid recurrence, but I am worried about cardiotoxicity, etc.

Thanks

[bluebutterfly2222]

Hi and welcome to our community!

I am sorry to hear that you have been dx with BC, but glad to hear your surgeon got clean margins and that no node involvement was detected.

A loved one of mine was dx with TNBC a little over a year ago.  Her oncologist prescribed TAC and she did very well. (We had also learned  that this was the chemo protocol recommended by  the Mayo Clinic for TNBC.) It does have the potential for more side effects, but TNBC is a very aggressive cancer with a high risk for recurrence, so many believe it is worth the risk to treat it very aggressively.

Just recently, a study found superiority in using TAC for high-risk BCs without node involvement.  (It had previously been the "gold standard" for high-risk BCs with node involvement.) Here is a link to one report of those findings:

http://www.hon.ch/News/HSN/646851.html

You might want to consider a second opinion consult with another oncologist?

Please keep us posted on what you decide and how things go for you, by adding additional comments to this same thread--we care!!

Best wishes...

[bluebutterfly2222]

You might also want to check out the Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation.

[julesg957]

Thanks so much for your reply

I am a former ICU nurse, etc. so I am leaning that way

I do think I will get a second opinion as you have suggested

Of course I want to be aggressive so that this never comes back

[bluebutterfly2222]

I'm sure you'll research, consult, and come up with the right answer for YOU.

Keep us posted...

Happy holidays,
bluebutterfly