Is my wife’s triple-negative breast cancer treatable?

Question

Hello doctor,

My wife, who is 42, was just diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer after a routine mammogram. We are still reeling from the news. Her oncologist said it is more aggressive than other types and does not respond to hormone therapies, which sounds terrifying. We are determined to fight this together, but I feel overwhelmed and scared. What makes triple-negative breast cancer different from other types?

I am not sure which stage she is at. Her PET-CT is scheduled this weekend, and only then will we know the extent of the spread. I am just praying it should be treatable.

Kindly help.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I read your query and can understand your concern.

I am sorry for the disturbing news that you have heard about your wife's case. She has been diagnosed with triple-negative disease; as you mentioned, other investigations are pending, like a PET (positron emission tomography) scan to know the disease stage, which will determine her management strategy.

This type of breast cancer is estrogen and progesterone hormone receptor-negative HER/2neu (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2) negative; it does not respond to hormone therapy. It needs aggressive chemotherapy for about three to four months, followed by surgery. Your oncologist will tell you about different types of regimens to be given.

Surgery will be either breast-conserving surgery, in which only the lump is removed, depending on the size of the lump, less than 1.5 inches, only one quadrant of the breast is involved, and no distant metastasis; if the tumor does not meet these criteria, then mastectomy will be the option. We cannot conclude until the remaining investigation is done.

The prognosis of this type of tumor is less compared to the HR (hormone receptor)-positive one due to its aggressiveness; it recurs after treatment. Let us wait for the PET scan and hope for the best to see the spread of the disease, or if it is a localized one.

I hope I have answered your question.

Let me know if I can assist you further.

Regards.