Let's Talk About Chemotherapy - Changes Coming to Treating TNBC?

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Changes Coming to Treating TNBC?

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Category: TNBC Forums
Forum Name: Let's Talk About Chemotherapy
Forum Description: A place to discuss Chemotherapy
URL: http://forum.tnbcfoundation.org/forum_posts.asp?TID=12690
Printed Date: Mar 26 2026 at 11:36pm
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Topic: Changes Coming to Treating TNBC?

Posted By: 123Donna
Subject: Changes Coming to Treating TNBC?
Date Posted: Nov 25 2015 at 4:44pm

Big Changes Coming in Treatment of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

The treatment paradigm for patients with triple-negative breast cancer is set to undergo a dramatic transformation, as standard chemotherapeutic approaches are perfected and novel antibody-drug conjugates are developed.

The treatment paradigm for patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is set to undergo a dramatic transformation, as standard chemotherapeutic approaches are perfected and novel antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are developed. Kimberly Blackwell addressed this topic at the 2015 Chemotherapy Foundation Symposium, a meeting of over 1,000 oncologists and oncology professionals in New York City in November. “I think we will see significant improvements in triple-negative breast cancer within the next few years,” said Blackwell, an oncologist at the Duke Cancer Institute. “There are two ADCs that I am fairly excited about that are in late stage development.”

To read the entire article:

http://www.curetoday.com/articles/big-changes-coming-in-treatment-of-triple-negative-breast-cancer" rel="nofollow - http://www.curetoday.com/articles/big-changes-coming-in-treatment-of-triple-negative-breast-cancer

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DX IDC TNBC 6/09 age 49, Stage 1,Grade 3, 1.5cm,0/5Nodes,KI-67 48%,BRCA-,6/09bi-mx, recon, T/C X4(9/09)
11/10 Recur IM node, Gem,Carb,Iniparib 12/10,MRI NED 2/11,IMRT Radsx40,CT NED11/13,MRI NED3/15

Replies:

Posted By: math666
Date Posted: Nov 28 2015 at 2:53pm

I completely agree with Donna and Lillie. The triple negative is aggressive and needs aggressive treatment. The 'less is more' may not apply.

I am very sorry to post this article.

math666

Posted By: gordon15
Date Posted: Nov 28 2015 at 7:22pm

Less "might be more" but every one's loved-ones are facing dicisions regarding surgery, chemo and radiation. My wife has metaplastic. Not just Triple Negative, they usually are the same. Her chemo killed the cancer in the lymph nodes (3-4/armpit) but only 50% of tumor. Maybe the metaplastic TNBC w/ squamous formed a resistance before it killing the entire tumor? Just asking. She's on Taxol chemo now 12/ once per week. Many articles says TNBC/Metaplastic is resisitant to chemo, but we take doctor recommendations.
The radiation-oncologist wants to do the entire area, even though she had a masectomy, are their any opinion out here about the extent of radiation needed? I think they want to do the clavicle area, is the sternum area usually included?
Thanks for all you feedback, Kelly--my wife is going to ask about a thyroid protector...
They took out 5 lymph nodes from her armpit, so... radiation usually includes this also?
TNBC Stage 3A tumor 1.5cm, 3-4 nodes cancer, TNBC, Squamous features

Posted By: 123Donna
Date Posted: Nov 28 2015 at 7:37pm

"Less might be more" could be good for some cancers, maybe grade 1 or 2, but TNBC is almost always grade 3 and aggressive. I'm hoping that there will be other options besides chemo and radiation, like immunotherapy, in the future.

Gordon - for you wife's stage, please see the chart in the middle of the page indicating the fields for radiation.

http://www.nccn.org/patients/guidelines/stage_iii_breast/index.html#44" rel="nofollow - http://www.nccn.org/patients/guidelines/stage_iii_breast/index.html#44

Posted By: gordon15
Date Posted: Nov 28 2015 at 7:48pm

thank you very much! The radiation in the clavicle are means she has to have her port taken out. She can't have a port on the other side b/c she had non-TNBC bc in 2008, and she had radiation. The radiation-oncologist said they can use the ankle or neck (neck = her surgeon says maybe clot possibility, she said no)...so is the ankle ok, if she needs chemo later? thanks.

Posted By: Lillie
Date Posted: Nov 29 2015 at 2:30pm

The "less is more" article has no mention of triple negative cancer. As Donna said the triple negative is almost always grade 3 meaning aggressive. Even if it is stage 1 or 2 I do not believe the 'less is more' applies. From all that I have seen so far, triple negative needs aggressive treatment from the get-go. Please, if you are diagnosed with triple negative press your oncologist for treatment that is needed. Other breast cancers such as hormone driven can sometimes get away with a lumpectomy and radiation or such; NOT SO FOR TRIPLE NEGATIVE. Just concerned that someone will read the article thinking it applies to them, when it doesn't.

Love and God Bless,

Lillie

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Dx 6/06 age 65,IDC-TNBC
Stage IIb,Gr3,2cm,BRCA-
6/06 L/Mast/w/SNB,1of3 Nodes+
6/06 Axl. 9 nodes-
8/8 thru 11/15 Chemo (Clin-Trial) DD A/Cx4 -- DD taxol+gemzar x4
No Rads.
No RECON - 11/2018-12 yrs NED

Posted By: MikeW
Date Posted: Nov 29 2015 at 2:46pm

Say Gordon15 I came across this quote in an article about metaplastic triple negative breast cancer.

"in patients with squamous or spindle cell carcinomas, reported 5 year overall survival rates have ranged from 43% to 86%."

That is the best 5 year survival rate of any of the metaplastic cancer. Aside from having estrogen positive breast cancer my wife had metaplastic squamous cell cancer in her lymph nodes. A few days after an infusion she felt pain under her arms and felt like bubbles were bursting under her skin. It was the AC killing off most of the cancer. Their was just a bit left and targeted radiation took care of that. She's recovering from an operation to remove a tumor from her kidney. What a break, it was benign as 85% of kidney tumors are cancerous.