Triple Negative Breast Cancer, "I Won't Back Down!": December 2011

What is TNBC

WHAT IS TRIPLE NEGATIVE BREAST CANCER?

Just in recent years, Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) has sparked interest in the news where instead of calling the tumor as ER-negative, PR-negative, and HER2-negative; researchers began using the shorthand term, "Triple Negative," dubbed the "new type" of breast cancer. Being Triple Negative, you don't have a targeted therapy and your only treatment option is chemotherapy.

Triple Negative Breast Cancer is seen in about 15% of all breast cancers. TNBC is a very aggressive cancer that tends to strike younger women, pre-menopause, especially among African-American women and women who have BRCA1 mutations. The tumor tends to be fast growing and is less likely to show up on an annual mammogram. TNBC is more likely to metastasis early on; has a high rate of recurrence in the first 2-3 years from diagnosis and has a poorer prognosis than other types of breast cancer due to lack of specific, targeted treatment for TNBC.

Sunday, December 18, 2011

SABCS: Loss Of RB In Triple Negative Breast Cancer Associated With Favorable Clinical Outcome

"Researchers at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson have shown that loss of the retinoblastoma tumor suppressor gene (RB) in triple negative breast cancer patients is associated with better clinical outcomes. This is a new marker to identify the subset of these patients who may respond positively to chemotherapy."
http://www.jeffersonhospital.org/News/2011/December/sabcs-loss-of-rb-in-triple-negative-breast-cancer-associted-with-favorable-clinical-outcome.aspx (Click link to full story)

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Believe In Christmas Miracles...

My Christmas wish to all of my TNBC sisters, BELIEVE!

Saturday, December 3, 2011

The Metastatic Breast Cancer Series: Understanding Palliative Care Guide

A challenge of metastatic breast cancer is getting the most out of your treatment while continuing to live life fully. The Metastatic Breast Cancer Series: Understanding Palliative Care guide will help you make sense of palliative care and better understand the role it can play in developing a whole approach to treatment. The guide’s eight sections explain palliative care and its benefits, as well as the related options that can support and sustain your treatment. Learn how choosing palliative care can enhance your quality of life, and get strategies for coping with the difficult feelings associated with managing metastatic disease. The guide also provides practical information on paying for palliative care. This guide was written with the assistance of healthcare professionals and women living with metastatic breast cancer.

Download a PDF of Understanding Palliative Care. http://www.lbbc.org/Understanding-Breast-Cancer/Guides-to-Understanding-Breast-Cancer/Metastatic-Breast-Cancer-Series-Understanding-Palliative-Care