Triple Negative Breast Cancer, "I Won't Back Down!": Triple Negative Breast Cancer Awareness Day 2015 at University of Toledo Medical Center

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.

Monday, March 30, 2015

Triple Negative Breast Cancer Awareness Day 2015 at University of Toledo Medical Center

As a TNBC Day Champion chosen by the Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation, it was my commitment to support TNBC Day, March 3, 2015 by bringing awareness to this disease, Triple Negative Breast Cancer and our need to find a targeted therapy. This TNBC subtype affected me 5½ years ago as I fought to triumph over cancer. It wasn't until after my treatments when I realized how greatly my diagnosis had an impact on me to keep telling my story of survival, because I am not the only one that fear the return of TNBC known as a recurrence. There has been numerous research, studies and clinical trials circling around Triple Negative Breast Cancer that led to identifying 7 sub-types of TNBC and early phase clinical trials of the drugs Carboplatin and PARP inhibitors that have shown positive results in metastatic TNBC. Scientists are still learning more about TNBC, much of it surrounding the genetic make-up of the the tumor itself, and it is my hope that as all this data is being analyzed, a targeted therapy will soon be developed. As new research data is presented, it is my motivation to keep the TNBC community updated and informed by helping the University of Toledo Medical Center arrange our 2nd annual TNBC Day presentation with several speakers discussing research findings, genetics and survivorship. I started my day with a Mediterranean luncheon at Barada's Restaurant with 2 of my survivor sisters, Jyll and Melissa J; latte's at Bigby's coffee house; TNBC conference discussion ending with a donation jar with offerings to the TNBC Foundation to fund continued research of this disease.
Also, this is my 3rd straight year in setting up a TNBC Day fundraising page to encourage others to support TNBC day with hosting an event and/or support an existing event in efforts in bringing attention and funding to this disease. This year, I am proud to say that I have personally raised $481 and over $1800 in donations over the past 3 years for my fundraising for TNBC Foundation's research projects. March 31st is the last day to officially support my online fundraising, thank you. http://TNBCDay2015.kintera.org/differentshadeofpink