Triple Negative Breast Cancer, "I Won't Back Down!": May 2021

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.

Wednesday, May 5, 2021

Luncheon Celebration 2021

Finally got together on March 30, 2021 with these amazing cancer researchers of The University of Toledo, celebrating Dr. Amit Tiwari's $1.4 million DOD grant fund awarded to continue their preclinical study to have a better understanding of how the chemical structure of his promising drug discovery targets a certain protein to induce cancer cell death in Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) cells.

As a patient advocate, I am excited to share with our TNBC Community, Dr. Tiwari has discovered a compound that causes a unique cancer cell death where the cells swell and burst. With this approach, markers are released that signals the body's immune system to target and destroy even the most resistant Triple Negative Breast Cancer cells. Thus far, this has been proven effective in mice models and human cancer cells in the lab.

Dr. Tiwari's compound discovery of overcoming multi-drug resistance that has often been seen in Triple Negative Breast Cancer, brings much hope to us TNBC survivors. We need to continue to support Dr. Tiwari and his team to advance their research to human clinical trials. We so need better treatment options when current chemotherapy treatments stops working.

Dr. Raman, Dr. Tang, Melissa and Dr. Tiwari

"Thank you Melissa for sharing our wonderful meeting with you, Drs. Raman and Tang. They were equally delighted to meet you. Thank you for community outreach and being an integral part of our team. We are blessed to have you." - Dr. Amit K. Tiwari

Monday, May 3, 2021

Braving Chemo by Beverly A. Zavaleta, MD

Melissa and TVC Program
Director, Lisa

Sharing with Toledo's cancer wellness center, The Victory Center, book sponsored copies of "Braving Chemo" by physician becoming patient, Beverly A. Zavaleta, MD, who is also a Triple Negative Breast Cancer Survivor.

Through "Braving Chemo", Dr. Zavaleta, a Triple Negative Breast Cancer Survivor gives her personal insights on her cancer chemotherapy journey on: