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

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, April 12, 2020

Memphis Living Beyond Breast Cancer Conference 2017

Hayley Dinerman, Co-founder and
Executive Director of Triple Negative
Breast Cancer Foundation

The ladies of Triple Negative Breast
Cancer Foundation, Amy Mustica and
Arlene Brothers with Melissa
https://tnbcfoundation.org

Genomics changing the way cancer is classified

Genomics Analysis generates
much data on many genes

TNBC Research:
Need to increase rate of complete response
Need effective treatment for women without
complete response

TNBC Research:
PD1 Antibodies study on targeting and
blocking immune checkpoints

TNBC Research Study:
adding Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) increases
Complete Response in Triple Negative Breast Cancer

TNBC Sister, Traci Gordon gives her insight

Dr. Shridar Ganesan of Rutgers Cancer Institute
Breast cancer researcher developing new
therapeutic options for the treatment of TNBC

Metastatic Breast Cancer Thriver,
Terlisa Sheppard on the far right,
a big voice for METAvivor and the
metastatic community

The Peabody Hotel, The March of the Ducks

Beale Street, Memphis with a touch of pink

Party on Beale Street!
Melissa, Angie Martin, Connie Houtz
and Traci Gordon
Melissa, Angie and Traci are TNBC survivors

My sweet TNBC sister, Angie Martin

Here is where the party's at!

The best entertainment!

Music of Jerry Lee Lewis by Landon Lane
Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On

Connie, Traci, Alison and Melissa
Alison is also a TNBC survivor

Hear a Prince song and Melissa
breaks out in a little dance
on Beale Street

Lovin' the sounds of Memphis!

Melissa at Sun Studio on Elvis Presley's mic

Exiting Sun Studio... where Rock N Roll all began

Room 306 at The Lorraine Motel
National Civil Rights Museum

Melissa, Tracy and Connie
What's over the wall?

Elvis Presley's home - Graceland

The closest I got to Graceland

Melissa Swadley, Traci Gordon, Allison McQuillan,
Connie Houtz and Melissa Paskvan

We are the Triple Negative Breast
Cancer Foundation Community

Monday, March 23, 2020

Cancer vs. Covid19

Compassionate article on Cancer vs. Covid19 written by Dr. Breelyn Wilky, a Sarcoma Medical Oncologist:
https://breelynwilkymd.com/2020/03/22/cancer-vs-coronavirus

Saturday, March 14, 2020

The Catherine S. Eberly Center for Women forum on Triple Negative Breast Cancer 2020

Speaking on my TNBC diagnosis

On February 25, 2020, I was asked to speak as a Triple Negative Breast Cancer survivor and as an advocate at a forum at The University of Toledo's The Catherine S. Eberly Center for Women. This forum was in honor of Black History Month, bringing awareness to Triple Negative Breast Cancer that disproportionately affect African American women.

Mary Westphal – Executive Director, Susan G. Komen Northwest Ohio

Dr. Marlene Welch – plastic surgeon serving breast cancer survivors

Dr. Alexzander Asea – Professor, Dept. of Medicine (precision medicine researcher)

Melissa Paskvan – TNBC survivor and advocate

Dr. Kim Jenkins – Assoc. Prof., Anesthesiology and Assoc. Dean for Diversity and Inclusion

Sunday, March 8, 2020

University of Toledo Football 2019

Thank you Dr. Tiwari for the special invite to watch UT football and discuss cancer research with your collaborators in your department's suite for the evening.