African American Women & Triple Negative Status
Wow, I've been away from the boards for a while and had to create a new user account and was pleasantly surprised to find this link. I'm stage 4 with triple negative breast cancer. I don't know if anyone has started a discussion about that here or not.
Just to introduce myself and how I ended up here. I had a breast reduction in 2005 and right before discharge, the doctor told me they found breast cancer in the tissue they removed. The Oncologist that I went to told me that I didn't need chemo only a mastectomy. So I belived him and 10 months later, I researched triple negative breast cancer and found out that I should have had chemo but it was too late. Insurance said no. I requested a CT scan and low and behold, there was the breast cancer in my lungs. I did high dose chemo in October of 2006 and went into remission for 10 months and it came back again. I did chemo in November 2007, resigned my job, signed up for disability and now I'm stable. I share all of this just so you would know a little about me and where I am now in this battle for my life.
I've had several friends who've recently passed away; 2 in one week and now 2 in hospice. It's not what I envisioned for my life at age 42 but, God is able to turn this around and keep me here for many years to come. Stephanie
p.s. Here'a link I wanted to share with you regarding Triple Negative Breast Cancer. Knowledge is power; spread the word!
http://www.wusa9.com/news/columnist/blogs/2007/10/breast-cancer-triple-negative-factor.html
Comments
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Hi Stephanie, glad to have you back on the boards. Sorry to hear about your friends, and that you've been thru so much lately. Glad that you're stable tho. Best wishes
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Stephanie,
It's nice to "meet" you. So sorry to hear of the friends you've lost, but glad to hear you are stable with you lungs!
I'm glad you started this thread! Knowledge really IS power...0 -
Hey Stephanie,
I am not a triple negative but I wanted to say hello. Thinking of you and all my sisters here . Benita
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Hello all:
I'm also triple(-). Left breast lumpectomy, axillary lymph node/sentinel lymph node biopsy with clear margins.
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Hello Everyone,
I too am a member of this club. Nice to meet you. I am so happy this thread is here to go to. See, there is something good to say about triple negs. My last radiation treatment is tomorrow. Something to celebrate for sure.
Take care all.
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Hello all,
I'm Roslyn and I'm a newly diagnosed triple negative too. I'm in Chemo now, just finished my first round actually. The doctor told me it was best to do chemo first and then a mastectomy later to decrease the chances of the cancer coming back later. I have cancer in several lymph nodes as well as my left breast. Of course my family is against a mastectomy but I'm all for whatever i need to do to get beat this thing and never have to look back. Any suggestions?
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Hey Roslyn,
I am not triple neg but I am stage 3er, I had adjunctive chemo, mastectomy, chemo and rads ...If your surgeon and onco and YOU are comfortable with mastectomy , do what makes you feel most comfortable. My tumor was HUGE and the chemo did shrink it so the surgery was more successful . I had 9 positive nodes , even after chemo . I had to have mastectomy, there was cancer in every quadrant of my breast .
I hope your decision is easy and your treatments are successful and easily tolerated. Praying for you.
Benita
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Im a triple negative, stage IIIa, bi lateral mastectomy cancer kickin babe! Dx at 23 in Aug 07 just turned 24 Feb 08! Goin through radiation right now have about 3 more wks woo hoo no boost! Had 8 doses of chemo ACT, finished that in Dec 07. I wanted a bi lat mast. cause of my extensive family history grandma, auntie, and 2 cousins (who were sisters) an to give me a piece of mind, knowing maybe that the cancer could come back in the other breast was not a option for me didnt want to have to deal with that. Do what YOU feel is right not what ever one else thinks. I figure hey im saving my life a lil more and can pick what size I want to be next. To each is own ya know!
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Hi CRC-
Yes, you are a cancer kickin babe! Sounds like you're getting great care. I opted to do the same thing and had the bilateral mastec. and I'm so glad I did. Prettyinpink good for you too for fighting hard and pulling out all the stops! Fists up and chin down; Fight, fight, fight! God is able, Stephanie
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Yeah I owe a lot to the Air force Im glad im able to walk into any hospital an not worry if my insurance is going to cover it! So I have no right to complain or be unhappy!
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Hello prettynpink32:
The only suggestion I can offer you is this, "Trust, your ability to make a decision that YOU will feel comfortable with." If you still have some doubt, or questions. Look into resources (self -empowerment
)via the web, your ONC-DR, or others to help you formulate the best decision for you.I think sometimes family members (with good intentions!) may be projecting THEIR fears/doubts onto us when it comes to breast cancer treatments, surgery: lumpectomy vs mastectomy, Chemo: yes or no and radiation: yes or no.
Just be prepared for some of the most incredulous statements(by well-meaning family/friends) to be directed to you regarding your breast cancer diagnosis. They're not being mean, they are simply not aware of the mental and physical impact this disease has on someones life.
I hope this helps!
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Has anyone been told that they have a specific type of Triple Negative Breast cancer? Themost common histological types are invasiveductal carcinomas and metaplastic carcinomas. My pathology report said invasive ductal carc. God is able, Stephanie0
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Hello Ladies. I am a new member to this club. I was dx on 4/3/08 and have had 2 lumpectomies. The 1st was just to remove a lump thought to be non-cancerous. Any way I am stage 1 .09cm idc grade 3. My onc said that I am 3xnegative and they are recommending chemo 4 treatments of t c and then radiation. I am happy to have logged onto this site and look forward to chatting with my sisters.
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Hi rogam,
I am glad you found this thread. I am not 3x negative, but I am in the club. We are here, to hear all you want to talk about, and I am sure the ladies here have some good information and advice if needed, we are here for support.
Take care and keep us posted.
Linda C
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Welcome, Rogam. Sorry you had to find us, but glad you did just the same...
Your diagnosis was so recent! It is a lot of information to take in, isn't it?!? Know that you can chat, vent or just veg here if you need to...
When are you scheduled to start chemo?
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Hi Rogam,
Glad to meet you. What a club to belong to. We are a pretty good group to hang out with.:-) Sorry it had to be this way. Focus, focus, focus, and your treatments will breeze by you. I had chemo lst (6txs), 2 surgery's within 2 weeks of each other, and then 31 rads. Can hadly believe this month (the 16th) will be a year that I was actually dx.
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Hello all. and welcome to the girls club Rogam. I pray that all goes well with your tx's. Stay positive.
Lee are you planning anything for your cancerversry? Enjoy, Enjoy, Enjoy...Can't wait to get a year behind this thing. And then another, and another etc.
Keep posting Rogam we are here for you.
Love to all my sisters
Sabrina
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Spark...had not thought about the celebration yet...so many you know. My birthday is next week. It will have a true special meaning to me this year. Thanks for asking.
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Lee I might be late but Happy Birthday and many many more.
God bless you,
Sabrina
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hey everyone this is the first time i wrote anything but i have been doing a lot of research since my diagnosis in october 2007 yes breast cancer awareness month . i am 42 triple negative stage 2 grade3 with micrometatasis and lymp vascular invasion .. it is hard to live not knowing if it will come back i did dose dense chemo to shrink the tumor then a modified mastectomy then 26 radiation treatment with the boost. so i just finished almost two weeks ago and am ready to go back to living at the back of my mind i am dreading the every three months visits and scans not wanting to hear any bad news everyone says dont let it control your life but i have never had so many aches and pains as i have now i feel like i aged 60 or more years . i have pain and swelling where my mastectomy was performed i have lymphadema and grey hair i just wish that ther was a pill i could take to prevent it from coming back no one in my family has had breast cancer so i am a oddity well i just wanted to share some feelings with others who might feel like me
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Welcome, Nan
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Hi Nan,
Your feelings are your feelings--I tell folks to feel them as they tend to come out in other ways when we don't. We are here to share and support these kinds of thoughts that come our way and no one else or so it seems, understands us like"We" do , that are going through and have been through this.
I think after all the Treatments, the body has been through a lot, and it may take a awhile for you to feel completely better again and also our minds--You have Been through!!!
I am 61 and I am going and get my hair tinted tomorrow--ain't never liked the gray
I think your feelings are appropriate for feeling "what are the scans going to show", it is the unknown and this just don't fair, we will put some prayer on that--these are some praying Sisters here--just let us know---We got Cancer--Cancer don't have us!!!!
Keep us posted with whatever you are feeling--Hope we help.
Take care--it is about you now!!!
Linda c
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Hi Nan,
Your feelings are your feelings--I tell folks to feel them as they tend to come out in other ways when we don't. We are here to share and support these kinds of thoughts that come our way and no one else or so it seems, understands us like"We" do , that are going through and have been through this.
I think after all the Treatments, the body has been through a lot, and it may take a awhile for you to feel completely better again and also our minds--You have Been through!!!
I am 61 and I am going and get my hair tinted tomorrow--ain't never liked the gray
I think your feelings are appropriate for feeling "what are the scans going to show", it is the unknown and this just don't fair, we will put some prayer on that--these are some praying Sisters here--just let us know---We got Cancer--Cancer don't have us!!!!
Keep us posted with whatever you are feeling--Hope we help.
Take care--it is about you now!!!
Linda c
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Hi Nan,
Your feelings are your feelings--I tell folks to feel them as they tend to come out in other ways when we don't. We are here to share and support these kinds of thoughts that come our way and no one else or so it seems, understands us like"We" do , that are going through and have been through this.
I think after all the Treatments, the body has been through a lot, and it may take a awhile for you to feel completely better again and also our minds--You have Been through!!!
I am 61 and I am going and get my hair tinted tomorrow--ain't never liked the gray
I think your feelings are appropriate for feeling "what are the scans going to show", it is the unknown and this just don't fair, we will put some prayer on that--these are some praying Sisters here--just let us know---We got Cancer--Cancer don't have us!!!!
Keep us posted with whatever you are feeling--Hope we help.
Take care--it is about you now!!!
Linda c
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Hi Nan,
Your feelings are your feelings--I tell folks to feel them as they tend to come out in other ways when we don't. We are here to share and support these kinds of thoughts that come our way and no one else or so it seems, understands us like"We" do , that are going through and have been through this.
I think after all the Treatments, the body has been through a lot, and it may take a awhile for you to feel completely better again and also our minds--You have Been through!!!
I am 61 and I am going and get my hair tinted tomorrow--ain't never liked the gray
I think your feelings are appropriate for feeling "what are the scans going to show", it is the unknown and this just don't fair, we will put some prayer on that--these are some praying Sisters here--just let us know---We got Cancer--Cancer don't have us!!!!
Keep us posted with whatever you are feeling--Hope we help.
Take care--it is about you now!!!
Linda c
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thank you
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Hello Ladies! Sorry it has been awhile since my last post. I feel very welcome by all of the shout outs. I survived my 1st chemo which was last Thursday. I had the taxotere and cytoxan combo. I was slow on Thurs and Friday. On Saturday I attended a graduation in Mississippi then went to my uncle's 30th year church anniversary on Sunday. Monday I was down for the count. So down that I could not talk my self into going to the 75%off sale at Dillard's (I am a shopping pro)! Back to work on Tuesday but off on Wednesday. I could not sleep. Back at work today and feeling great. Bless you all. 0
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Hi rogram,
You Go Girl,
And that is the way to go. Some days you will have all the "getup and go about you, and some days, your body says, "NOT" and you listen to it. Glad to hear you felt like being on the move. Hang in there and keep us posted.
Linda C
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Nan and Ladies,
Sorry about all the Deletes above--I don't even know how that got printed that many times
Probably should have had my tired butt in bed!!!Linda C
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Spark...Thanks for the Happy Birthday wishes. I'm still celebrating girl.;-) This birthday meant so much more to me than every before. I had a great time in Chicago...going back this month as my daughter gets her Masters Degree on the 21st. Proud Mom moment.:-)
I'm also celebrating my 1st 3month bilateral digital mamo since all my treatments were over. Yes! My bone scan went well also. Next 3months I think I'll go back to my Drs. in NC; instead of in Illinois. All my Drs. what to be on the same page in both states. The NC Drs. are the ones that saved my life.
On with the battle, and everybody keep the faith!
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