How can TNBC be managed in a perimenopausal woman at 42?

Question

Hello doctor,

My close relative, a 42-year-old perimenopausal woman, though she has no family history of breast cancer, felt a small, firm lump in her left breast during a self-exam. She noticed slight changes in breast shape and texture, along with less but always present pain around the lump.

So she underwent a mammogram, ultrasound, and biopsy, which revealed early-stage (stage II) triple-negative breast cancer. What is the recommended treatment plan for her, considering her age and cancer type?

How might her prognosis and recovery process look, and is this type aggressive? What follow-up care should be implemented to prevent recurrence, and what lifestyle changes need to be followed to support her long-term health?

Also, she is advised to go for 12 months of chemotherapy and three to four sessions of radiotherapy, and maybe after the scan and other things, after which her further treatment will be determined, which is what I heard. I hope she is on the right track.

Please help.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I read your query and can understand your concern.

Triple-negative breast cancers are a less aggressive form of breast cancer compared with other forms of breast cancer. When diagnosing breast cancer, pathologists test all breast tumors for three receptors (proteins) known to fuel breast cancer growth. If the cancer cells test negative for both estrogen (ER) and progesterone (PR) hormone receptors as well as human epidermal growth factor receptor 2, HER2, the diagnosis is referred to as triple-negative breast cancer.

Triple-negative breast cancers tend to grow and spread more quickly than other types of breast cancer. Because of this, triple-negative breast cancer is considered to be more aggressive than other forms of breast cancer. Triple-negative breast cancer, also called basal-like breast cancer, is a subtype that is not affected by hormones.

Triple-negative breast cancers are treated with chemotherapy (a common cancer treatment that uses medicines to destroy cancer cells and prevent tumor growth) and immunotherapy (a treatment that uses a person's immune system to fight cancer), and they usually respond well to this treatment.

Surgery and radiation therapy are part of the treatment for other breast cancers. The treatment options for triple-negative breast cancer depend upon its stage and molecular profile (a laboratory method that uses a sample of tissue, blood, or other body fluid to check for certain genes, proteins, or other molecules).

After completion of treatment, she will have to attend follow-up clinics regularly. After surgery, the histology (study of cells) report will give us details about further treatment.

I hope this helps.

Thank you, and take care.

Regards.