What is the survival rate for stage 2 TNBC?

Question

Hello doctor,

I was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer last week at the age of 44 and found out it is triple-negative. Doing research has made me more scared because I saw survival rates online. I have some questions that are keeping me up at night:

My tumor is 1.49 inches, and the doctor mentioned that my Ki-67 is 78 percent. What does that mean for my prognosis?
I am planning to undergo four cycles of AC (Adriamycin and Cyclophosphamide) followed by 12 weekly doses of Taxol (Paclitaxel). I have been reading about cold capping and dendritic cell therapy. Should I consider these?
My mother had breast cancer at 50 and passed away within two years. Does this mean my outcome will be the same?
I also noticed a new lump under my arm yesterday. Could this be a lymph node?

Kindly advise.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

Triple-negative breast cancers (TNBC) are considered a more aggressive form of breast cancer, with a slightly higher recurrence rate compared to hormone receptor-positive breast cancers. When diagnosing breast cancer, pathologists test all breast tumors for three receptors (proteins) known to fuel cancer growth. If the cancer cells test negative for 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" means the cancer lacks hormone receptors (ER and PR) and HER2, which makes it unresponsive to hormone therapies. It also has a tendency to grow and spread faster than other types of breast cancer. Triple-negative breast cancer is more common in younger or premenopausal women, and many cases are associated with BRCA (breast cancer gene) genetic mutations. Therefore, BRCA genetic testing is recommended. If the test is positive, other family members should also consider screening and BRCA testing to help prevent breast cancer or detect it early.

A tumor size of 1.49 inches corresponds to T2 (tumor classification ranges from T1 to T4). A Ki-67 score of 78 percent indicates a high proliferation rate, meaning the cancer cells are dividing and growing rapidly. Dendritic cell therapy currently has no proven role in treating triple-negative breast cancer. However, immunotherapy can sometimes be added to chemotherapy, as it may improve overall prognosis.

I hope this helps you.

Thank you.