| Breast cancer is a bad, sometimes frightening | | | | likely to be found in women of African and Hispanic |
| diagnosis at any time but a triple negative breast | | | | descent. This is interesting because, generally |
| cancer diagnosis is particularly disturbing. Generally | | | | speaking, African American women have fewer |
| speaking, this cancer is defined in terms of a | | | | incidents of cancer of any type than do white |
| receptor which reveals specific genes. The three | | | | American women. Clinical trials are currently being |
| receptors are estrogen, progesterone and Her2. | | | | carried out using patients with triple negative cancer. |
| The type of receptor determines the type of | | | | The future for better results is always hopeful. It |
| medicine prescribed for the patient to best attack | | | | needs to be understood that trials are not held over |
| the cancer. But if the diagnosis comes up negative | | | | a few weeks or even months but rather years. One |
| for all three receptors, the medical response is more | | | | current trial is being run over a period of six years. |
| difficult. How can you attack a particular receptor if it | | | | Recent studies indicate that of all breast cancers |
| doesn't exist? Receptors help the cancerous cells to | | | | discovered, about 15% will be triple negative breast |
| multiply and in order to best tackle them, a specific | | | | cancers. Taken as a whole, triple negative breast |
| medicine is required. | | | | cancers have a high rate of secondary cancers or |
| But it is not all bad news because there are other | | | | metastatic cancer and in many cases the additional |
| drugs which can still be found to work. Finding the | | | | tumor is found in the brain. |
| correct drug is the tricky task but once found, it can | | | | There are several unpleasant aspects to the triple |
| have a success rate which compares favorably with | | | | negative cancer scenario - its high rate of recurrence, |
| those using standard responses. Chemotherapy has | | | | resistance to standard medicines in chemo, its |
| been found to work successfully with triple negative | | | | aggressive nature and potential to become |
| breast cancer patients and the best medicine has | | | | metastatic cancer. But there is a concerted effort by |
| thus far proved to be a combination of drugs. | | | | cancer specialists around the world to discover much |
| Because triple negative breast cancer is a relatively | | | | more about this special type of breast cancer. Clinical |
| new discovery by doctors, a particular drug has yet | | | | trials are on-going, results are being shared and |
| to be announced. One line of treatment is to use | | | | progress is being made. Women who have been |
| drugs in chemotherapy which are not usually used for | | | | diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer are |
| treatment in the early stages of breast cancer | | | | urged to join a support group particularly those online |
| therapy. | | | | because it enables you to learn much from many. |
| Triple negative cancer does have certain | | | | Hearing from those who have gone through what |
| characteristics. It is an aggressive cancer, it is found | | | | you are now experiencing can be stimulating and a |
| more in younger than older women, it is more likely | | | | real boost to your spirits. |
| to develop into metastatic breast cancer and is more | | | | |