What is the treatment for triple negative breast cancer?
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Because triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cannot be treated with hormonal or anti-HER2 therapies, it has become associated with a poorer prognosis. But TNBC is treatable, and women diagnosed with this disease can be cured. Women with TNBC are also spared the unpleasant side effects of hormonal therapies. Triple-negative breast cancer treatments may include:
- Chemotherapy: TNBC tumors tend to be more susceptible to chemotherapy than tumors that are positive for ER, PR and HER2. If you are disease-free for four or more years following chemotherapy, it is unlikely that your cancer will return.
- Immunotherapy: Although anti-HER2 drugs like trastuzumab cannot be used in TNBC, other biologic, or targeted, drugs can be combined with chemotherapy. Targeted therapy drugs that may be used to treat TNBC include bevacizumab and cetuximab, among others. Also under investigation are PARP inhibitors. These drugs target the PARP family of enzymes, which are involved in several processes that enable malignant cells to grow and reproduce, and are currently being studied in clinical trials for TNBC.
- Radiation therapy: Women with triple-negative breast cancer may also undergo radiation to help ensure that any cancer cells remaining in the body after chemotherapy are destroyed.
Because triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cannot be treated with hormonal or anti-HER2 therapies, it has become associated with a poorer prognosis. But TNBC is treatable, and women diagnosed with this disease can be cured. Women with TNBC... More -
Johns Hopkins Medicine answered:Triple negative breast cancer is estrogen-negative, progesterone-negative and HER2-negative.
Triple negative breast cancer does not respond to hormonal therapy or other therapies that target HER-2. It is very understandable to feel concerned about treating this kind of cancer effectively to prevent it from returning. Researchers are currently investigating new medications and therapies to help treat this type of cancer.
Currently, doctors treat triple negative breast cancer with any of the following therapies:
- Breast surgery - Lumpectomy surgery, which removes cancer from inside your breast, or a mastectomy, which surgically removes the entire breast.
- Chemotherapy - These are drugs your doctor administers either before or after surgery to help treat your cancer.
- Radiation - Radiation uses high-energy rays (such as X-rays) to kill cancer cells or shrink tumors. Most commonly, doctors use radiation therapy to kill any cancer cells that remain in the breast, chest wall or underarm area after surgery.
Helpful? 1 person found this helpfulTriple negative breast cancer is estrogen-negative, progesterone-negative and HER2-negative. Triple negative breast cancer does not respond to hormonal therapy or other therapies that target HER-2. It is very understandable to feel concerned about... More
