The triple-negative breast cancer represents about 10-15% of all breast cancers. The term triple-negative breast cancer means that the cancer cells don't have estrogen or progesterone receptors, and do not produce the protein known as HER2. These cancers tend to be more common in women under 40 years old, african american, or who have a BRCA1 mutation. The triple-negative breast cancer is different from other types of invasive breast cancer in that they tend to grow and spread faster, have treatment options are more limited and a worse prognosis.

HOW IS IT DIAGNOSED TRIPLE-NEGATIVE BREAST CANCER?

Once you have made a diagnosis of breast cancer using imaging tests and a biopsy, you will examine the cancer cells to detect certain features. If the cells do not have estrogen or progesterone receptors, and do not produce the HER2 protein, the cancer is considered to be triple-negative breast cancer.

SURVIVAL RATES OF TRIPLE-NEGATIVE BREAST CANCER

The triple-negative breast cancer is considered an aggressive cancer because it grows quickly, it is more likely that it has spread at the time in which it is detected and is more likely to return after treatment. Survival rates can give you an idea of the percentage of people with the same type and stage of cancer are still alive over a certain amount of time (usually 5 years) after they have been diagnosed. Can't tell you how long you will live, but can help you understand better the chances that treatment will be successful. The survival rates are estimates and are often based on previous findings of a large number of people who had a specific cancer, but they can't predict what will happen in the case of a particular person.

SURVIVAL RATE AT 5 YEARS

• Triple-negative breast cancer located: 91%
• Triple-negative breast cancer locally advanced: 65%
• Triple-negative breast cancer-metastatic: 12%
• Combination of all the stages: 77%

These numbers are not everything into account. Survival rates are grouped according to the extent of the cancer, but your age, overall health, how well it responds to cancer treatment, tumor grade and other factors can also affect your outlook.

TREATMENT OF TRIPLE-NEGATIVE BREAST CANCER

The triple-negative breast cancer have fewer treatment options than other types of invasive breast cancer. This is because the cancer cells do not have estrogen or progesterone receptors or enough HER2 protein to which the hormone therapy, or medications targeted to work. If the cancer has not spread to distant sites, surgery is an option. Especially in the early stages and when conservative surgery is an option, it is possible to administer chemotherapy first, followed by surgery. Chemotherapy may also be given after surgery. The radiation may be an option depending on certain characteristics of the tumor and the type of surgery performed. Due to hormone therapy, and medications HER2 are not options for women with triple-negative breast cancer, is often used in chemotherapy. In cases where the cancer has spread to other parts of the body (stage IV), chemotherapy, and other treatments that may be considered include PARP inhibitors, chemotherapy with platinum or immunotherapy. Although the triple-negative breast cancer usually responds well to initial chemotherapy, it tends to come back (recur) more frequently than other breast cancers.

TRIPLE-NEGATIVE BREAST CANCER IN STAGES I-III

If the tumor in the early stage, it is small enough to be removed by surgery, surgery may be done to conserve the breast or a mastectomy, in addition to the treatment of the axillary lymph nodes. In certain cases, such as with a large tumor or if it is found that the lymph nodes have cancer, radiation may follow the surgery. Chemotherapy is the main option systemic. It may be given before surgery (neoadjuvant chemotherapy) to shrink a large tumor or after surgery (adjuvant chemotherapy) to reduce the chances of the cancer coming back.

TRIPLE-NEGATIVE BREAST CANCER-STAGE IV

Chemotherapy is often used first when the cancer has spread to other parts of the body (stage IV). The chemotherapy drugs that are commonly used include anthracyclines, taxanes, capecitabine, gemcitabine, eribulina and others. For women with triple-negative breast cancer who have a genetic mutation and whose cancer no longer responds to chemotherapy drugs common, you can consider other chemotherapy drugs called drugs of platinum (such as cisplatin or carboplatin) or drugs targeted so-called PARP inhibitors, such as olaparib (Lynparza) or talazoparib (Talzenna). For breast cancers, triple-negative advanced in that cancer cells express the protein PD-L1, the first treatment may be immunotherapy and chemotherapy. The protein PD-L1 is found in about 1 of every 5 breast cancer-triple-negative. Surgery and radiation may also be options in certain situations.

TRIPLE-NEGATIVE BREAST CANCER RECURRENT

If the cancer returns locally (on breast), cannot be removed with surgery and produces the protein PD-L1 immunotherapy with the drug pembrolizumab combined with chemotherapy is an option. Other treatments may also be options, depending on the situation.