To determine the type of breast cancer a patient has, doctors search for the presence or absence of receptors and proteins that exist inside or on the surface of a cell. You may have heard of the estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). In ER-positive breast cancer, PR-positive breast cancer, and HER2-positive breast cancer, treatment includes medicines that prevent, slow, or stop cancer growth by targeting those receptors. But triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) need different types of treatments because they are ER-negative, PR-negative, and HER2-negative.
Each year, to raise awareness of and funds exclusively for TNBC, the Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation promotes Triple Negative Breast Cancer Day on March 3. In recognition of TNBC Day, we present 3 common myths about this disease.
To learn more, you can visit tnbcfoundation.org.
Myth #1:
People with TNBC Can Have the Same Treatments as All Other People with Breast Cancer
Many people do not understand that there are different kinds of breast cancer. Even some people who have had breast cancer do not understand the differences between TNBCs and breast cancers that are hormone receptor–positive or HER2-positive. People you meet may have been taking a hormonal treatment pill for 5 to 10 years to lower their risk of recurrence (a return of the cancer), or they may know someone who has. These people may not understand that this option does not exist for you. Having to explain the differences between TNBCs and other breast cancers can be frustrating, especially if you are just learning about this diagnosis yourself. On the other hand, you may take some of the same chemotherapy medicines as people with other types of breast cancer.
Myth #2:
Only African Americans Get TNBC
TNBCs affect people of all races. Breast cancers in African American women are more likely to be triple-negative than those in white women.
Myth #3:
TNBCs Are Always Difficult to Treat
Your doctor may tell you TNBC is more difficult to treat than other types of breast cancer. Although many triple-negative cancers are aggressive, your doctor’s prediction of how well your treatment will work depends on the tumor size and whether the cancer has traveled to the lymph nodes (tissues near the breast) just as much as it does on its triple-negative status. There are some very effective treatments for TNBC. Your doctor will work with you to find the treatment that is right for you.
