Triple Negative

Understanding Triple Negative Breast Cancer
It is now commonly understood that breast cancer is not one form of cancer, but many different "subtypes" of cancer.
These subtypes of breast cancer are generally diagnosed based upon the presence, or lack of, three "receptors" known to fuel most breast cancers: estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). The most successful treatments for breast cancer target these receptors. Unfortunately, none of these receptors are found in women with triple negative breast cancer. In other words, a triple negative breast cancer diagnosis means that the offending tumor is estrogen receptor-negative, progesterone receptor-negative and HER2-negative, thus giving rise to the name "triple negative breast cancer." On a positive note, this type of breast cancer is typically responsive to chemotherapy. Because of its triple negative status, however, triple negative tumors generally do not respond to receptor targeted treatments. Depending on the stage of its diagnosis, triple negative breast cancer can be particularly aggressive, and more likely to recur than other subtypes of breast cancer.



From Lifeline the quarterly publication of Breast Cancer Network of Strength (formerly Y-Me)
Developing New Treatment Approaches in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
Unfortunately, with current treatment options, women with triple-negative breast cancer (or estrogen receptor (ER)- negative, progresterone receptor (PR)- negative and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)- negative breast cancer) have fewer choices and lower survival rates than women who have ER-positive, PR-positive, or either HER2-positive or HER2-negative breast cancer. Other characteristics attributed to triple-negative breast cancer are:
- rapid rise in cancer occurance following diagnosis
- peak risk of recurrence at 1 to 3 years
- increased risk of cancer spreading to the brain
- rapid growth and progression of cancer
- no validated targets for therapy (as opposed t HER2-positive breast cancers and therapies, for example, such as Herceptin and Tykerb to treat HER2-positive disease by targeting the HER2 pathway)

In an effort to increase treatment options and positive outcomes, triple-negative disease remains an area of continuous study. Right now, clinicians are considering different aspects of triple-negative breast cancer to determine the best course of action. When clinicians tried to understand why some women with triple-negative breast cancer respond to treatment and others do not, they looked at women with all types of breast cancer and saw that those who achieved a pathological complete response after treatment did well and those without a pathological complete resonse did not do as well. Women with triple-negative breast cancer who did not have a pathological complete response did especially poorly.