Greetings @thielmann1. I’m sorry to hear about your diagnosis. I was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer last February. I had a DCIS (Stage 0) and an invasive (Stage 1A). The not-so-good news about triple negative is that it is usually more aggressive/faster growing and usually does not respond to hormone-related therapies. While my cancers were caught early, they were also grade 3, and I had a very high Ki-67. These are both more aggressive indicators as well. For me, it just meant I didn’t want to delay moving forward with treatment.
The good news is there is no reason for me to have aromatase inhibitors post treatment, which is nice to be able to avoid those side effects.

Due to the aggressive nature of my tumors, and especially the invasive, Mayo Clinic had me in chemotherapy within two days. Thus, by the time I had surgery, there were no active cancer cells in my breast tissue or lymph nodes. I had never heard of having the chemotherapy first before surgery, but this seemed like a great approach to me. Something to consider with your medical team, if appropriate.

FYI. Other factors played into my surgical decision - unrelated to being triple negative and more related to avoiding future cancers. I have a strong family history of breast cancer. I’m 64 years old. I had a previous atypical lobular hyperplasia (ALH), a future cancer marker. While I didn’t test positive for the BRCA gene, I do have another potential genetic marker (STK-11). I also preferred to avoid radiation. Thus, I opted to have a double mastectomy with reconstruction. I am halfway through my reconstruction, and am at peace with all my decisions. They found several other small DCIS and ALH In the breast tissue they removed. I would likely have been back with another cancer had I gone with a lumpectomy, So this was the right decision for me. Everyone is different. And your decision will be the right decision for you.

So again, to me triple negative means don’t delay, and it also means hormone related therapies are not effective/necessary. Forge ahead with your medical providers. Prayers you find the best treatment for your situation. Blessings to you on this journey so many of us travel.