Newbie: diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) triple negative

Here's a great discussion that @roch started as she was preparing to have surgery. (And now she gives back. I love it.) Check out members tips and advice.
- Preparing for Chemotherapy https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/preparing-for-chemotherapy/

Newly diagnosed invasive mammary adenocarcinoma; Ductal/No Special type
Biopsy reveled 8/9 histologies grade 3/3 tubules; nuclei 2/3; mitosis 3/3; DCIS -negative;Lymphovascular invasion-negative ; Microcalcifications neg.

What does above translate to?Just finished an array of scans today, tomorrow a mammo….port surgery 9/20 /22 first chemo 9/22 (12 weeks) Carbo/Taxol + Keytruda every 3 weeks. Plan to keep working and seeking helpful tips in doing so as I start this phase….targeting shrinkage of 1.2 cm tumor….

Hi @dibrun, as fellow patients, we're not able to interpret biopsy results. Only your oncologist with medical training and knowledge of your medical history can do that. When do you have an appointment with your oncologist to discuss the results of the biopsy?

Have you been told what type of breast cancer you have since you already have a treatment plan? How did the scans and mammo go?

@dibrun I am sorry to hear that you are needing chemo. There will be good days and bad days taking it, as there are with any strong treatments. I took chemo and radiation for invasive ductal carcinoma.
Knowing more about you and your cancer might help me to give you tips. Can you tell me more about yourself and your cancer?

Well it’s been a while…I apologize for time passed ….I am dx’ed with Triple Neg Breast Cancer. A year prior I did a heavy upper body workout resulting in not being able to raise my left arm and tore muscle. That was November of 21. January of 22 a huge blood bruise appeared on left breast …..healed away leaving a nut sized ball of scar tissue. In August I noticed changes (had grown quickly)….testing dx of TNB . Gave team whiplash in that the tumor was originally scar tissue for with TNB there surely would have been metastasis . No lymph, involvement , nor chest wall, right breast clear….. This changed perception of team. Giving them whiplash. I am now about to complete 12 weeks of chemo…with Keytruda…. Carbo platinum and Abrexane since I had allergic reaction to Taxol…..to be followed by dose dense AC every 2 weeks ….=8 weeks. Negative for Braca 1/2. Tumor has shrunk / disappeared . The upshot is it would seem turn to cancer was early. Chemo to date has been without side effects and labs I am told are textbook perfect. So I am cautiously optimistic in outcome . And readying myself for this last round of chemo.

Nice to hear that you are tolerating chemo well. When do you get to ring the bell or did you already?

I can relate! Mine was Grade 3, but the tumor was a 1B stage and small. After surgery the sentinel lymph node was clear. My blood is clear. I will receive a savi device for radiation and then chemo, which I am not crazy about doing since I am 72. Triple Negative is complex. I am in the DFW area. The best thing I did was get all my friends and family to pray. Praise God!

🙏♥️🙏

I was diagnosed in April 2022 with TNBC. I did twelve weeks of Carbo / Pacitaxel /Immuno on the ISPY 2 study then switched to AC x 4 every three weeks with Pembro. Then surgery. They want to see how the meds affect the tumor before removing it. This is different than other Hormone positive cancers where they want the tumor removed first. Immunotherapy (Pembro) continues after surgery. Since I had surgery 12/9 and a smaller tumor was still there with active cancer, I will have to take oral chemo drug for 8 rounds of 3 weeks with pembro. As the combination of those two reduce the reoccurrence by half. I was negative for BRCA and other genetic markers, no family history, and opted for double mastectomy to see if I can avoid radiation. I hear from radiologist 12/29.

Look up Keynote 522 study if you want to see a standard of care many use to treat TNBC. Pembro is a key part in the 65% complete result response, meaning tumor is dead by time you have surgery. This gives you teh best outcome for reoccurance which is highest in the first three years.

Hi, I was diagnosed with TNC idc breast cancer when I was 48. I had 4 rounds of chemo and 30 days of radiation after a lumpectomy. I know this is all scary…any bc is. However, I always feel as if I have to tell people I am now 68. So this was 20 years ago.
I’m on this site because I was recently diagnosed with precancerous cells..this time dcis. Totally unrelated. I wasn’t taking anymore chances so I had a mastectomy 3 weeks ago. But God is good. And remember take one day at a time and listen to the doctors. Be Well and Happy New Year!