No pCR but living happy lives years after TNBC

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After 12 weeks of Paclitaxel, Carbo and Keytruda I had only a 50% respose which I found out is the minimum to be considered as ``response to chemo``. I thought it would be higher because after the 2/3 of treatment ECO I was told it already had a 60% response. The lump is 16mm(the longest shaft) down from 32. My biopsy was positive for lymphovascular invasion but no lymph node involvement was present on ECO, PET or CT.

At the hospital I met two patients(wonderful supportive women) having chemo for TNBC approximately same size and grade. Both finished with pCR last week. I know I should be calm and wait but somehow it didn`t sink in until now(the real danger of this diagnosis). I am fighting tears since this morning.

I have been searching for stories where years later everything is fine even without pCR. Please let me know if you have such an experience.

XO

  • Forgot to mention I still have to go on the second phase of the neoadjuvant chemo, A/C.

    Please let me know, did any of you ladies had a better outcome from A/C?

  • I was diagnosed with what was thought to be early stage TNBC in February. I had surgery first, no lymph node involvement but vascular invasion. I had 4 rounds of EC followed by 12 weeks of Paclitaxel. I had a CT scan for something else, just after I had switched to Paclitaxel. It found, unexpectedly, a secondary on my liver. Further scans after I finished Paclitaxel showed some shrinkage of the liver tumour and the plan is to ablate it. I am also positive for PD-L1 so they will now monitor me and put me on Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) plus more chemo if I get a further recurrence. Not sure what but probably Gemcetabine / Carboplatin. I don’t know what effect EC had as I don’t have a baseline. With hindsight the spread probably occurred before the surgery I had in March. 

  • You`v been on my mind, Coddfish! I know you have been waiting for a long time for the scans...and understood what you were going through because I had few lesions on the liver too ( which proved to be benign). I hope some of the tension dissipated now that you have a new targeted treatment plan in place. Thank you for leting me know 

  • I just thought about it: didn`t they offer you Gemcetabine as maintenance after Keytruda ?

  • Not sure what they will offer me  - I am of course hoping the chemo I have already had and the liver ablation I am about to have, have cleared it out for good. In reality of course I may get to find out sooner than I hope. Glad your lesions were benign. My ablation is booked for 13 Dec.