Duel Diagnoses
- Lorraine Comerie, 37, found out she had triple-negative breast cancer right after her mother, Denise Geeves, 60, beat the same disease.
- Not only did the mother-daughter duo battle the same type of cancer, but their tumors were in the exact same spot on their left breasts. Surprisingly, they learned it was not genetic, at least in their case.
- Triple negative breast cancer is one of the most aggressive forms of breast cancer, but it is also the most sensitive to chemotherapy treatment, which means that there is a high chance that the treatment will kill all of the cancer cells.
Not only did the mother-daughter duo battle the same type of cancer, but their tumors were in the exact same spot on their left breasts. Surprisingly, they learned it was not genetic, at least in their case.
Read MoreWhen Lorraine was “feeling sick or just having a down day,” she knew that her mom would be able to get her back to a positive mindset. “I honestly don't think I'd have got through it so well without Mum's support,” she admitted.
Denise found her own tumor right when her daughter was finalizing wedding plans with her groom-to-be, Steve, who is now also the father of their three boys. “She faced her treatment head-on, while still finding time to help me with the wedding preparations the following month,” Lorraine said of her positive mother, who was still able to come to the wedding right after her surgery.
Months later, while breastfeeding, Lorraine discovered that something was wrong. She thought it was some sort of blockage. Doctors discovered an 8 cm tumor behind her nipple. “I just cried and cried. I thought I was too young to have cancer.”
Months earlier, Lorraine had just gone through the fear of potentially losing her mother, then all of a sudden she was facing her own mortality. Like most moms after receiving a cancer diagnosis, all she could do was think of her boys growing up without her.
Again, she would turn to Denise to help curb those dark thoughts. “It's true when people say it's impossible to understand what having cancer is like unless you've been through it yourself,” Lorraine said.
Denise felt bad for her daughter that she had to her have her breast removed, as it was more advanced than hers was. Denise only had to have a lumpectomy.
“When I found out I had breast cancer, one of my first thoughts was, ‘At least it's not happening to my daughters,'” Denise shared. “That was the worst part for me. She's still my baby and it was very upsetting seeing her go through that.”
Overall, the experience has brought the entire family closer together. “We both worry the cancer will return but one thing it's taught us both is you have to live your life, as you just don't know what lies ahead.”
Getting a Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Diagnosis
A cancer diagnosis is often extremely unexpected. We all hear the stories, but never think it’s going to happen to us. Getting over the initial shock is often the toughest part. Even more tough is finding out that your type of cancer is considered more serious than the rest, but it also has its plus side, despite the bad rap.
Related: ‘Stay Positive, It Matters,’ According to a Leading Cancer Doctor
Triple negative breast cancer may be one of the most aggressive forms of breast cancer, but it is also the most sensitive to chemotherapy treatment, which means that there is a high chance that the treatment will kill all of the cancer cells. It is always important to find the positive aspect of a negative situation (no pun intended), and this is a huge bonus.
What is Triple Negative Breast Cancer?
It's called triple-negative because it does not have any of the main drivers of breast cancerthe estrogen receptor, the progesterone receptor, and the HER2 receptorand consequently doesn't respond to treatments that target them. The main treatment along with chemotherapy, immunotherapy or participation in clinical trials.
“Any triple negative cancer that’s over a half a centimeter or has lymph node involvement needs chemotherapy,” Dr. Julie Nangia, Director of the Breast Cancer Prevention and High Risk Clinic at Baylor College of Medicine told SurvivorNet in a previous interview. “And this is usually two different types of chemotherapy for three months each with two different classes of drugs. One is called taxanes and one is called anthracyclines,” she added.
Treating Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
After chemotherapy, Dr. Nangia said that depending on the type of surgery they have and the stage of the cancer, they may need radiation. “After they’re done with the active part of treatment, they’ll be followed by their doctors every three to six months with physical exams and routine mammograms.”
Related: In Triple Negative Breast Cancer, New Drug Trodelvy Extends Life
If there is a recurrence, it is likely to be discovered within the first few years, so at the very least, survivors do not have to wait as long to feel they are “in the clear.” However, as Lorraine and Denise pointed out, it is vital to continue living life each day and not continuously worry that your cancer will come back. Negative thought patterns will only cause more stress, which can in turn do more damage to your health. If you think about it, any one of us can get cancer or another disease at any time really, which is why you can’t waste time worrying about yours returning.
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