She Launched Planes as a Naval Aviator—But Her Hardest Battle Was Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. How a Sisterhood of Support Helped Her Through It

Her journey began with a self-breast exam, where she discovered a lump she initially dismissed as a cyst. Further testing at her local VA hospital revealed that she had stage 3 triple-negative breast cancer.

“Most patients newly diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer will require chemotherapy,” explained Dr. Julie Nangia, medical oncologist at SurvivorNet.

“Any tumor larger than half a centimeter or involving lymph nodes typically needs treatment with two different classes of drugs—taxanes and anthracyclines—over the course of six months,” Dr. Nangia added.

WATCH: What Happens During a Double Mastectomy?

Dr. Nangia also added that breast cancers are defined by biomarkers: estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and HER2. Triple-negative cancers lack all three, making them more difficult to treat.

Clark’s military background in Naval aviation—working on flightline aircraft and coordinating missions—proved invaluable during her cancer fight. The resilience and camaraderie she once shared with shipmates carried over into her care at the VA hospital, where fellow veterans offered support and solidarity.

“Through VA, you find your people. It’s an unbiased, supportive community that’s always there for you,” she said.

Clark ultimately chose a double mastectomy (removal of both breasts), a decision that helped her reach remission. Now in her fourth year, she reflects on the weight of that choice.

Is a Preventive Mastectomy Right for Me?

For women facing mastectomy, options range from breast-conserving surgery, such as lumpectomy, to full removal. These decisions should be made in close consultation with a physician, weighing risks and benefits.

“A double mastectomy typically takes about two hours for the cancer portion of the operation,” noted Dr. Elisa Port, a surgeon who specializes in the care and treatment of patients with breast cancer.

“The total length depends on whether reconstruction is performed,” Dr. Port adds.

WATCH: Regaining your sense of self after reconstruction.

Breast reconstruction itself varies: some women opt for implants, which add two to three hours to surgery, while others choose tissue transfer from areas like the abdomen. Many women pursue some form of reconstruction, though others decide against it entirely.

It’s important that when you’re faced with breast cancer surgery, you do your research and trust your gut when settling on a breast cancer surgeon.

“Volume alone isn’t the best measure,” said urologic oncologist Dr. Jay Shah. “You don’t want someone inexperienced, but above all, you need a surgeon you can trust.”

Although we do not know all aspects of Clark’s treatment journey, for many triple-negative breast cancer patients, chemotherapy is part of the treatment regimen.

“For someone who is newly diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer, most of the time they will need chemotherapy,” Dr. Nangia explained to SurvivorNet.

Unlike other breast cancers, triple-negative tumors lack three key receptors—estrogen, progesterone, and HER2—which means they don’t respond to hormone therapy or HER2-targeted drugs like Herceptin. Chemotherapy remains the primary treatment option.

“Any triple-negative cancer that’s over half a centimeter or has lymph node involvement needs chemotherapy. 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,” Dr. Nangia continued.

Treating Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

SurvivorNet experts say that triple-negative breast cancer often responds well to chemotherapy. Early stages of this disease (stages 1, 2, or 3) mean that the cancer is confined to the breast and/or lymph nodes that are located right under the arm.

“Our primary line of attack is chemotherapy, and this is regardless of the cancer stage,” medical oncologist Dr. Elizabeth Comen said.

Chemotherapy before you have surgery, also called neoadjuvant therapy, has the primary goal of trying to shrink the tumor before the primary treatment is given, which, in the case of breast cancer, is usually surgery.

WATCH: Undergoing Chemo During Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Treatment

In some cases, doctors may recommend chemotherapy after surgery, also known as adjuvant therapy. This additional treatment may be necessary if there are still cancer cells present, or it might be given to lower the risk that the cancer will come back.

There are different chemotherapy options depending on the burden of disease, which refers to how sick someone is with their disease.

“If the disease burden is not too great, meaning that a woman doesn’t have a lot of symptoms, we can often start with oral chemotherapy,” Dr. Comen explains to SurvivorNet.

“After three months of treatment, we can say, how has the response been, has the disease burden decreased, which is what we hope to see, and ideally, we will continue on that treatment for as long as possible. At some point, a woman may become resistant to the treatment that she’s on, which often means IV chemotherapy is next in line.”

The IV chemotherapy cycle can be two weeks on, one week off, alongside monthly doctor visits.

According to Dr. Heather McArthur, previously medical director of breast oncology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, studies suggest that giving these drugs early on in the treatment of metastatic triple-negative breast cancer works better than when taken after chemotherapy.

WATCH: Immunotherapy and Triple Negative Breast Cancer

Clinical trials also suggest that for women with non-metastatic triple-negative breast cancer who received immunotherapy and chemotherapy before surgery, 80 percent of these women had a “pathologically complete response” at the time of surgery, meaning there were no cancer cells left in the breast. These trials led to the approval of Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for the treatment of early-stage triple-negative breast cancer. Keytruda can be used with chemotherapy before surgery and then continued alone after surgery if you are at high risk for your breast cancer returning.

RELATED: Triple-Negative Breast Cancer More Deadly Among Black Women

Genetic Testing to Gauge Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Risk

A research team at Mayo Clinic has identified a group of genes linked to an increased risk of developing triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC)—a discovery that could pave the way for improved screening and earlier detection of this aggressive disease.

“Everybody is nervous about triple-negative breast cancer,” says Dr. Marleen Meyers, a medical oncologist at NYU Perlmutter Cancer Center. “Of all the breast cancers, it’s considered the most aggressive and the most difficult to treat.”

WATCH: Genetic Tests for Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Risk

In the 2018 study involving more than 10,000 people diagnosed with TNBC, researchers found that mutations in five genes—BARD1, BRCA1, BRCA2, PALB2, and RAD51D—were associated with a significantly higher risk of developing the disease. Among Caucasian participants, these mutations also correlated with a greater than 20% lifetime risk for breast cancer overall. Similar patterns were observed in African-American participants.

While this genetic insight is promising, experts caution that only about 10% of breast cancers are hereditary. “Most women who undergo genetic testing won’t test positive for these mutations,” explains Dr. Ophira Ginsburg, Director of the High-Risk Cancer Program at NYU Langone’s Perlmutter Cancer Center.

WATCH: When to Get Genetic Testing?

That’s why genetic testing is typically recommended for women with a strong family history—especially those with relatives who’ve had breast or ovarian cancer, rare cancers, or cancers linked to Lynch Syndrome, a hereditary condition that increases cancer risk. Early identification in these high-risk groups can be critical for prevention and timely treatment.

Breast Cancer Symptoms & Self-Exams

Women are encouraged to do regular self-exams to become familiar with how their breasts feel normally, so when something unusual, like a lump, does form, it can be easily detected. A self-exam includes pressing your fingertips along your breast in a circular motion.

For some women, that means going to their doctor and walking through what a self-breast exam looks like, so they know what normal breast tissue feels like, so if they do feel something abnormal, whether it’s a lump or discharge from the nipple, they know what to ask and what to look for.

Below are common symptoms to look out for:

• New lump in the breast or underarm (armpit)
• Any change in the size or shape of the breast
• Swelling of all or part of the breast
• Skin dimpling or peeling
• Breast or nipple pain
• Nipple turning inward
• Redness or scaliness of the breast or nipple skin
• Nipple discharge (not associated with breastfeeding

When to Screen for Breast Cancer

The medical community has a broad consensus that women should have annual mammograms between the ages of 45 and 54. However, an independent panel of experts called the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) is saying that women should now start getting mammograms every other year at the age of 40, suggesting that this lowered age for breast cancer screening could save 19% more lives.

The American Cancer Society recommends getting a mammogram every other year for women 55 and older. However, women in this age group who want added reassurance can still get annual mammograms.

WATCH: When you’re getting a mammogram, ask about dense breasts.

Women with a strong family history of breast cancer, a genetic mutation known to increase the risk of breast cancer, such as a BRCA gene mutation, or a medical history, including chest radiation therapy before the age of 30, are considered at higher risk for breast cancer.

Experiencing menstruation at an early age (before 12) or having dense breasts can also put you into a high-risk category. If you are at a higher risk of developing breast cancer, you should begin screening earlier.

Questions For Your Doctor

• What stage is my cancer, and how does that affect my treatment plan?
• What are the recommended chemotherapy options for triple-negative breast cancer, and what side effects should I expect?
• Are there any clinical trials or emerging treatments I should consider?
• How will treatment affect my fertility, physical activity, or ability to work?
• What follow-up care and monitoring will I need after treatment ends

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

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