Dear Dr. Bone: What is a "triple negative" breast cancer? Is it bad
or good to have that kind?
J.M.
Royal Palm Beach
Dear J.M.: While many people believe that breast cancer is one disease, that
isn't the case. There are many different types of breast cancer and each
responds uniquely to treatments. The term "triple negative" refers
to the absence of estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors and HER2 (human
epidermal growth factor) receptors on the breast cancer cells. Cancers that
do not feed on estrogen or progesterone and do not over-express HER2 are
called "triple negative." They cannot be starved of hormones nor
can they be treated with the drug Herceptin, designed for HER2-positive
patients.
These cancers are not as common as those that respond to hormonal therapies.
Less than 20 percent of cancers are "triple negative." They are
more often seen in younger women and in women with the BRCA 1 gene mutation.
They tend to be more aggressive and need to be treated with chemotherapy and
radiation therapy. Overall, the prognosis with these cancers is not as
favorable as their "triple positive" counterparts.
I hesitate to judge "triple negative" cancers as better or worse
than others. When detected early and managed by a skilled oncology team,
patients may do very well. And, if they do not have a recurrence in the
first three years, they are no more likely to have their cancer return than
the more common hormone-positive cancers.
Dear Dr. Bone: Having lost my sister to breast cancer, plus countless friends
and neighbors, I read your columns pretty regularly. Thank you so much for
your level-headed and common sense applied to developing technologies.
I wanted to make one comment on your Palm Beach Post column on Aug. 2,
concerning the family dealing with the mother's cancer combined with the
young son's cold sores. After living/fighting with cold sores most of my
life (I have turned 70 this year), worked in hospitals with doctors and
pharmacists trying to suggest treatments to help, I finally found the
L-Lysine approach. For the first time in my life, even after the tiny
blisters had begun to form around my mouth, taking mega-doses of L-lysine
made the blisters go back down and totally clear up in a matter of days, not
weeks. As an adult, when I first see the blisters begin to form, or when I
feel that burning sensation that tells me a cold sore is forming, I take
1,000 mg of L-lysine in the morning and again in the evening, and continue
until all signs have disappeared. My brother (who lives in California) has
also had a similar problem, and since I shared this information with him, he
always has a supply of L-lysine on hand for occurrences and has had the same
results I've had.
It's a quick, inexpensive, non-habitual treatment with quick results that
might make a difference for families with young children.
JF
West Palm Beach
Dr. Melanie Bone is a cancer survivor and gynecologist who practices in West
Palm Beach. To send questions for her Q&A column, go to www.cancersensibility.org. You can also visit Cancer Shop USA for the best doctor approved products that can help you deal with the treatment of cancer.
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