The Center’s Holly Hernandez, formerly of Verdigre, is battling more than triple negative breast cancer; she is also on a mission to spread awareness about the diagnosis and what it means for her, as well as others.
What is TNBC?
Triple negative breast cancer contains tumors that test negative for both estrogen and progesterone receptors and excess HER2 protein. TNBC accounts for approximately 10-20% of all breast cancer cases.
TNBC does not respond to hormone therapy medications or medications that target the HER2 protein receptors. It is usually treated with a combination of surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
Neoadjuvant chemotherapy, PARP inhibitors, immunotherapy, and surgery are the typical treatment options.
Who is most likely to be diagnosed with TNBC?
— Younger people: When it is diagnosed, it is likely to be in people under 50 years old. Other types of breast cancer are more commonly diagnosed in people age 60 or older.
— African-American and Hispanic women.
— People carrying a BRCA1 genetic mutation.
Hernandez only fits into the youth category. One possible factor in her case is pregnancy-associated breast cancer (PABC), also known as “gestational breast cancer.” This is defined as breast cancer diagnosed during pregnancy or up to a year after birth and affects about one in 3,000 pregnant women. Hernandez assumes it started during her third trimester, but thought the symptoms were related to pregnancy.
According to rethinkbreastcancer.com, “TNBC is considered a more aggressive type of breast cancer, primarily because there are fewer targeted medications to treat it. It is more likely to spread beyond the breast and recur after treatment. complete response to treatment beyond five years, they have longer periods of NED (no signs of disease). It also tends to be of a higher grade than other types of breast cancer. The higher the grade, the less the cancer cells resemble normal, healthy cells. breast cells in their appearance and growth patterns. On a scale of 1 to 3, TNBC is generally grade 3.”
When Hernandez’s youngest child was born, she chose to breastfeed, as she had done with her older children. When she found the lump, she passed it off as a blocked milk duct. After a while, she decided to have it checked because the problem persisted. On April 21, 2021, she received her diagnosis of TNBC.
“At first I was shocked. In fact, I always believed that breast cancer was hereditary, that it was very rare in young women and that I was doing the things I needed to do to prevent it, like breastfeeding,” Hernandez said. “I was always told it reduced the risk of breast cancer and I breastfed every child with that in mind. I thought ‘this can’t happen to me’. In the first six months you don’t really realize until later what you were actually dealing with I have heard people say that breast cancer is the best type of cancer, implying that you can have a mastectomy and the cancer will go away. , that’s not how cancer works. Your body is a highway of cells traveling from one place to another, and once you have cancer that has reached your lymph nodes, that’s the real road to it. other parts of it. your body), the likelihood of it coming back is very real Once you are diagnosed, cancer changes you Yes, if treated successfully, you can live a long and. in style. However, cancer never leaves your vehicle it is there for the rest of your life, whether it comes back or not. »
His diagnosis made him see life differently.
“I’ve had to deal with a lot of scary things. When you’re raising young children and fighting cancer, you have those moments where you wonder, ‘Will they remember me?’ Will I be there for their graduation? Their wedding ? The grandchildren.”?’ This is when you start to live your life differently. You deliberately seek to create memories with your spouse and your children. You really don’t care about the small, insignificant things that you used to do. focusing on gratitude and spending time with those who do. I also allow myself to be more in the “present moment,” reminding myself to experience things rather than worrying about the past or the past. future. Yes, cancer can also be a gift.
Although his cancer treatment was deemed effective, unfortunate news emerged last November. Not only had TNBC returned, but it was now in his lungs and brain, leading to stage 4 cancer.
Naturally, when faced with cancer, many people remember things they took for granted.
“I would definitely say my health and also aging. I was a runner and last November I was having trouble walking from one end of my house to the other due to the effects of cancer. is a wake-up call to take charge of your health If you are given an expiration date, you tend to live your life differently, in any way possible, to “make it count.” “I always felt like getting older was a given, not a gift. At this point, I just want to do what I can to live and see these kids grow up while making as many memories as possible.”
Hernandez has advice for women who feel a lump and pass it off as nothing.
“Get checked. If it’s nothing, then you can move on with your life. But get checked for the people you love, and time is of the essence in these scenarios. Just to put things in perspective, I’ve done some analysis in July 2023, and everything was clear I started feeling short of breath in early October and finally went in. At that time I discovered that my lung was completely full of fluid and, more. late I had lesions on my brain – three months is how quickly it happened The possibility of any type of cancer is not to be expected. Check it out now.
“I also want to point out that it has never been easier to take care of your health than it is today thanks to the technology we have. There are things that healthcare providers miss in everything health problem. Ask about your risk factors, ask your family if anyone has been diagnosed with breast cancer in your family. Make an appointment at a breast clinic to discuss your “lifetime risk.” and follow their screening recommendations And, most importantly, if something doesn’t suit you, no matter what’s going on in your life, get it checked Every day, more and more young women. are diagnosed with breast cancer, and researchers don’t know why.
“If you’re under 40 and don’t have any genetic risks, ask your GP or obstetrician/gynecologist what your risk is and follow their screening recommendations. It really can happen to anyone , but as a young mother, there are so many obstacles to overcome,” Hernández said. “If you know someone with cancer or another chronic illness, be specific about what you can offer them in the way of support. Ill people make big decisions all the time, so you decide what what you can do to help them, offer them specific things such as meals, walks, gift cards for groceries, etc. As a strong person, it can be difficult to ask for help, and it can seem overwhelming. Just be specific and direct. It’s always appreciated, no matter how small or big the gesture.”
It is important to know that there is financial assistance available to assist with these diagnoses.
“There are many organizations, locally and nationally, that help women meet their needs during treatment. Whether it’s a chemotherapy care program, a ‘passport’ to therapies holistics paid for by a non-profit or help with a bill here or there It’s really amazing; I just wish there was a way for everyone to find the resources available. women do not know the majority of them I have been fortunate to share resources throughout my career as a social worker I have a unique perspective and ability to locate them.
What’s the least of Hernandez’s concerns with TNBC?
“Being bald is the least of my worries. I actually really don’t like wigs, and most of them end up coming off as soon as I leave an event or get in my car. They itch. , they are hot and don’t look natural on me Recently I requested and received a real human hair wig from an agency on the East Coast However, with the huge price, I doubt I would have purchased one. one for myself.
Hernandez received good news on March 6 regarding his prognosis.
“They did my first scan after I started my treatment in December. We learned that I had no new lesions on my brain and that the three that were there and treated with gamma knife brain radiation were gone. They also discovered that my tumor in my plural space is shrinking at stage 4, they view stable disease (no growth) as the main goal, with shrinkage being a huge win.
“Unfortunately, I have learned that stage 4 treatment may suddenly stop working, for no particular reason, in which case we will go back to the drawing board to see what is available for my specific disease. This may be a clinical trial or , if I’m lucky there will be another FDA approved treatment option for MTNBC (metastatic triple negative breast cancer) that would work for me Unfortunately, it looks like when/if that happens, I. will probably start traveling to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, or even further depending on where the clinical trial using a new treatment is taking place Cancer can be tricky and it is smart to learn how to adapt to treatment for. grow.
With her diagnosis and a desire to spread as much information as possible, Hernandez became a young advocate for the national nonprofit group “Living Beyond Breast Cancer,” or “LBC” for short.
“I interviewed for the position over the phone with the idea that I wanted to educate other women about breast cancer and add something to my life that would both help people and focus on something that fascinated me so much. I traveled to…
News Source : norfolkdailynews.com
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