Who Gets Triple-Negative Breast Cancer?

Anyone can get triple-negative breast cancer. However, researchers have found that it is more likely to affect:

• Younger people. Triple-negative breast cancer is more likely to occur before age 40 or 50, versus age 60 or older, which is more typical for other breast cancer types.
• African-American and Hispanic women. Triple-negative breast cancer most commonly affects African-American women, followed by Hispanic women. Asian women and non-Hispanic white women are less likely to develop this type of cancer. A recent study found that black women were 3 times more likely to develop triple-negative breast cancer than white women.
• People with a BRCA1 mutation. When people with an inherited BRCA1 mutation develop breast cancer, especially before age 50, it is usually found to be triple-negative.

Like other forms of breast cancer, triple-negative breast cancer is treated with surgery, radiation therapy, and/or chemotherapy. Based on other features of the cancer, such as stage and grade, your doctor will work with you to determine the best treatment approach.