Reduce recurrence risk of triple-negatives?
Meet the Experts
Kathy D. Miller, M.D. is associate professor of medical oncology at Indiana University, and a Sheila D. Ward Scholar.
Marisa Weiss, M.D. is a radiation oncologist specializing in breast cancer and the founder, president, and guiding force behind Breastcancer.org.
Jennifer Armstrong, M.D. is a breast cancer oncologist at Paoli Hematology-Oncology Associates in Paoli, Pa., with a special interest in physicians' communication skills.
Question from JLegree: I am hormone-receptor-negative, HER2-negative, no node involvement. It was a small tumor. I have had chemo and radiation. There appears that there is nothing more I can do (except healthy lifestyle choices) to further protect myself. It just doesn't seem like enough. What else can I do to reduce the risk of recurrence?
- Answer —Kathy Miller, M.D.: Your feelings are very common for women with your type of breast cancer. With a small tumor and no node involvement, your risk of recurrence is very low. You already had all of the treatments that you need. It may seem like it's not enough, because you're not continuing on therapy for many years as is common for women with ER-positive tumors, but that doesn't mean the therapy is less effective for you. You just get to be finished with your therapy faster. The transition from active treatment to being comfortable with follow-up is often a very difficult one for patients. You can be assured that you've done everything possible.
On Wednesday, November 19, 2005, our Ask-the-Expert Online Conference was called Hormone-Receptor-Negative Breast Cancer. Kathy D. Miller, M.D., Marisa Weiss, M.D., and moderator Jennifer Armstrong, M.D. answered your questions about a wide range of issues related to hormone-receptor-negative breast cancer.
The materials presented in these conferences do not necessarily reflect the views of breastcancer.org. A qualified healthcare professional should be consulted before using any therapeutic product or regimen discussed. All readers should verify all information and data before employing any therapies described here.
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