Southlake, TX – June 30, 2020 – Triple-negative breast cancer does not have estrogen or progesterone receptors or much of HER2 protein. That's why its treatment options are limited. Chemotherapy is the standard systemic treatment option for triple-negative breast cancer. However, the disease tends to recur more frequently after the chemo.

"Treatment for triple-negative breast cancer depends on the size of the tumor,” said Choice Cancer Care. “If the tumor is small enough, breast-conserving surgery or mastectomy will be recommended, but for large tumors or those found in lymph nodes, radiation will be used together with surgery. Potential new treatments have been developed to treat triple-negative breast cancer and improve patient survival.”

Here are some of the novel treatments for triple-negative breast cancer;

• Checkpoint inhibitors – Checkpoint inhibitors have shown high response rates in clinical trials for triple-negative breast cancer patients who haven't received any treatment and whose tumors have high levels of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. However, not all triple-negative breast cancer patients will benefit from checkpoint inhibitors.

• Chemotherapy combinations – A new drug known as atezolizumab, when used in combination with chemotherapy, has shown improvements in overall patient survival in a trial. Other drugs have also been used in combination with excellent outcomes. Chemotherapy, combined with immunotherapy, is the new standard therapy for PDL1-positive triple-negative cancer at the moment.

• Checkpoint Inhibitors in a Neoadjuvant Setting – When tested in a randomized trial, a checkpoint inhibitor used with anthracycline-based chemotherapy proved to be effective in triple-negative disease with double response rates.

• PARP Inhibitors – A PARP inhibitor has already been tested in trials and shown high response rates in patients with hormone receptor-positive triple-negative breast cancer. It also causes less toxicity in the bone marrow.

Triple-negative breast cancer is a very rare form of breast cancer with very poor prognosis. The new treatments will help patients who otherwise have lost hope. Participating in clinical trials will allow you to access drugs that are not yet available for standard treatment.

About Southlake Oncology

Southlake Oncology, located in the Southlake and Grapevine area is a community-focused oncology practice that delivers exceptional care to North Texas cancer patients with a variety of cancer diagnoses and blood disorders. Like the other Choice Cancer Care facilities, we are an independent treatment center that is physician-owned.

Visit: https://southlakeoncology.com/service/breast-cancer-treatment-center/