Does chemotherapy treat triple-negative breast cancer?

Triple-negative breast cancer does not use the usual hormone receptors or HER2 pathway to drive its treatment choices. Chemotherapy can reach cancer cells throughout the body, so it may be used before surgery to shrink a breast tumour and assess its response, or after surgery to address cancer cells that may remain elsewhere. For advanced disease, it may help control cancer and ease symptoms. Some treatment plans include immunotherapy or another medicine when the tumour's features support it.

Ask whether treatment is planned before or after surgery, how the biopsy and scans affect the recommendation, and whether additional medicines are suitable. Discuss fertility, pregnancy plans, heart health, allergies and current medicines before treatment. Ask about hair changes, nausea, infection risk, fatigue and practical ways to manage them. Keep a record of symptoms and bring questions to each review.

Contact your treatment team urgently for fever, chills, severe breathlessness, chest pain, uncontrolled vomiting, heavy bleeding or sudden confusion. A new breast or underarm swelling, worsening pain, or rapidly changing skin should be reported for assessment. Use the emergency number given by your oncology service if symptoms are severe.

What do my biopsy and scans show? Is chemotherapy before or after surgery? Are other medicines recommended with it? How will response guide the next step? Which side effects require an urgent call?