Why I Did Clinical Trials for TNBC: “It Very Likely Saved And Extended My Life”

Sharon Rivera-Sanchez My cancer journey began in 2015 during a routine mammogram that revealed a mass in my breast, which turned out to be Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC), a rare and aggressive form of the disease. In my 50s and coming from a successful finance background, I found myself thrust into a battle against a formidable opponent, prompting me to embark on a journey of research and education to understand my treatment options beyond traditional chemotherapy.  At first, when I heard Triple Negative, I thought it was good because it was “negative”. Until I learned that it is called TNBC because it does not have receptors for the hormone estrogen, it does not have receptors for the hormone progesterone, it does not have higher than normal levels of the protein HER2 and anyone can develop triple-negative breast cancer, but the cancer tends to be more common in women who are younger than 40, who are Black and who have a BRCA1 mutation.  Dealing with my new diagnosis Throughout it all, I felt scared and in the dark about so much of the science and medical terms being thrown around. As a non-scientist who had hated subjects like biology, I knew...