Can a hemogram help detect triple-negative breast cancer?

Question

Hi doctor,

My friend had a hemogram and a mammogram recently. She has been a bit anxious because she heard that triple-negative breast cancer is something to be really concerned about. After her mammogram, she is not sure what to make of the results, and I am trying to understand if triple-negative breast cancer could be an issue for her.

Can the hemogram show anything related to triple-negative breast cancer? We are worried that there is a chance that the results from the mammogram and hemogram could indicate this type of cancer. What should we do next if we are concerned about triple-negative breast cancer?

How can we understand the connection between these tests and cancer? Should she get further tests to confirm anything? What are the usual steps after getting these kinds of results?

Please help.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Thank you for writing and I understand your concern.

The symptoms of triple-negative breast cancer include:

Changes in breast shape.
A Mass or suspicious finding on a mammogram (an x-ray picture of the breast).
Breast or nipple pain.
Discharge from the nipple.
Nipple inversion.
Swelling of the breast.
A lump.
Thickening of the nipple skin.

Symptoms of TNBC are similar to other forms of breast cancer and can include:

A new lump or mass on the breast.
Changes in the size, shape, or feel of your breast (e.g., pitting, swelling).
Changes in skin texture (e.g., an “orange peel” texture, puckering, dimpling, bumps, or rash).

About 80 percent to 90 percent of patients with triple-negative breast cancer are diagnosed at stages I, II, or III. This is when the disease can potentially be cured. Most patients will see a doctor after feeling a lump in their breast or noticing a change in the feel or appearance of their breasts.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a rare type of breast cancer. It accounts for 15 percent of all breast cancer cases. Triple-negative breast cancer accounts for about 10 to 15 percent of all breast cancers. These cancers tend to be more common in women younger than age 40, who are black, or who have a BRCA1 mutation (a gene that causes breast cancer).

At stage three, triple-negative breast cancer has grown extensively, invaded nearby tissues, and has likely spread to lymph nodes.

The immunotherapy (a type of cancer treatment that helps the immune system fight cancer) approved for the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer is called Pembrolizumab. It can be used with chemotherapy (a type of treatment with drugs that kill cancer cells) or other medicines before surgery and then continued alone after surgery to treat early-stage, triple-negative breast cancer at high risk of recurrence.

Breast cancer treatment often starts with surgery to remove the cancer. Most people with breast cancer will have other treatments after surgery, such as radiation, chemotherapy, and hormone therapy (a treatment that blocks or changes hormones to slow or stop the growth of some cancers). Some people may have chemotherapy or hormone therapy before surgery.

I hope that you get your answer.

Please let me know if you want more help.

Thank you.