Inside My Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Treatment Plan

From genetic testing to chemo and learning to live again - here’s what treatment really looks like.

Breast Cancer ≠ Breast Cancer

When people hear breast cancer, they often don’t realize it’s not one single disease. In fact, breast cancer is a term for different subtypes with hormone receptor-positive cancers being the most common (about 70%), HER2-positive cancers making up around 15–20%, and triple-negative breast cancer accounting for roughly 10–15% of all cases.

Hormone receptor-positive (HR+)	These tumors grow in response to estrogen and/or progesterone. They’re usually slower growing and respond well to hormone-blocking therapies.
HER2-positive	These cancers have an overexpression of the HER2 protein, which fuels growth. The good news? There are targeted treatments available that specifically block HER2.
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC)	TNBC doesn’t have estrogen, progesterone, or HER2 receptors, which means none of the usual targeted therapies work. It tends to be more aggressive and fast-growing than other subtypes.

Triple-negative is the type I was diagnosed with. But here’s something many people don’t know (incl. me): TNBC is often exquisitely sensitive to chemotherapy and I very luckily get to confirm that myself. Once I understood that, my panic slowly got less.

“Why not just cut it out?” – What I didn’t understand at first

In the very beginning, I was SO scared of chemo. I thought, “Okay, there’s a tumor, so just remove it. Surgery first, done. I honestly didn’t understand why chemotherapy had to come before the operation, especially when we knew I’d have surgery anyway.

But as I learned more, I started to understand just how important neoadjuvant chemo is – especially for triple-negative breast cancer and people with genetic mutations like BRCA1.

Because here’s the thing:

• It helps destroy micrometastases, tiny, undetectable cancer cells that may have already spread elsewhere in the body. These cells don’t show up on scans, but if left untreated, they can cause recurrence months or even years later.

• For TNBC (a typically fast-growing and aggressive subtype) it’s the best way to strike early, before the cancer has more time to spread or evolve.

• If you carry a BRCA1 mutation like I do, this approach becomes even more crucial. BRCA-associated cancers often behave more aggressively and tend to respond well to chemotherapy.

• It gives doctors a chance to see how your tumor responds. If there are no active cancer cells left after chemo, that’s called a complete pathological response (pCR) , and it dramatically lowers the risk of recurrence.

• It can also shrink the tumor, making surgery less invasive or more precise.

It's about giving the body the strongest possible chance to respond and setting the stage for long-term success.

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What Genetic Testing Revealed 🧬

Even though we knew both of my grandparents died from (or with) cancer, we always thought it was “just” lung cancer, as they were heavy smokers. But after my diagnosis, we did some deeper digging which revealed something else: My grandmother had multiple types of cancer, including breast cancer - something none of us had ever known.

Looking back, I can see how in our family, people simply didn’t talk openly about these things. Not out of secrecy or shame, but because that’s just how it was. Different times. Different conversations.

But that also meant we never fully understood our family history. And I say this without blame. But if I could change anything, it would be this: Talk about your family’s medical history. Ask questions. Act accordingly. Because what I learned far too late is that knowledge can be lifesaving.

As part of my own diagnosis, I was tested for different genetic mutations and found out I carry BRCA1. BRCA1 and BRCA2 are both tumor suppressor genes. When they work properly, they help repair damaged DNA in the breast and ovarian tissue. But if there’s a mutation, that repair function is compromised and the risk of cancer rises significantly.

Women with a BRCA1 mutation face up to a 70% lifetime risk of breast cancer and around 40–50% for ovarian cancer. BRCA2 also significantly increases breast cancer risk in women around 45–60% and carries a lower but still real risk for ovarian cancer. It's also associated with pancreatic and prostate cancer, and with male breast cancer.

That was the not so nice tasting cherry on the cancer cake: This shit was written into my DNA, from the moment I was born. Thanks for nothing! But knowing this also gave me options. It helps guide my treatment and it will help shape decisions I make going forward.

What does “chemo” even mean?

Honestly, it’s so much more than I thougth it was. I had no clue. It’s a whole cocktail of medications - each with its own role, designed to attack cancer from different angles. And yes, that sounds and is freaking terrifying. Voluntarily pumping your body with poison? No thanks.

But here’s the truth I’ve come to understand: This is not just about killing cells. It’s about giving me the best possible chance at survival. It’s science and medicine at its most powerful. And up to this day, the most evidence based and successful approach in healing cancer, especially when there's not a lot of time. I'm looking forward to the future with new approaches and I see a lot of research and first trials for cancer vaccines and other things. Good things take time and I am sure there will be new revolutionary approaches coming up!

So, what is actually happening with me during chemo? In most cases, chemotherapy is given intravenously, either directly through a vein or, like in my case, via a port implanted in the chest. The port makes the process much easier and helps protect the veins over time. I got it pretty much towards the end of treatment, when the veins in my arms already suffered bad, because I really didn't want this weird thing in my chest. So, yeah I had to learn the hard way. Don't make the same mistake. Get the port, right in the beginning. :)

I’m on what’s called the Keynote-522 protocol, one of the most advanced and promising treatment plans for TNBC. It combines four different types of chemotherapy and one immunotherapy. Altogether, this plan spans six months, followed by surgery.

In some cancers, especially when residual tumor tissue remains after surgery, radiation therapy might be added to the plan. In my case, that’s not currently planned and I’m hoping it stays that way.

Click here to have a deeper look at the different medications

Phase 1: Weekly TC Chemo

Duration: 12 weeks (1x per week)

Drugs used: Carboplatin + Paclitaxel

• Carboplatin is a platinum-based drug that damages the DNA of cancer cells. Think of it as disabling the cancer’s ability to repair and replicate – a molecular wrench in its engine.

• Paclitaxel (Taxol) interrupts the process of cell division, freezing cancer cells mid-split. Imagine halting a copy machine in action - no more dangerous duplicates.

Phase 2: AC Chemo

Duration: 12 weeks (1x every 3 weeks)

Drugs used: Doxorubicin + Cyclophosphamide

• Doxorubicin is an anthracycline – and one of the most potent chemo drugs out there. It works by breaking the DNA of cancer cells and generating free radicals to damage them from within.

• Cyclophosphamide disrupts the cancer cell’s ability to multiply and supports the effect of doxorubicin.

Throughout: Immunotherapy with Pembrolizumab (Keytruda)

Alongside chemo, I also receive immunotherapy (Pembrolizumab), commonly known as Keytruda. It’s not chemotherapy, so it doesn’t cause typical chemo side effects like hair loss. But it’s still a powerful drug that boosts your immune system to recognize and fight cancer cells. Because of this mechanism, it can occasionally cause immune-related inflammation in organs like the thyroid, liver, or lungs.

It’s not suitable for every cancer type. Your medical team will typically test for markers like PD-L1 expression to determine if your tumor is likely to respond to immunotherapy. In my case, it’s integrated into every chemo cycle, running in the background as a kind of secret weapon.

Also part of the plan: Zoladex

To protect my ovarian function during chemo, I also receive Zoladex (Goserelin), a hormone therapy that temporarily shuts down the ovaries. It’s mainly used for women who are still of reproductive age, to prevent long-term ovarian damage from chemotherapy.

At first, I thought: Okay, doesn’t sound so bad. But honestly? The side effects from Zoladex hit me harder than most chemo side effects. When your estrogen and progesterone are completely shut down, it’s not just your period that disappears. It’s your libido. Your softness. Your sleep. Your mood. Your sense of self shifts - and not always in subtle ways.

I never thought I’d say this, but I’m counting the days until I get my period back. To feel like myself again.

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If I Could Tell You One Thing…

Please don’t try to be a hero. 🦸🏽‍♂️

There’s no prize for holding out through nausea or pushing through constipation just to prove you’re strong. You already are. You’re here. You’re doing it.

There are so many meds that can help and you deserve to use them. I say this as someone who usually avoids pills at all costs. But during chemo, I learned the hard way: You don’t need to suffer more than necessary. There’s strength in asking for help. In easing your way through.

Also - yes, your immune system gets weaker. And yes, that can be scary.

In the beginning, I was super cautious and a bit paranoid. I wore a mask on the tram, avoided busy places, and kept my distance. 

But eventually, I realised something else:

I don’t want to miss out on life.

I don’t want cancer to take away more than it already has. So I made the choice - not to live recklessly, but to live intentionally.

I go to the gym regularly, throughout treatment (which actually helps me SO much with coping with the side effects). I eat out at restaurants. I’ve been out dancing in clubs (sober 😏).

I do the things that make me feel like me.

And that’s healing, too. Not just for my body, but for my soul.

I want you to be conscious and careful. But please - don’t forget to live.

Also: Hand sanitiser will be your new best friend! 😆

Some final Thoughts

When you hear the word “chemo” it’s easy to picture a horror show. But behind that word is a plan, a strategy based on data, research, and decades of advancement. Yes, it’s intense. But it’s also hopeful. It's personalized. It's powerful. And most importantly, you have a voice in it. Ask questions, understand your options, and don’t be afraid to advocate for yourself every step of the way.

If you’re facing a breast cancer diagnosis - of any type - please know: this is not the end. It’s the beginning of your comeback story. And you’re not alone. 🩵

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P.S. Curious about all the weird and wonderful side effects?

From brain fog to constipation, dry everything, and all the emotional highs and lows in between. I'm working on a separate post where I share all the details and what actually helped. If you don’t want to miss it, make sure to hit the Subscribe button below. 💌