New hope for treating early-stage triple negative breast cancer

Youwanush Kongdan
Nov 25, 2024
2 min read

Updated: May 24

Article by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yaowanut Kongdan

New hope for early-stage TNBC

Early-stage triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) was long considered hard to treat because it lacks hormone receptors and HER2. Today, advances — including immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy and newer agents — are improving outcomes beyond what was possible before.

A New Dimension in Treatment! A study in The New England Journal of Medicine published the latest clinical results demonstrating the success of the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab in combination with chemotherapy in high-risk early-stage triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients.

Key highlights from the study

Comparative study between

Pembrolizumab group: Received in combination with chemotherapy before surgery and continued after surgery.
Control group (Placebo): received chemotherapy plus a placebo.

This combination treatment has shown impressive results, significantly improving survival and reducing the risk of disease recurrence. Studies have shown that patients who received pembrolizumab in combination with chemotherapy before and after surgery had significantly better outcomes than those who received chemotherapy alone.

New treatment approaches

This treatment consists of two important steps:

Neoadjuvant therapy to reduce the size of the tumor
Adjuvant therapy after surgery to prevent disease recurrence

New hope for patients

This innovative treatment opens a new dimension for TNBC patients, particularly those at high risk who have previously had limited treatment options. This discovery could set a new standard for treating this type of breast cancer.

Advice for patients

If you or someone close to you has been diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer, you should consult a specialist as soon as possible to consider the most appropriate treatment approach, especially this new and highly effective treatment.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is TNBC and why is it hard to treat?

TNBC lacks hormone receptors and HER2, so standard hormone/targeted drugs do not work; it relies on chemotherapy and newer options.

What is the new hope for TNBC?

Immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy in certain stages, plus newer agents, is improving response and outcomes.

Is early-stage TNBC curable?

Found early and treated fully, outcomes are much improved, especially with a good response to neoadjuvant therapy.

Does TNBC need chemotherapy?

Chemotherapy is usually the backbone of TNBC treatment, sometimes with immunotherapy by indication.

What should I do if diagnosed with TNBC?

See a specialist promptly for an individualised plan, as early response to treatment matters.