No matter what type of cancer you have, you're in for a fight. But for Black women who have a higher chance of developing or are newly diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), it can be an uphill battle. Not only is the incidence rate of TNBC ~2x higher in non-Hispanic Black women compared to non-Hispanic White women, they may also face barriers like delays between diagnosis and treatment and lack of adequate insurance or resources.
We're here to take a stand. We're here to talk about those challenges and rise above them, together.
We're here to Uncover TNBC.
Uncovering TNBC is brought
to you in partnership with
Join us for a conversation between real TNBC patients and advocates
Finding Your Community
Sharing With Others and Finding Your Community
Throughout their journeys with TNBC, Lyndsay, Maimah, Jazmine and Keisha found power in telling their stories and connection with other women who shared their experiences.
Balancing Your Mental Health
Embracing Vulnerability and Balancing Your Mental Health
As Black women navigating TNBC, our heroes share the challenges in being vulnerable and asking for help.
Advocating for Yourself
Educating Others and Advocating for Yourself
For Lyndsay, Maimah, Jazmine and Keisha, advocacy begins with education and helping other Black women understand their risk for TNBC.
Uncovering TNBC: Hometown Heroes
We're recognizing three exceptional women who have used their experiences to raise awareness, advocate for change and address the barriers and challenges Black women may face when living with TNBC.
Lyndsay
Houston, Texas
Recognizing the unique challenges faced by Black women with cancer, Lyndsay decided to use her TNBC experience as a source of inspiration by creating a support system for other Black women on their cancer journeys.
Keisha
San Francisco, California
Before being diagnosed with TNBC, Keisha was on a fitness journey to live a healthier life. Following a shocking diagnosis, she struggled with a lack of information on how to move forward. Today, she is dedicated to sharing vital resources and letting other Black women fighting TNBC know they are not alone.
Jazmine
Chicago, Illinois
During her battle with TNBC, Jazmine used her experience in healthcare to find the best possible care. Recognizing that others may not know how to do the same, she began sharing her personal story to empower other Black women to learn how to find information, ask questions and stand up for themselves.
Empower yourself with knowledge about TNBC
Being diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) can feel incredibly overwhelming. Any cancer diagnosis probably feels that way, but TNBC is an aggressive, less common type of breast cancer more often affecting women who are younger than 40, are Black or who have BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations.
Black women are more likely to face health care disparities, including inadequate access to breast cancer screenings, difficulty accessing treatment when diagnosed and less access to preventive and educational information.
Learning more about TNBC can help you feel prepared and confident in the discussions with your care team – whether it's about your risk or your diagnosis.
What is TNBC?
TNBC (triple-negative breast cancer) does not have 3 receptors (proteins) that help other breast cancers grow: estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors or extra HER2 receptors. This makes it "triple-negative."
In other words: Something else is helping the cancer to grow. This means treatments that are commonly used for types of breast cancer that have those receptors may not work to treat TNBC.
Who does TNBC affect the most?
10-15%
Of people with breast cancer, about 10-15% have TNBC
2X
The incidence of TNBC is about 2 times higher in non-Hispanic Black women compared to non-Hispanic White women
TNBC key terms to know
Learning about TNBC can feel like learning a new language. Here's a quick guide to some of the terms you may hear (click on a tile to see the meaning)
Chemical messengers that tell our bodies to do specific things.
Think of a receptor like a lock that can only be opened by a specific key (in this case, a hormone).
A hormone that helps with the development of the female reproductive system and female characteristics, like breasts.
A protein that tells breast cells to grow. When cells have excess receptors for this protein, they are called HER2-positive (HER2+).
A molecule inside the body that has a specific job. Receptors are just one example of the many jobs for proteins.
A microscopic structure that contains all the ingredients necessary for life. Humans have trillions of cells.
A small part of the code that decides how our bodies look and function.
A change in genetic code that can lead to cancer or other health issues, but can also be harmless. Mutations can be passed down from our parents.
A gene that can cause breast cancer. If you have a mutation in your BRCA1 gene, you are more likely to get breast cancer.
Are you ready to take action?
More needs to be done to improve care for women at risk for TNBC. These materials may help you talk with your care team, understand treatment options and hopefully overcome some of the barriers you may face. These resources were created in partnership between Merck and breast cancer advocacy organizations.
Health team discussion guide
Review these questions to ask your doctor to ensure you’re getting the best care possible. Consider printing them to take with you to your next doctor visit.
Guide to the TNBC journey
Learn about the different types of treatment for breast cancer. Empowering yourself with this knowledge will help you make decisions with your care team.
Guide to managing TNBC risk
Understand the recommendations for breast cancer screening and share them with family and friends.
TNBC fact sheet
As much TNBC information as we can fit onto one page. If you only download one thing, it should be this.
TNBC FAQs
Here are answers to frequently asked questions about TNBC and breast cancer. You can also download a guide for communicating with your health care team here.
TNBC can happen in different groups of people. However, it is most common in women who are younger than 40, African-American or have a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation (change) in their DNA. Researchers do not know for sure why women with these traits are more likely to have TNBC.
TNBC may be more difficult to treat than other types of breast cancer. Remember that every case of TNBC is different. You and your care team will come up with a plan that makes sense for you based on factors including:
- The size of your tumor
- Whether or not your cancer has spread to surrounding tissues and/or outside your breast
- Your overall health history, and more
Some of the treatments used for other types of breast cancer are not helpful in treating TNBC. If you have been diagnosed with TNBC, talk with your doctor about your treatment options. Use this health team discussion guide to help.
“Stage” is used to describe the size of the tumor in your breast and if it has spread to the lymph nodes and other parts of the body. TNBC is typically staged based on a numerical scale that ranges from 0 to 4. The stage of your TNBC will impact the recommendations that your care team makes about your treatment and next steps.
Lymph nodes are tiny organs that are part of your immune system and located throughout your body. They filter harmful substances and help the body fight infection and disease. Larger groupings of lymph nodes are found in places like your neck, underarm and chest. Lymph nodes are a common place that TNBC may spread.
Your healthcare provider will help you understand your specific staging and will consider disease characteristics such as the size of the tumor, the extent of lymph node involvement, and the appearance of the cells (also known as Grade). This can make staging TNBC a complicated process, and while the below list is not a comprehensive guide to staging, here are examples of what each stage may include.
Stage 0
- The earliest stage of TNBC, which means that abnormal cells were detected in—and remain confined to —a milk duct or lobe of a breast
- The disease is noninvasive and hasn't broken out of the breast ducts into surrounding tissue
Stage 1
- This stage is when the TNBC becomes “invasive” breast cancer, which means cancer has grown or spread into nearby or surrounding breast tissue
- Tumor is 2 centimeters (about the size of a peanut) or smaller
- Cancer either has not spread to lymph nodes or may show microscopic spread to lymph nodes
Stage 2
The tumor may be:
- Less than two centimeters and has started to spread to lymph nodes, or;
- Between 2 to 5 centimeters but has not started to spread to lymph nodes, or;
- Is greater than 5 centimeters but has not spread to the lymph nodes
Stage 3
- At stage 3, TNBC has grown, has invaded nearby tissues and has likely spread to lymph nodes.
However, it has not spread to distant organs
Stage 4
- This stage means the cancer has spread beyond the breast and nearby lymph nodes to other parts of the body, such as the liver or lungs
- Also referred to as “metastatic” cancer
Each person's breast cancer is unique, and the way it's treated should be, too. The type of treatment you get may depend on your breast cancer type and stage.
Your care team can answer your questions, put your needs first and discuss all possible treatment options with you.
- Download this health team discussion guide for ideas on what to talk about with your doctor
- You can also download this TNBC journey guide to learn more about treatment for breast cancer
Share what you learn about TNBC
Many people do not understand the different types of breast cancer. You can help us spread the word by sharing a message on your social media accounts.
Uncovering TNBC partners
Tigerlily Foundation
Tigerlily Foundation is a leading global organization — whose mission is to educate, advocate for, empower and support young women — before, during and after breast cancer. Their vision is to end disparities of age, stage and color. Learn more at their website.
TNBC Foundation
The Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) Foundation’s mission is to provide credible information, encourage and fund lifesaving research, advocate for patients and support the TNBC community.
Living Beyond
Breast Cancer
LBBC is a nationwide nonprofit made up of a powerful community bonded by breast cancer. For over 30 years, they’ve offered emotional, practical and evidence-based information and a community of support to those newly diagnosed, in treatment, post-treatment or living with metastatic disease. No matter where you are, you belong there.
