The Office Star Jenna Fischer Reveals Triple Positive Breast Cancer Diagnosis; what is it

The Office star Jenna Fischer recently opened up about her Triple positive breast cancer Diagnosis on social networks to publicize the disease and the importance of the year mammograms for breast cancer projection The actor revealed that he was diagnosed with stage 1 Triple positive Breast cancer on December 1, 2023, after a lump was detected in her left breast. He said he is now cancer free.
“Fortunately, my cancer was caught early and had not spread to my lymph nodes or the rest of my body, but due to the aggressive nature of triple positive breast cancer, it is still required. chemotherapy and radiation to make sure it doesn’t come back,” he wrote.
Fischer says her tumor was so small it couldn’t be felt on a physical exam. “If I had waited another six months, things could have been a lot worse. It could have spread,” he said.

What is triple positive breast cancer?

Triple positive breast cancer is a type of breast cancer that has three different specific characteristics. It has three markers: estrogen receptors (ER), progesterone receptors (PR), and a protein known as human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). This means that cancer cells tend to grow abnormally in response to hormones such as estrogen, progesterone and proteins such as HER2.
“Triple-positive breast cancer is more aggressive and spreads faster to other parts of the body compared to others. Quick and targeted treatment options can be helpful, as this type of cancer responds well to them,” he says. Dr. Atul Narayankar, Consultant Medical Oncologist, Wockhardt Hospitals. , Carretera Mira.

Type of breast cancer

Breast cancer is divided into different subtypes based on the receptor status of the tumor, according to experts.
Four subtypes of breast cancer are: hormone receptor-positive, HER2-positive, triple-positive, and triple-negative.
Triage should be done to categorize patients who may benefit from targeted therapy, such as hormone therapy and anti-HER2 therapy. However, the rate of survival or relapse depends on the subtype of cancer.

Symptoms of triple positive breast cancer

Symptoms are the same as other forms of breast cancer and include thickening of the skin, lumps in the armpit region, bloody nipple discharge, says Dr Rohan Khandelwal, senior consultant, oncology and head, breast centre. , CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram.
It is recommended for people diagnosed with this type of breast cancer hormone therapychemotherapy and targeted therapy as part of the treatment plan. It is diagnosed by mammography or ultrasound. A biopsy and a PET scan are also done.
Dr Jyoti Anand, senior consultant-medical oncologist, Fortis Noida, says this subtype of breast cancer is more aggressive compared to hormone receptor-positive breast cancer alone, but has better survival compared to patients who do not they have all receptors (triple negative).

Dr Raghav Kesri (Senior Consultant and Head, Department of Medical Oncology), Yatharth Hospitals, Greater Noida, says that in a slightly advanced stage, chemotherapy or a combination of chemotherapy and immunotherapy followed by surgery and radiation is suggested.

How to cope

“It is important to eat well-balanced meals, exercise regularly and avoid smoking or drinking to reduce your risk of cancer. Joining support groups online or in person can help cope with the challenges associated with triple positive cancer. Make sure that you take your medicines as prescribed by your doctor on time for effective results,” says Dr Narayankar.