Patch Editor Shares Diagnosis of Rare 'Triple Negative Metaplastic' Breast Cancer

Editor’s note: In case you didn’t read yesterday’s article, I’m Wendy Mitchell, a married mom of three and a Patch editor battling breast cancer. I’m sharing my story to raise awareness of a rare type of cancer I have, to encourage people to do self breast exams and help save lives. Click here to read more.

Up until last Monday, I had a battle plan for defeating this evil thing called cancer. I was going to get a lumpectomy, do six weeks of radiation and then I’d be done with it and get on with my life. All that changed after my pathology reports from the biopsy and surgery came back on Monday.

My doctor originally told me I have Invasive Ductal Cancer (IDC) which is very common, highly treatable and found in 80 percent of women. I was fine with that. What I am having a harder time dealing with is the “new” diagnosis I received that I actually have Triple Negative Metaplastic Carcinoma (TNMC). Triple Meta WHAT? I have Triple Negative Metaplastic Carcinoma. Triple Negative is only found in 15-20 percent of women with breast cancer and Metaplastic is only found in one percent of women with breast cancer.

What makes the diagnosis scary is that many doctors I’ve spoken with have never had patients with this. According to my doctor, this type of cancer was only recently discovered in 2000 and there has not been much research or clinical testing. TNBC is resistant to the “normal” drugs that they give to most cancer patients. The receptors for estrogen, progesterone and HER2 are missing in women with TNBC so it can’t be treated with hormone therapies. Fortunately, TNBC breast cancer can be treated with chemotherapy and radiation.

The good news is that it has not spread to my lymph nodes and I am only Stage 1. The bad news is that this type of cancer can come back and spread to other parts of the body (bones, skin, lungs, etc.) so I will need to monitor it closely for the rest of my life.

As a journalist, it is my job to research and investigate to find answers. Unfortunately, after almost a week of scouring the internet and asking my doctors, I have not found much information.

Because my cancer is an aggressive kind, treatment will also be aggressive. I will need specialized care from doctors who have worked with patients who have had this. I’m going for a second opinion next week and praying the new doctor I see has more insight. I’ll be doing some intense two-and-a-half-hour rounds of chemotherapy beginning in early April. I’ll lose my fiery red hair, dark eyebrows and long eyelashes. But I won’t lose my sense of humor, inner strength or fighting spirit.

The best thing I can do now is eat healthy, get lots of rest and stay calm. Part of keeping stress levels down will be not worrying about the bills piling up since my son’s life-threatening appendix/intestine surgery last month (his 3rd in 3 years) which are now adding on to mine. My husband has a high deductible insurance plan that we have to pay before it kicks in. Then there are the prescriptions, the treatment (many months of intense chemotherapy followed by radiation), a special cancer killing homeopathic diet plan, chiropractor bills (I also have three herniated discs in my neck) and other expenses related to my illness and care.

I have set up a GoFundMe page since friends, family and readers have asked how they can help. Any amount will be so greatly appreciated. CLICK HERE TO DONATE.

If you know anyone who has had this type of rare breast cancer (Triple Negative Metaplastic Carcinoma) please have them contact me: wendy.mitchell@patch.com. It will help me to know there are others out there with this and I don’t have to feel so alone.

Click here to read about my breast cancer journey from the very beginning, the day I found the lump while dying my red hair in January.

Photo: Wendy Mitchell Credit: Alan Barry Photography

Wendy Mitchell is a wife and mother of three children (14, 19, 26) and the editor of Newtown, Monroe, Shelton, Bethel, Brookfield, Danbury, Ridgefield, Wilton, Weston-Redding-Easton Patch sites. She lives in Bethel, Conn. with her family and one-year-old black lab rescue puppy. While on medical leave she will be sharing her journey on Patch. Click here to read more.