Triple Negative Breast Cancer Survivors Research Articles

Factors influencing unmet needs among triple-negative breast cancer survivors

Factors influencing unmet needs among triple-negative breast cancer survivors

Fear of Cancer Recurrence and Unmet Needs in Triple Negative Breast Cancer Survivors

Fear of Cancer Recurrence and Unmet Needs in Triple Negative Breast Cancer Survivors

Abstract P6-05-29: Experience of Financial Toxicity and Distress Among Individuals Diagnosed with Triple Negative Breast Cancer: Findings from the Cancer Experience Registry

Abstract Background: Financial toxicity associated with cancer and its treatment can negatively impact treatment adherence and quality of life. Individuals with triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) may be at increased risk for financial toxicity due to the aggressive nature of the disease and high rate of recurrence. The objective of this study was to characterize financial experiences of TNBC survivors, their descriptions of communication with providers concerning treatment costs, and correlations between financial toxicity and psychosocial distress. Methods: From July 2017 to August 2021, 94 individuals with TNBC took part in Cancer Support Community’s Cancer Experience Registry® (CER). Participants completed items related to financial distress, including COmprehensive Score for Financial Toxicity (COST), an 11-item (0=Not at all, 4=Very much) measure of financial well-being (range 0-44; lower scores indicate worse financial well-being), dichotomous (yes or no) items assessing patient-provider communication, and Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System-29 (PROMIS-29 v2.0). Bivariate relations were assessed using Pearson’s correlation. Results: Participants were 81% non-Hispanic White, 6% Black, and 6% Hispanic. Mean age was 52 years (SD=11.3); 14 (15%) reported household income <$40K. Median time since diagnosis was 2 years; 15% (n=14) reported metastatic breast cancer and 36% were currently receiving treatment. Concerning out-of-pocket cancer-related costs, 56% of our sample reported spending >$250 per month; 32% >$500; 13% >$1000. To reduce costs, 23% sometimes, often, or always postponed seeking psychological support, 19% delayed follow-up on recommendations, 6% postponed doctor’s appointments, and 5% skipped medication. The mean COST score was 23.0 (SD=12.3), indicating mild financial distress overall. Less than half of the sample (46%) indicated no financial toxicity (scores >25), 29% mild financial toxicity (scores 14-25), 22% moderate (score 1-13), and 3% severe (score of 0). The frequency of individual COST items showed 61% reported (somewhat, quite a bit, or very much) worry about future financial problems due to treatment costs; 14% were unable to meet monthly expenses; 49% reported concern about keeping their job or income; 47% reported frustration that they could not work or contribute as usual. COST scores were inversely correlated to PROMIS anxiety (r=-.45, p<.001), depression (r=-.44, p<.001), and sleep disturbance subscales (r=-.48, p<.001), such that lower financial well-being related to more symptomology. COST scores were positively associated with the social function subscale (r=.46, p<.001), so that better financial well-being related to higher social functioning. Regarding patient-provider communication, 70% reported their health care team did not discuss costs, 62% did not discuss impact of TNBC and treatment on work, and 59% did not discuss financial concerns. One-third (34%) wished they received more financial advice and assistance. Conclusion: In this sample of TNBC patients, average levels of financial toxicity were in the mild range. However, many reported moderate to severe toxicity (25%). Greater financial toxicity related to increased symptoms of anxiety, depression, sleep disturbance, and worse social functioning. Despite this, results indicate there is little patient-provider discussion about financial burden, with more than half of our sample reporting their health care team did not discuss costs, impact on work, or financial distress. One-third of participants indicated desire for more financial advice and assistance highlighting an opportunity to better serve TNBC patients, who may be at an increased risk of financial toxicity. Citation Format: Kara Doughtie, Erica E. Fortune, Heather Badt, Caroline Lawrence, Madyson L. Popalis, Melissa F. Miller. Experience of Financial Toxicity and Distress Among Individuals Diagnosed with Triple Negative Breast Cancer: Findings from the Cancer Experience Registry [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2022 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2022 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(5 Suppl):Abstract nr P6-05-29.

A novel conditional survival nomogram for monitoring real-time prognosis of non-metastatic triple-negative breast cancer.

Conditional survival (CS) is defined as the possibility of further survival after patients have survived for several years since diagnosis. This may be highly valuable for real-time prognostic monitoring, especially when considering individualized factors. Such prediction tools were lacking for non-metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Therefore, this study estimated CS and developed a novel CS-nomogram for real-time prediction of 10-year survival. We recruited 32,836 non-metastatic TNBC patients from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database (2010-2019), who were divided into training and validation groups according to a 7:3 ratio. The Kaplan-Meier method estimated overall survival (OS), and the CS was calculated using the formula CS(y|x) =OS(y+x)/OS(x), where OS(x) and OS(y+x) were the survival of x- and (x+y)-years, respectively. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression identified predictors to develop the CS-nomogram. CS analysis reported gradual improvement in real-time survival over time since diagnosis, with 10-year OS updated annually from an initial 69.9% to 72.8%, 78.1%, 83.0%, 87.0%, 90.3%, 93.0%, 95.0%, 97.0%, and 98.9% (after 1-9 years of survival, respectively). The LASSO regression identified age, marriage, race, T status, N status, chemotherapy, surgery, and radiotherapy as predictors of CS-nomogram development. This model had a satisfactory predictive performance with a stable 10-year time-dependent area under the curves (AUCs) between 0.75 and 0.86. Survival of non-metastatic TNBC survivors improved dynamically and non-linearly with survival time. The study developed a CS-nomogram that provided more accurate prognostic data than traditional nomograms, aiding clinical decision-making and reducing patient anxiety.

#TripleNegativeBreastCancer on Instagram.

Little is known about how triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is discussed on the visual social media platform, Instagram. A greater understanding of the experiences of TNBC survivors that are documented on this platform may inform us of how this group of survivors cope with this rare, but aggressive form of breast cancer. This study analyzed a random sample (N = 501) of Instagram posts using the hashtag #triplenegativebreastcancer. Using a quantitative content analysis, posts were coded for the presence of health belief model constructs as well as the presence of treatment-related experiences, social support, and hereditary breast cancer genetic mutations (BRCA 1/2). Our findings suggest that health organizations and agencies are not utilizing Instagram as a conduit of health communications about TNBC to reach individuals worldwide. This article provides insights into potential strategies that can be used by these entities to promote user engagement with posts about TNBC, such as utilizing health messaging that is episodic in nature, uses supportive and encouraging words, and provides information about chemotherapy.

Abstract P5-07-03: Metabolic syndrome impacts survival in postmenopausal women with triple negative breast cancer: Results from the women’s health initiative

Abstract INTRODUCTION: Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) is a subtype of breast cancer associated with poor clinical outcome. Patients diagnosed with TNBC may experience many treatment-associated changes, including weight gain, reduced physical activity levels, and worsening metabolic profiles. We sought to identify the association between baseline metabolic syndrome (MetS) components with survival outcomes in WHI participants diagnosed with TNBC. METHODS: The WHI comprises 161,308 post-menopausal women aged 50-79 who were enrolled from 1993-1998 and were at low risk of 3-year mortality at study screening. After excluding women with a history of cancer and those randomized to the dietary modification treatment arm, we identified 615 participants diagnosed with non-metastatic TNBC while on study. MetS status at baseline was assessed at study entry (prior to subsequent breast cancer diagnosis) using the following risk factors: 1) high waist circumference (≥88 cm), 2) high blood pressure (>135 mg Hg systolic and/or > 85 diastolic, or anti-hypertension medication use), 3) history of high cholesterol, and 4) history of diabetes. Groups were stratified into: 1) no MetS components (none), 2) 1-2 MetS components, and 3) 3-4 MetS components. All breast cancers were verified by medical record review. Survival status was augmented by serial National Death Index queries. Outcomes of interest included breast cancer specific survival, as well as all-cause survival after breast cancer, with survival time calculated from date of TNBC diagnosis to date of death or off-study. Baseline demographic, clinicopathologic, and treatment differences were assessed across MetS groups using chi-squared analyses. Kaplan-Meier curves were plotted across MetS groups and survival rates were compared using the log-rank statistic. RESULTS: Of 615 participants diagnosed with TNBC, the distribution of MetS was as follows: 29% had no MetS components (n=178), 53% had 1-2 components (n=323), and 7% had 3-4 components (n=43). The median time from enrollment to TNBC diagnosis was 8.6 years (median), with those in the highest MetS group having a significantly shorter time to diagnosis than those without any MetS (7.0 years vs. 9.8 years, respectively, p<0.001). In addition, those in the highest MetS group were more often black (28% 3-4 vs. 4% none, p<0.001), had incomes <$50,000/year (83% 3-4 vs. 49% none, p<0.001), and had lower rates of menopausal hormone therapy use at baseline (p=0.02). There were no differences in tumor characteristics or treatment modalities across baseline MetS groups. After 8.3 years (median) follow-up since TNBC, breast cancer survival rates at 10 years were lower in participants with 3-4 MetS (63%) compared to those with 1-2 (79%) or none (84%) (p=0.09). All-cause survival rates at 10 years after breast cancer diagnosis were also lower in participants with 3-4 MetS (45%) compared to those with 1-2 (65%) or none (71%) (p=0.008). CONCLUSION: Although TNBC is associated with poor clinical outcome, differences in all-cause mortality in women with TNBC remain significantly influenced by MetS. TNBC patients with 3-4 MetS components have 10-year all-cause survival rates over 35% lower than TNBC survivors with no MetS components. This finding highlights the importance of women’s overall health status and medical condition, even after the diagnosis of an aggressive breast cancer. Table 1. Breast cancer and all-cause survival rates by MetS group.MetSNBreast Cancer Survival (%)All-Cause Survival (%)3-year5-year10-yearp-value3-year5-year10-yearp-value01789087840.098782710.0081-23238983798777653-443877363836445 Citation Format: Yuan Yuan, Rebecca Nelson, Kathy Pan, Jessica Yan, Susan E Yost, Rami Nassir, Rowan Chlebowski. Metabolic syndrome impacts survival in postmenopausal women with triple negative breast cancer: Results from the women’s health initiative [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2019 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2019 Dec 10-14; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P5-07-03.

The Role of Deferoxamine in Irradiated Breast Reconstruction: A Study of Oncologic Safety.

Radiotherapy plays an essential role in the oncologic management of breast cancer. However, patients who undergo radiotherapy experience significantly more wound complications during the reconstructive process. Deferoxamine has immense potential to up-regulate angiogenesis and improve reconstructive outcomes. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of deferoxamine on breast cancer cell proliferation in vitro, to delineate oncologic safety concerns regarding the use of deferoxamine as a regenerative therapeutic. The dose-dependent effect of radiation and deferoxamine on two triple-negative breast cancer cell lines (MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468) was determined by means of MTS (percentage cell viability) and tumorsphere (sphere number) analysis. Radiation therapy and deferoxamine were delivered both individually and in combination, and all experiments were completed in triplicate. Intracellular iron, nuclear factor-κB localization, and apoptosis/necrosis assays were performed to delineate mechanism. Analysis of variance statistical analysis was performed using SPSS (p < 0.05). For both cell lines, percentage viability and sphere number significantly decreased following exposure to 10 Gy of radiation. Surprisingly, the administration of 25 µM deferoxamine also significantly decreased each metric. The administration of deferoxamine (100 µM) in combination with radiation (10 Gy) resulted in significantly reduced percentage viability and sphere number compared with the administration of radiation alone. Deferoxamine treatment decreased intracellular iron, suppressed nuclear factor-κB activation, and induced apoptosis. Radiation and deferoxamine significantly decrease breast cancer proliferation when delivered independently and in combination, suggesting deferoxamine may be safely used to facilitate improved reconstructive outcomes among triple-negative breast cancer survivors. Therapeutic, V.

Abstract QS12: Deferoxamine Diminishes Breast Cancer Proliferation and Enhances Irradiated Breast Reconstruction: An Antitumorigenic Mechanism Defined

PURPOSE: Radiation plays an essential role in the oncologic management of triple-negative breast cancer, but patients who undergo radiotherapy experience significantly more wound complications during the reconstructive process. Deferoxamine is an FDA-approved iron chelator with immense potential to up-regulate angiogenesis and improve reconstructive outcomes. More specifically, the ability of deferoxamine to mitigate the deleterious effects of radiation on skin and soft tissue has been shown to enhance expander-based irradiated breast reconstruction, increase fat graft retention, and facilitate irradiated transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap survival. The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of deferoxamine on breast cancer cell proliferation in-vitro, in order to delineate oncologic safety concerns regarding the utilization of deferoxamine as a regenerative therapeutic. METHODS: Triple-negative breast cancer cells, which do not respond to hormone or HER2 blocking therapy, were utilized in this study as patients with triple-negative breast cancer commonly receive chemoradiation and are potential candidates to receive deferoxamine as a regenerative therapeutic during the reconstructive process. The effect of radiation and deferoxamine on two triple-negative breast cancer cell lines (MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-468) and one female fibroblast control cell line was determined via MTS (percent cell viability) analysis. Radiation (0, 5, 10 Gy) and deferoxamine (0, 25, 50, 75, 100 µM) were delivered individually and jointly, and all experiments were completed in triplicate. Intracellular iron concentration was determined via QuantiChromTMassay, NF-κB localization was determined via dual-luciferase reporter assay, and apoptosis/necrosis was determined via annexin V assay in order to delineate mechanism. ANOVA statistical analysis was performed using SPSS (p<0.05). RESULTS: Both triple-negative breast cancer cell lines exemplified a significant decrease in percent viability following exposure to 10 Gy of radiation (p<0.05) or 25 µM deferoxamine (p<0.01). The administration of radiation (10 Gy) in combination with deferoxamine (100 µM) to triple-negative breast cancer cells resulted in significant reduction of percent cell viability compared to the administration of radiation alone (p<0.05). Fibroblasts exemplified no significant response to individually administered radiation (10 Gy) or deferoxamine (100 µM), while joint administration of radiation (10Gy) and deferoxamine (25µM) resulted in a significant increase in percent cell viability compared to the administration of radiation alone (p<0.05). In both triple-negative breast cancer cell lines, individual administration of deferoxamine (100µM) significantly decreased intracellular iron concentration (p<0.05). Joint administration of radiation and deferoxamine suppressed NF-κB activation indicating a cessation of cell proliferation and amplified cellular apoptosis (p<0.01) with no notable increase in cellular necrosis. CONCLUSIONS: The administration of radiation and/or deferoxamine imparts a significant decrease in triple-negative breast cancer cell proliferation, without significantly impeding growth of female fibroblast control cells in-vitro. Mechanistically, deferoxamine administration decreases intracellular iron concentration leading to decreased cell proliferation and increased cell death via apoptosis. Taken together, these findings suggest deferoxamine may be safely utilized to facilitate improved reconstructive outcomes among triple-negative breast cancer survivors and warrant future investigations to quantify in-vivoeffects.

First international TNBC conference meeting report.

Recently, Georgia State University's Centennial Hall was the premier location for the 2017 International Conference on Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC): Illuminating Actionable Biology, which was held from Sept. 18 to 20, 2017, in Atlanta, USA. The conference featured a stellar line-up of domestic and international speakers and diverse participants including TNBC survivors, luminaries in breast cancer research, medical students and fellows, clinicians, translational researchers, epidemiologists, biostatisticians, bioinformaticians, and representatives from the industry. This report distills the burning questions that spiked the event and summarizes key themes, findings, unique opportunities and future directions that emerged from this confluence of thought leaders.

New Insights into the Role of Exercise in Inhibiting mTOR Signaling in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) does not express estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 and is characterized by its aggressive nature, lack of targets for targeted therapies, and early peak of recurrence. Due to these specific characteristics, chemotherapy does not usually yield substantial improvements and new target therapies and alternative strategies are needed. The beneficial responses of TNBC survivors to regular exercise, including a reduction in the rate of tumor growth, are becoming increasingly apparent. Physiological adaptations to exercise occur in skeletal muscle but have an impact on the entire body through systemic control of energy homeostasis and metabolism, which in turn influence the TNBC tumor microenvironment. Gaining insights into the causal mechanisms of the therapeutic cancer control properties of regular exercise is important to improve the prescription and implementation of exercise and training in TNBC survivors. Here, we provide new evidence of the effects of exercise on TNBC prevention, control, and outcomes, based on the inhibition of the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (PKB also known as Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) (PI3K-Akt-mTOR) signaling. These findings have wide-ranging clinical implications for cancer treatment, including recurrence and case management.

Long-term survival outcomes of triple-receptor negative breast cancer survivors who are disease free at 5 years and relationship with low hormone receptor positivity

Background:We counsel our triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients that the risk of recurrence is highest in the first 5 years after diagnosis. However, there are limited data with extended follow-up on the frequency, characteristics, and predictors of late events.Methods:We queried the MD Anderson Breast Cancer Management System database to identify patients with stage I–III TNBC who were disease free at 5 years from diagnosis. The Kaplan–Meier method was used to estimate yearly recurrence-free interval (RFI), recurrence-free survival (RFS), and distant relapse-free survival (DRFS), as defined by the STEEP criteria. Cox proportional hazards model was used to compute hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).Results:We identified 873 patients who were disease free at least 5 years from diagnosis with median follow-up of 8.3 years. The 10-year RFI was 97%, RFS 91%, and DRFS 92%; the 15-year RFI was 95%, RFS 83%, and DRFS 84%. On a subset of patients with oestrogen receptor and progesterone receptor percentage recorded, low hormone receptor positivity conferred higher risk of late events on multivariable analysis for RFS only (RFI: HR=1.98, 95% CI=0.70–5.62, P-value=0.200; RFS: HR=1.94, 95% CI=1.05–3.56, P-value=0.034; DRFS: HR=1.72, 95% CI=0.92–3.24, P-value=0.091).Conclusions:The TNBC survivors who have been disease free for 5 years have a low probability of experiencing recurrence over the subsequent 10 years. Patients with low hormone receptor-positive cancers may have a higher risk of late events as measured by RFS but not by RFI or DRFS.

108P COMT, APOE, and BDNF gene polymorphisms modulate chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment in breast cancer survivors

Background TheaimofthisstudywastoinvestigatewhetherCOMT,APOEand BDNF gene polymorphisms modulate chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment (CICI) in breast cancer survivors. Methods Eighty triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) and 165 non-triple negative breastcancer (NTNBC) matched forage and education wererespectivelyadministered withabatteryofneuropsychologicaltestsincludingmemoryquestionnairesbeforeand after chemotherapy. Six single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within COMT (rs165599,rs4680,rs737865),APOE(rs429358,rs7412)andBDNF(rs6265)genewere evaluated. Results:Comparedwiththememoryscoresofbreastcancerpatientsbefore chemotherapy,thescoreofbreastcancerpatientsafterchemotherapywaspoorer, exhibitedsignificantdifference(t=-5.317,z = -3.372, respectively,p<0.01). Further, comparedwithNTNBCpatients,memoryscoresofTNBCwerepoorer,exhibited statisticalsignificancedifferenceafterchemotherapy(t=-5.997, z=-5.284, respectively, p<0.01).GenotypeoftheCOMTrs165599hadsignificantlyloweroddsofdeveloping cognitive decline than the patients with the G/G genotype. Neither APOE (rs429358, rs7412)orBDNF(rs6265)hadnostatisticallysignificantdifferencesbetweenthetwo groups. Further, linearregression revealedthatthedominantmodelofCOMT rs165599 (beta=-1.441,95%CI=-2.781~-0.101) wasfoundto be significantly associated with retrospective memory (RM) questionnaires. Conclusions The results suggests CICI in TNBC survivors were poorer than NTNBC after chemotherapy, and the COMT rs165599 polymorphism may be a potential genetic markerfor increased vulnerabilityto chemotherapy-induced memoryimpairmentin TNBC survivors. Legal entity responsible for the study N/A Funding National Natural Science Foundation ofChina Disclosure All authors have declared no conflicts ofinterest.

Recurrence and survival outcomes of triple-negative breast cancer survivors disease-free at 5-years and relationship to low hormone receptor positivity (1-9% versus &lt;1%).

1077Background: We counsel our triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients that recurrence is highest in the first 5 years after diagnosis. There is limited data with extended follow-up on frequency, characteristics, and predictors of late events. Methods: The MD Anderson database was retrospectively queried for stage I-III TNBC survivors disease-free at 5 years. TNBC was defined as estrogen (ER) and progesterone (PR) receptors < 10% and HER-2/neu negative per previous guidelines. We collected demographic, tumor, treatment, and outcome data. Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate yearly recurrence free survival (RFS), overall survival (OS), and recurrence free interval (RFI) as defined by STEEP criteria. RFI is time to recurrence without including death as an event. Cox proportional hazards model was used to assess effect of low hormone receptor positivity on outcomes. Results: 881 patients were disease free at 5 years from diagnosis with median follow-up of 8.2 years. Table 1 quantifies cumulative pr...

Exercise and dietary advice intervention for survivors of triple-negative breast cancer: effects on body fat, physical function, quality of life, and adipokine profile.

Regular exercise and healthy eating are routinely recommended for breast cancer survivors, and past studies show benefits in quality of life and decreased inflammation. However, this has not been tested specifically in triple-negative breast cancer survivors. Increasing physical activity and losing body fat are thought to positively affect inflammatory biomarkers that have been associated with breast cancer. Therefore, the primary purpose of this study was to determine if participation in an exercise and dietary counseling program can improve body fat, physical function, and quality of life in survivors of this aggressive breast cancer. Secondarily, we sought to determine if participation in the program had beneficial effects on obesity-related markers of the adipokine profile. Sixty-six survivors of triple-negative breast cancer with BMI >25 were invited to participate. Twenty-eight enrolled and 23 completed the randomized, controlled trial (13 intervention, 10 control). Moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (150 min per week, for 12 weeks) and diet counseling were compared to usual care, education only. The primary outcome of interest was weight loss (body mass, BMI, % fat), and secondary outcomes included physical function (exercise capacity), quality of life (Function After Cancer Therapy-Breast (FACT-B)), cytokines (C-reactive protein (CRP), TNF-α, IL-6), and adipokine profile (leptin, adiponectin, insulin). Participants in the program lost more body fat (2.4 % loss vs. 0.4 % gain, p < 0.05) than the control group. The intervention group also improved quality of life (FACT-B total score +14 pts) and decreased sedentary time but did not improve peak exercise capacity. The intervention had no effect on serum cytokines and adipokines after 12 weeks in the program. However, serum leptin and adiponectin and their ratio were significantly correlated with BMI in the intervention group (p < 0.05). Exercise and dietary counseling led to loss of body fat and improved quality of life in survivors of triple-negative breast cancer. BMI was associated with favorable changes in leptin and adiponectin which may reflect a change in adiposity with intervention. Exercise and healthy eating may be equally effective in this high-risk population as in other breast cancer survivors and should be encouraged as a part of a cancer survivorship program.

Abstract A46: Exploration of women's experiences with triple-negative breast cancer.

Abstract Background/Significance: Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a breast cancer sub-type that disproportionally affects African American and premenopausal women. TNBC lacks receptors for estrogen, progesterone, and human epidermal growth factor, thus limiting treatment options. Despite the lack of standard guidelines, women diagnosed with TNBC typically receive surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiation. There is a high recurrence rate and poor prognosis associated with a TNBC diagnosis. There are no known studies which describe the psychosocial concerns of women with TNBC and how they cope with the diagnosis and treatment. Purpose: The aim of the study is to understand the experiences of women diagnosed with TNBC to establish a foundation for interventions to improve health outcomes. Methods: A qualitative research approach using an interpretive descriptive method was selected to describe the experience of women with TNBC. A purposive sampling strategy will be used to identify the target population. Participants are being recruited through local breast cancer support groups, a metropolitan hospital cancer center, and community oncology practices. Qualitative data will be collected using semi-structured interviews. Data will be analyzed through an iterative process of repeated immersion and a constant comparative method. Verbatim transcriptions of tape recorded interviews will be reviewed with the use of a data management program, ATLAS.ti. Common themes and individual meaning will be extracted. Data collection will continue until theoretical saturation, which is generally achieved with 20-30 participants. Additional data sources include field notes, memos, and observations which will contribute to the interpretation of the data. To date, eight participants have been recruited and interviewed. There are one Asian, two African American, and five Non-Hispanic white women between the ages of 44 and 68 years old with three women holding high school diplomas and five graduate degrees as the highest level of education achieved. Findings: The average interview was 75 minutes. Preliminary findings indicate that women have different levels of understanding of TNBC and its treatment. Some appear well informed of the prognostic implications and limitations of therapeutic options, while others are less knowledgeable. The amount of understanding affects adherence to follow up recommendations. Some women reported coping by distracting themselves, some dwelt on their fears, others integrated their experiences into their lives. How women cope with fears, feelings of uncertainty and their needs in managing as TNBC survivors will continue to be explored with additional participants. Conclusions: This study will offer insight into women with TNBC and identify if their needs and coping are unique compared to women with other types of breast cancer. The findings will provide guidance for clinicians and direct future research. Citation Format: Yasemin Turkman, M. Tish Knobf, Holly Powell Kennedy, Lyndsay N. Harris. Exploration of women's experiences with triple-negative breast cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Fifth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2012 Oct 27-30; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2012;21(10 Suppl):Abstract nr A46.