Vanessa, a travel nurse from Memphis, Tennessee, had her life meticulously planned—building her career, saving for a home, and looking forward to a future she had worked hard to create. That trajectory was abruptly halted when she was diagnosed with stage 3 triple-negative breast cancer, the most aggressive subtype. The diagnosis forced her to put everything on hold and focus solely on treatment. Even as a nurse, she found herself in unfamiliar territory. “I’ve taken care of patients my whole life,” she says, “but I didn’t really know what breast cancer truly entailed.”
Treatment began quickly, but months later, the devastating news came: the cancer had spread, and Vanessa was now facing metastatic triple-negative breast cancer. “When I found out I had metastatic breast cancer, it was just an awful feeling to know you have to go through treatment again,” she recalls. Triple-negative breast cancer tends to grow and spread more rapidly than other types. For about half of women with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer, their first treatment might be their only chance to keep the cancer from growing, making the initial choice critical. This subtype also occurs more often in younger women and appears at higher rates in Black and Hispanic women, underscoring the need for education and access to the latest options in these communities.
Historically, treatment options for metastatic triple-negative breast cancer were limited to chemotherapy, which impacts cancer cells more than normal cells. However, a newer class of medicine called antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) is changing the landscape. ADCs are designed to find specific markers and deliver medicines directly to cancer cells, potentially offering a more targeted approach. Until recently, ADCs were used later in treatment, after other options had been tried. Now, patients may receive an ADC as their first treatment after a metastatic diagnosis. Innovations like ADCs have already made a difference for many, helping to keep cancer from growing and allowing patients like Vanessa to plan ahead—whether for a girls’ trip or time with family.
However, not all ADCs are the same; safety and efficacy can vary. While not every patient will be eligible, understanding when they may be considered and how treatment can impact daily life can help patients feel more informed when discussing options with their care team. Vanessa’s medical oncologist, Dr. Gregory Vidal, MD, PhD, Director of Clinical Research at West Cancer Center and Associate Professor at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, emphasizes, “When selecting treatment, it’s important to consider patients’ goals, wishes and needs so that we can try to realistically plan around those. All patients are different and may qualify for different ADCs.” He encourages patients to have open conversations with their care team and ask questions about treatment goals at their stage of care.
Every person’s experience is different, but many living with metastatic breast cancer remain on treatment for life, aiming to manage the disease and slow progression while maintaining quality of life. Despite the physical and emotional challenges, Vanessa kept going, leaning on close friends and family to maintain “faith over fear” by focusing on positives and planning outings around her treatments. She encourages others to stay positive, ask questions, and advocate for themselves during treatment conversations. “You definitely have a fight in front of you, but you can get through this,” she says. “You have to do your research and get answers.” To see how Vanessa and others navigate ADC treatment for metastatic triple-negative breast cancer, visit Expose-MBC.com/ADC.
