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New Hope for Treating Aggressive Triple Negative Breast Cancer

By Kristina Mastrocola In Woman's World

Updated May 8, 2026 9:34 PM

Pink October Breast Cancer Awareness month, woman hand hold pink Ribbon and wear shirt for support people life and illness. National cancer survivors month, Mother and World cancer day concept Dolores Giraldez Alonso D. Giraldez Alonso

Cancer is always scary, but few diagnoses carry as much weight as triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). Accounting for 10 to 15 percent of all types of breast cancer cases, this form is notoriously aggressive. The good news is that it’s often curable if caught early, and the latest advances are giving hope to millions of women in later stages of the disease. Keep reading as a top oncologist details the most exciting new treatment options as well as breakthroughs that are making her optimistic for the future.

What is triple negative breast cancer?

TNBC is defined by what it is not rather than by what it is, says Sara A. Hurvitz, MD, FACP, a leading oncologist and director of the Clinical Research Division at Fred Hutch Cancer Center in Seattle. “The majority of breast cancers express proteins called hormone receptors—estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR),” she explains. “Up to three-quarters of breast cancers use these receptors to grow when hormones like estrogen are present. Because of that, we can often treat these cancers with medicines that block hormones or stop them from reaching the cancer cells.”

“Triple negative breast cancer is different. These cancer cells don’t have ER or PR, and they also don’t have extra amounts of another protein called HER2. This protein is found on many normal cells in the body, but in about 15 percent of breast cancers, there’s too much of it, which drives the cancer to grow. When HER2 is present at high levels, we can use treatments that target it.”

In other words, because TNBC lacks these three key markers—estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors and HER2 overexpression—there are fewer targets for therapies to home in on, making it harder to treat.

Unfortunately, this is an aggressive form of breast cancer that tends to grow quickly, says Dr. Hurvitz. “We also think there are different subtypes within TNBC, but haven’t been able to fully subclassify it yet. Our hope is that a better understanding of what is driving various types of TNBC will lead to new targeted therapies.”

3 groups more susceptible to triple negative breast cancer

While this invasive breast cancer can affect anyone, there are a few groups that tend to be at higher risk, says Dr. Hurvitz:

Younger women (typically under 40)

TNBC affects younger women, but the cancer may go undetected on routine imaging because younger women have denser breast tissue, she explains. “Mammograms may be less effective at picking up cancer in dense breast tissue, which is why I advise women to be aware of any changes in their breasts and to let their doctor know if they have a family history of any kind of cancer, not just breast cancer.”

If a woman has a family history of ovarian cancer, melanoma, pancreatic cancer or prostate cancer, for example, those could all indicate a genetic factor that could increase their risk of breast cancer, she adds. “Knowing one’s family history is really helpful in determining how early a person should start screening for breast cancer and other cancers.”

Black women

“Although Black women have a lower risk of developing breast cancer than white women, they have a higher risk of developing triple negative breast cancer,” she says. In fact, Black women are diagnosed with TNBC at about twice the rate as white women.

Women with a genetic predisposition

Mutations in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene occur in about 10 to 15 percent of all breast cancers,Dr. Hurvitz explains. “People who carry a BRCA1 mutation have a higher chance of developing TNBC. So there may be a genetic component, but most people with TNBC do not have this mutation.”

Triple negative breast cancer treatment options

As you know, the best defense against any cancer is early detection, and that’s especially true for TNBC because it tends to be aggressive. The good news is it can be cured if caught early, assures Dr. Hurvitz. “That’s why knowing one’s family history and following the breast cancer screening guidelines is important.” Here, she shares a few of the leading treatments—including the newest options that are increasing the survival rate for triple negative breast cancer.

Chemotherapy

The traditional treatment for triple negative breast cancer is chemotherapy, which works by killing cells as they divide. “It’s a relatively non-specific therapy, but it is often effective against aggressive cancers that divide quickly like TNBC,” Dr. Hurvitz explains.

Immunotherapy

“In the past five years or so, we’ve begun using immunotherapy to ramp up the immune system to recognize and attack breast cancer,” she says. “It’s been a major advance, improving survival in both advanced disease and in early-stage, potentially curable cases.”

Antibody-drug conjugates

“More recently, a class of drugs called antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), has been developed. These treatments pair an antibody that targets a specific protein on cancer cells with a chemotherapy drug. The antibody helps deliver the chemotherapy directly to the cell,” says Dr. Hurvitz. It’s currently approved for patients with late-stage disease. It’s not yet approved for early-stage breast cancer, but it’s being studied.”

She notes that emerging research highlights the powerful one-two punch of immunotherapy combined with ADCs—often described as a “Trojan horse” approach.

“The immunotherapy is paired with an ADC called sacituzumab govitecan, which targets a protein called c found at higher levels on cancer cells than on normal cells,” explains Dr. Hurvitz. “The antibody homes in on Trop-2 and delivers chemotherapy directly to the tumor, releasing the drug where it’s needed. At the same time, the immunotherapy activates nearby immune cells, helping them recognize the cancer as foreign and attack it.”

The bottom line on treating triple negative breast cancer

“I expect that, over time, these therapies will translate into longer survival and perhaps even more cures,” says Dr. Hurvitz. “We know in many cases immunotherapy and antibody-drug conjugates don’t just help control the disease, but also extend how long patients live.”

“Looking ahead five to 10 years, we may even see patients with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer living meaningfully longer. With additional immune-based and ADC strategies on the horizon—designed to target tumors more precisely and with less toxicity—there is real reason for optimism.”

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This content is not a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis. Always consult your physician before pursuing any treatment plan.

This story was originally published May 8, 2026 at 9:00 PM.