Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Juliette's Survivor Story

What happened, in summary

Juliette Landgrave was 38, healthy and years away from routine mammography when she felt a breast lump in the shower. Imaging found two tumors: the one she could feel and another deeper tumor seen only on MRI. She was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer, an aggressive breast cancer subtype that does not respond to hormone therapy or HER2-targeted therapy. Before starting treatment, Juliette addressed fertility because she still hoped to become a mother. Egg preservation took about 2 months, and during that time one tumor grew from the size of a bean to the size of an orange. She then completed 16 rounds of chemotherapy and had a complete response. Surgery became a major decision point. At her first hospital, she felt pushed toward mastectomy even though she wanted to keep her breasts. When that surgery was delayed by 3 weeks, Juliette used the opening to seek care at City of Hope. Her City of Hope surgeon supported lumpectomy with radiation because chemotherapy had worked so well. Juliette had a successful lumpectomy, followed by 25 sessions of radiation therapy and 1 year of immunotherapy infusions. As of December 2024, after nearly 2 years of treatment, she was cancer-free, sharing her story to raise awareness about triple-negative breast cancer and self-advocacy.