Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Jes's Survivor Story

What happened, in summary

Jes first noticed something was wrong when she felt a new lump under her breast. She was uninsured at the time, so getting care felt overwhelming, but she started with Planned Parenthood and was connected to California’s Every Woman Counts program for mammogram, ultrasound, and biopsy access. At the clinic, she was told it was cancer but was reassured that it was a best-case type that might only need surgery. When Jes later read the word “invasive” in her chart, she suspected something did not fit. Her surgical oncologist clarified the diagnosis: triple-negative invasive ductal carcinoma, an aggressive form of breast cancer. It was not non-invasive disease, and treatment would not be surgery alone. Jes needed chemotherapy, likely surgery, and possibly radiation and immunotherapy. After her February 1 diagnosis, she had a port placed and started treatment. She completed 8 rounds of chemotherapy, with immunotherapy given during every round. Her regimen included AC chemotherapy, known as the “red devil,” and one hospitalization marked the hardest point of treatment. Jes chose a bilateral mastectomy for peace of mind, even though lumpectomy was an option. After surgery, she learned she had no evidence of disease. She had no positive lymph nodes, chemotherapy had cleared the cancer, and radiation was not needed. As of April 2026, Jes was cancer-free / NED while living with long-term effects from treatment.