What is Triple Negative Breast Cancer? Country music star Samantha McClymont shares news of diagnosis and ongoing treatment

At the age of 38, country music artist and TV host Samantha McClymont received a diagnosis of severe breast cancer.

When she discovered a lump in October 2023, she claimed that doctors misdiagnosed her. However, in February 2024, they discovered the true cause of her illness.

Billboard reported that the 38-year-old singer, Samantha McClymont, posted the alarming news on her social media account on April 25 that read—

“After initially being misdiagnosed, my life completely turned upside down 4 months later when I was diagnosed with Triple Negative Breast Cancer at 38 years old.”

Samantha McClymont continued—

“It has become my full-time job having treatment. It has begun with chemotherapy/ immunotherapy, which in total will be 5 months, followed by surgery and then radiation.”

According to the Centers for Disease and Prevention, triple-negative breast cancer lacks any of the receptors that are typically present in a normal breast cancer.

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Samantha McClymont is suffering from Triple Negative Breast Cancer, which is a rare form of breast cancer

Triple-negative breast cancer, sometimes referred to as basal-like breast cancer is one subtype of breast cancer. Compared to other breast cancers, it grows more quickly, is more likely to spread outside the breast before being diagnosed, and is more likely to recur.

It represents 15% of cases of breast cancer. Triple-negative breast cancer cells differ from other forms of breast cancer as they lack the proteins and receptors necessary for the cancer to proliferate and spread.

Roberto Leon Ferre, M.D., an oncologist at the Mayo Clinic whose work focuses on triple-negative breast cancer, stated that recent developments are helping patients with this illness receive better treatment.

A biopsy, which involves taking a sample of breast tissue for analysis, is the first step in confirming a triple-negative breast cancer diagnosis. In order to ascertain the type of cancer cells, their aggressiveness, and whether or not they have hormone receptors, the care team will send the tissue to a laboratory for investigation.

Patients frequently require a lumpectomy, the removal of the lump, or a mastectomy, the removal of the entire breast, after it is discovered. Chemotherapy is then used to treat any cancer cells that are invisible, those that are still in the breast, or those that may have moved to other areas of the body. In order to minimize the malignancy, doctors may occasionally advise chemotherapy prior to surgery.

After a lumpectomy, radiation therapy is typically administered. To eradicate any cancer cells that may still be present, the breast will now get high-energy radiation treatment.

Typically, it takes 20 minutes a day. For roughly six weeks, the majority of women visit four or five days a week. For this, the patient will need to consult a radiation physician.

It's possible that cancerous cells have spread to other parts of the body. Chemotherapy aims to eradicate the cancer cells from their current location. Chemotherapy reduces the likelihood that the cancer will spread or return.

Although the specific etiology is unknown, researchers have linked this type of cancer to BRCA gene abnormalities.

Triple-negative breast cancer is more common among women age 40 and under, Black or Hispanic individuals, and people with BRCA mutations.

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Samantha McClymont shared a recent update on her health (Image via Instagram / samimcclymont)

Samantha recently gave a candid health report on social media. She wrote—

“The world stopped suddenly, and everything that we thought 2024 would be came crashing to an almighty halt. TNBC is the most aggressive form, with only 10-15% of breast cancers being triple negative.”

Samantha McClymont added that she is receiving treatment at the moment. Her five months of chemotherapy and immunotherapy have already begun. She will next have surgery and radiation.