TNBC (BRCA1+) — chemo first vs surgery first? Feeling stuck

Hi everyone, I could really use some perspective from people who’ve been in a similar situation.

I was diagnosed with TNBC about 3 weeks ago and I’m BRCA1 positive. Imaging shows a small tumor in my left breast (MRI ~1.1 cm, ultrasound slightly smaller). There was one lymph node that looked suspicious initially, but FNA came back clear.

I’ve gotten two different treatment recommendations and I’m feeling pretty confused:

• One doctor recommends starting with chemo first — weekly Taxol + Carboplatin for 12 weeks, then surgery.

• The other recommends surgery first, then deciding on chemo based on final pathology. If everything is truly small and node-negative, then chemo would be docetaxel + carboplatin (6 cycles, every 3 weeks). If lymph nodes are involved, then it would escalate to ACT.

I understand both approaches have reasoning behind them, but it’s hard when they’re so different. I’m trying to make the best decision and feel a bit stuck.

Has anyone here had a similar diagnosis (small TNBC, BRCA1+) and had to choose between neoadjuvant chemo vs surgery first? What helped you decide, and how did things turn out?

Really appreciate any experiences or insights — thank you so much 🤍