HER2 Positive: 152 Real Stories

152 stories match HER2 positive. 135 of them mention chemotherapy.

Cancer Stories

A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

HER2-positive breast cancer with brain, skin, and lymph-node metastases responding to dual-targeted therapy

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 50s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: HER2-positive breast cancer. Initial tumor was ER/PR negative with Ki-67 30%; skin metastasis had Ki-67 70%.

Metastatic Site: brain, left cervical lymph nodes, skin of left chest…

After 1 cycle of inetetamab trastuzumab, pyrotinib, and capecitabine, skin metastases regressed, CEA and CA125 decreased, brain lesions shrank, and the largest lesion decreased by about 46%, meeting partial response; disease remained stable as of September 2024.

PubMed Central
OutcomeResponding Well
Elissa, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage IV HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: Elissa's Patient Story

Patient Info: Elissa, Female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Biomarkers: HER2-positive; no hereditary mutation reported

Metastatic Site: lymph nodes, liver, spine

Elissa had Stage IV HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer with an early strong response to systemic therapy, but she described the disease as long-term and not curative. As of July 2025, she had lived with metastatic breast cancer for about 4 years and had received roughly 5 lines of treatment.

The Patient Story
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Colorectal AdenocarcinomaColorectal Cancer

Stage 4 colorectal cancer: complete response with panitumumab and FOLFOX4

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 60s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: KRAS/NRAS/BRAF wild type; MSS/pMMR; HER2 not overexpressed. CEA and CA19-9 were elevated.

Metastatic Site: periaortic and pelvic lymph nodes; left ovary/adnexa

As of November 2024, she was alive and continuing second-line FOLFIRI with stable disease after prior complete remission on panitumumab plus FOLFOX4 and later progression with ovarian metastasis.

PubMed Central
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
Kathleen, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage IV HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: Kathleen's Patient Story

Patient Info: Kathleen McEvoy-Schufreider, female, 60s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: HER2-positive

Metastatic Site: liver, bones

Kathleen continued long-term treatment for metastatic breast cancer, including infusions every 3 weeks after resuming the PATINA regimen outside the trial.

Dana-Farber
OutcomeCare Ongoing
Jennifer, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage IV HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: Jennifer's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Jennifer Masters, Female, 60s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: HER2-positive

Metastatic Site: Chest wall/skin near surgery incision; lymph nodes

As of May 2025, Jennifer had no reported recurrence for several years after Stage IV HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer responded completely to clinical-trial treatment with T-DM1 and neratinib; she continued annual Cleveland Clinic visits and remained active with family and volunteering.

Cleveland Clinic
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Samantha, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Stage IV HR-Positive Invasive Ductal Carcinoma: Samantha's Patient Story

Patient Info: Samantha, Female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ER-positive; PR-positive; HER2-positive

Metastatic Site: Rib; spine; pelvis

After a mixed response on the radium trial, Samantha changed to anastrozole and abemaciclib. She described the newer hormone-targeted combination as easier to tolerate and working better while remaining in ongoing treatment.

The Patient Story
OutcomeLiving With Cancer / Ongoing Therapy
Christine, who was diagnosed with Stage III Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage III HR-Positive Breast Cancer: Christine's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Christine, Female, Under 40 | Stage III

Biomarkers: ER-positive; PR-positive; HER2-positive

Three years after diagnosis, Christine described herself in the survivorship stage and focused on the physical and emotional effects that continued after active treatment.

The Patient Story
OutcomeSurvivorship / Surveillance
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage II Breast CancerBreast Cancer

HER2-amplified primary mucinous cystadenocarcinoma of the breast: surgery and adjuvant treatment

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 60s | Stage II

Biomarkers: HER2-amplified / HER2 3+; ER/PR-negative; Ki-67 ~50%; p53 high; microsatellite stable. No clinically significant inherited mutation reported.

As of November 2024, she had more than 104 months of disease-free survival after breast-conserving surgery, sentinel lymph node biopsy, EC-T chemotherapy, and radiotherapy for Stage IIA HER2-amplified primary mucinous cystadenocarcinoma of the breast.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

HER2-positive breast cancer with brain metastases: responding well to T-DXd

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 50s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ER-positive; PR-positive; HER2-positive / HER2 IHC 3+

Metastatic Site: brain (left cerebellum, left frontal lobe, medulla)

After 14 months and 19 doses of T-DXd, brain metastases remained controlled with no symptomatic or radiological relapse and no severe T-DXd-related adverse events.

PubMed Central
OutcomeResponding Well
Anne, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage IV HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: Anne's Patient Story

Patient Info: Anne Keane, 40s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: HER2-positive

Metastatic Site: bones, liver

Anne had an extraordinary response to first-line treatment for metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer and remained on the same HER2-targeted therapy for 6 years.

Dana-Farber
OutcomeResponding Well
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Metastatic Breast Cancer Returning About 20 Years After Initial Treatment

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ER-positive, PR-negative, HER2-positive

Metastatic Site: bones

About 20 years after her original breast-cancer treatment and sustained remission, bone biopsy confirmed metastatic recurrence; she became too unwell for planned cancer therapy and chose supportive care.

PubMed Central
OutcomeSetback / Progression
Emily, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Stage IV HER2-Positive Colorectal Cancer: Emily's Patient Story

Patient Info: Emily King, Female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Biomarkers: HER2-positive

Metastatic Site: lungs

Emily remained on active treatment for metastatic HER2-positive colon cancer, and her current Boston treatment had shrunk the cancer by 20% with fewer side effects.

The Patient Story
OutcomeResponding Well
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage I Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage I ER-positive/HER2-positive breast cancer with radiation-associated morphea

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 70+ | Stage I

Biomarkers: ER-positive; PR-negative; HER2-positive

No evidence of breast cancer recurrence after 2018 treatment; ongoing issue was generalized morphea and breast deformity related to prior radiation, improved with mycophenolate by April 2024.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

HER2-Positive Breast Cancer With Metastatic Progression and Drug-Induced Lupus During T-DM1

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 50s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ER-positive, PR-negative, HER2-positive

Metastatic Site: bones, axillary lymph nodes, intra-abdominal lymph…

More than 5 years after her March 2018 diagnosis, she was living with metastatic breast cancer, but T-DM1 had been stopped after disease progression in 2023.

PubMed Central
OutcomeSetback / Progression
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage II Breast Squamous Cell CarcinomaBreast Cancer

HER2-positive squamous cell breast cancer in complete remission

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 40s | Stage II

Biomarkers: HER2-positive squamous cell breast cancer, ER/PR negative, PD-L1 negative

Clinical complete remission and survival beyond 4 years after mastectomy, AC-TH chemotherapy, and HER2-directed maintenance therapy for Stage IIA HER2-positive primary squamous cell breast cancer.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Nina, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage IV HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: Nina's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Nina, Female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Biomarkers: HER2-positive; broad hereditary genetic testing negative

Metastatic Site: spine

As of November 2024, Nina described being in a no-evidence-of-disease phase, while continuing treatment because of her Stage IV HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer history.

The Patient Story
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Severe Corneal Injury After Trastuzumab for Metastatic HER2-Positive Breast Cancer

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 50s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ER-positive, PR-positive, HER2-positive

Metastatic Site: lungs, spine, left adrenal gland, calvarium, orbit,…

She was living with widespread metastatic breast cancer when trastuzumab was stopped because of severe eye toxicity.

PubMed Central
OutcomeLiving With Cancer