Stage 3: 247 Real Stories
247 stories match stage 3. 209 of them mention chemotherapy.
Stage III Colorectal Cancer: Edie’s Survivor Story
Edie had noticed severe constipation for 1-2 years before her diagnosis. Because she had no family history or major risk factors, screening began when she turned 50. A positive Cologuard test led to a colonoscopy, where doctors found a mass near the border of…
Read this storyStage III Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Kelly’s Survivor Story
Kelly was 33 when she folded her arms and felt a golf ball-sized lump near her left armpit. She had no family history of breast cancer and did not test positive for an inherited gene mutation, but imaging and biopsy confirmed triple-negative breast cancer…
Read this storyStage III Colorectal Cancer: Denelle’s Survivor Story
Denelle was diagnosed with Stage IIIB rectal cancer in April 2024 after months of bowel changes. In fall 2023, she noticed irregular bowel movements, frequent bleeding, and a feeling that she could not fully evacuate. She initially thought the symptoms might…
Read this storyStage III Small Cell Lung Cancer: Brian’s Patient Story
Brian was recently diagnosed with Stage III small cell lung cancer after an accident that first seemed unrelated to cancer. He fell at work while dragging something heavy, breaking his hand and injuring his shoulder and face. Because of pain near his shoulder…
Read this storyStage III Colorectal Cancer: Denelle’s Patient Story
Denelle Chapman was diagnosed with Stage IIIB rectal cancer in April 2024 after symptoms she first thought might be hemorrhoids. She had irregular bowel movements, frequent bleeding, and the feeling that she could not fully empty her bowel. A colonoscopy…
Read this storyStage III Colorectal Cancer: Skylee’s Survivor Story
Skylee Tinker was diagnosed with Stage III colon cancer at age 49 without preceding symptoms. Her daughter, Laken Dilday, was 4 months pregnant at the time. The family initially expected that surgery to remove part of Skylee’s colon would be the only…
Read this storyStage III Colorectal Cancer: Wendy’s Survivor Story
Wendy Harpp was 55 when a routine colonoscopy found Stage III rectal cancer in late 2019. Her first screening colonoscopy at age 50 had shown no polyps or other problems, and she had no symptoms before the follow-up examination 5 years later. During 2020…
Read this storyStage III Colorectal Cancer Survivor Story
Antonio Dionizio’s father was 63 when he was diagnosed with Stage III colorectal cancer in 2003. He had immigrated to the United States in the 1970s and worked in construction to support his family. Antonio remembered him as exceptionally strong, and cancer…
Read this storyStage III Colorectal Cancer: Scott’s Survivor Story
Scott was diagnosed with Stage III rectal cancer in July 2020, during the height of the pandemic. The cancer was found after a routine physical showed blood in his stool. A colonoscopy the next month revealed a tumor in his rectum, even though he had not…
Read this storyStage III Colorectal Cancer: Scott’s Survivor Story
Scott had no noticeable bowel symptoms when a routine annual physical found blood in his stool. A colonoscopy then identified a rectal tumor and led to a stage 3 rectal cancer diagnosis. He had previously survived testicular cancer in 1988, but this second…
Read this storyStage III BRCA1 Ovarian Cancer: Carla’s Survivor Story
This patient was diagnosed with Stage III high-grade serous ovarian cancer in July 2023 after months of bloating, unexplained weight loss and increasing abdominal pressure. CT scans performed during an emergency-room visit showed two very large ovarian…
Read this storyStage III Colorectal Cancer: Jose’s Survivor Story
Jose Santos lived with severe ulcerative colitis for 16 years before his Stage III colorectal cancer diagnosis in 2022. The autoimmune disease had caused abdominal pain, bleeding, urgency, weakness, and a major loss of quality of life since his 20s. When…
Read this storyStage III Lung Cancer: Heidi’s Survivor Story
Heidi was diagnosed with Stage IIIA lung cancer in October 2018. She was a lifelong health educator and fitness trainer with no symptoms that made her think of lung cancer. Imaging for an ovarian cyst unexpectedly found a mass in the upper lobe of her left…
Read this storyStage III Ovarian Cancer: Rachel’s Patient Story
Rachel was 31 when a year of infertility led to the discovery of ovarian cancer. She had experienced bloating, increasingly painful and heavy periods, night sweats, and difficulty conceiving, but routine pelvic exams and bloodwork had previously appeared…
Read this storyStage III Colorectal Cancer: Jazz’s Patient Story
Jazz, a Texas resident, began having frequent bowel movements, discomfort, and rectal bleeding during a vacation in Hawaii. He first thought the symptoms were hemorrhoids and delayed getting checked, but his girlfriend noticed his weight loss and pushed him…
Read this storyStage III Colorectal Cancer: Jazz’s Patient Story
Jazz Page was diagnosed with Stage III, borderline Stage IV rectal cancer after months of symptoms that he first tried to explain away. During a vacation, he felt the urge to use the bathroom 8 to 10 times a day and never felt fully emptied. He assumed it…
Read this storyStage III Colorectal Cancer: Paul’s Patient Story
Paul Klug was diagnosed with Stage III rectal cancer after more than a year of bowel changes. He first noticed frequent bowel movements and loose stools that did not improve. His family doctor and gastroenterologist initially monitored the symptoms…
Read this storyStage III Colorectal Cancer: Paul’s Patient Story
Paul was diagnosed with Stage III rectal cancer in early 2024 after more than 1 year of bowel changes. He had frequent bowel movements and loose stools, but during a routine physical in late 2023, the symptoms were first thought to be inflammation or…
Read this storyStage III Colorectal Cancer: Jessenia’s Patient Story
Jessenia was diagnosed with Stage III rectal cancer at age 35 after years of symptoms she had linked to hemorrhoids after pregnancy. She had constipation, bloating, rectal bleeding, and severe pressure that eventually became so painful she could not sit. In…
Read this storyStage III Colorectal Cancer: Alicia’s Patient Story
Alicia Blakey was being evaluated for a large fibroid when CT imaging unexpectedly showed a colon polyp. A follow-up colonoscopy found a tumor that could not be removed during the procedure. The next day, Alicia underwent laparoscopic surgery to remove part…
Read this storyStage III Colorectal Cancer: Stephanie’s Survivor Story
Stephanie was 32 when an emergency CT scan found a mass after about 2 years of stomach pain, bloating, fatigue and low iron. Her symptoms had repeatedly been attributed to diet, birth control or her age. By the time she reached hospital, the tumor was…
Read this storyStage III Lung Adenocarcinoma: Payton’s Survivor Story
Payton Gibbs was 26 and pregnant when symptoms that seemed like reflux, sleep apnea, or infection eventually led to a lung cancer diagnosis. For months, she had thick mucus and phlegm after meals and on waking, acid reflux, wheezing, and episodes of waking up…
Read this storyStage III HR-Positive Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: Liz’s Patient Story
Dr. Liz O'Riordan, a breast surgeon, was diagnosed at 40 in 2015 with Stage III mixed ductal and lobular breast cancer. Her cancer was not seen on mammogram; it was found on ultrasound and MRI. She received chemotherapy first, and her final MRI appeared…
Read this storyStage III Colorectal Cancer: Andrea’s Survivor Story
Andrea was 32 when Stage III colorectal cancer was diagnosed, after symptoms that began while she was about 7 months pregnant. She first noticed bloody stool, lower back pain, and pressure in June 2021. During childbirth she had severe rectal pain, and…
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