HER2-positive breast cancer with metastatic recurrence and complete response to T-DM1

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

Biomarkers: HER2 IHC 3+ and hormone receptor-negative in primary and metastatic breast cancer; no liver metastases seen.

Metastatic Site: major pectoralis muscle, lung, broncho-hilar lymph…

After complete radiologic response on T-DM1, treatment was stopped after 22 months because of porto-sinusoidal vascular disorder. Seven months later, she remained asymptomatic and under surveillance with no signs of recurrent disease.

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Stage IV EGFR Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Jenny's Patient Story

Patient Info: Jenny Apple, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: EGFR exon 20 mutation

Metastatic Site: brain

Jenny Apple had nonsmoking lung adenocarcinoma with an EGFR exon 20 mutation. Her cancer was first found at Stage IIIA / near IIIB and later progressed to Stage IV with brain metastases. She died before the June 2025 story from her husband Kyle.

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Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Jay's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Jay, Male, 40s | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: liver

Jay was diagnosed with Stage IV colon cancer in 2013 with extensive liver metastases. After surgery, systemic chemotherapy, hepatic arterial infusion pump therapy, liver resection, ablations, and prolonged chemotherapy, he became clear by 2016 and later described long-term survivorship.

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Stage IV Breast Cancer: Queen's Patient Story

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

As of June 2025, Queen was living with Stage IV/metastatic breast cancer after multiple surgeries, setbacks, spread, and another tumor, while focusing on faith, self-advocacy, and living each day fully.

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Severe Melioidosis During Chemotherapy for Metastatic Breast Cancer

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

A 58-year-old woman with metastatic breast cancer developed life-threatening melioidosis and severe low blood counts after her sixth chemotherapy cycle, requiring intensive infection treatment.

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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.

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Stage I Pleomorphic Lung Cancer Recurring With Bone Metastasis Within Five Months

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

Biomarkers: PD-L1 high; no detected driver mutation

Metastatic Site: bone

PET-CT in December 2024 showed a partial response. As of February 2025, he remained on sintilimab and bevacizumab maintenance with about 9 months of progression-free survival after recurrence treatment.

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Metastatic rectal cancer: complete response after repeat SBRT to oligoprogressive right lung lesion

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

Metastatic Site: liver; lung

As of June 2025, imaging 20 months after repeat SBRT showed a complete response of the treated right lower lobe lung lesion with no tumor progression.

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Metastatic colorectal cancer treated with chemotherapy, cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC

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

Metastatic Site: peritoneum, liver

She recovered sufficiently to be discharged home after cytoreductive surgery with HIPEC despite postoperative bone-marrow suppression, anastomotic dehiscence and pelvic sepsis.

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Stage IV Lung Adenocarcinoma With KRAS Mutation Responding to Immunotherapy and Anti-Angiogenic Treatment

Patient Info: Anonymized, male | Stage IV

Biomarkers: KRAS mutation; MET amplification

Metastatic Site: pleura

By the December 2023 follow-up, the pleural effusion had disappeared, the primary lung tumor had not progressed, and he was described as symptom-free and in good health on maintenance treatment.

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Metastatic male breast cancer: complete metabolic response after restarting anastrozole, leuprolide, abemaciclib, zoledronic acid, and radiation

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

Biomarkers: ER >95%; PR >95%; HER2/neu-negative; Ki-67 30%; PIK3CA exon 21 pathogenic variant; BRCA1 not mutated; BRCA2 not mutated

Metastatic Site: bone (vertebral bodies T2-T6, L1, and L5)

As of May 2025, after restarting endocrine and targeted therapy and receiving palliative radiation, the last two PET scans showed complete metabolic response without disease progression, and brain MRI showed no metastasis.

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Metastatic colon cancer: soft-tissue and adrenal metastases responding to FOLFIRI plus bevacizumab

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

Biomarkers: KRAS codon 146 mutation; BRAF wild type. CK20 and Ki-67 supported colorectal metastasis; CEA/CA19-9 were elevated.

Metastatic Site: lungs; left arm/biceps soft tissue; right…

As of May 2025, metastatic colon cancer involving soft tissue, muscle, lung history, and right adrenal gland had regressed after 12 months of FOLFIRI plus bevacizumab, and the patient was alive 1 year after chemotherapy completion.

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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.

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Stage IV ALK Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Alisa's Patient Story

Patient Info: Alisa Secaida, Female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ALK-positive / ALK-rearranged

Metastatic Site: Brain; lymph nodes

As of May 2025, after alectinib and lung surgery, pathology still showed active tumor and lymph-node cancer cells, and Alisa was receiving IMRT for remaining disease.

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Small-cell lung cancer: complete response complicated by radiation bronchial injury and adrenal recurrence

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 40s | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: left adrenal gland

As of May 2025, the initial lung and mediastinal disease had achieved complete response, but the patient developed severe radiation-related bronchial injury and later left adrenal metastasis requiring renewed systemic chemotherapy.

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Metastatic ER-positive pleomorphic lobular breast cancer: psoas metastasis and stable disease on eribulin

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

Biomarkers: Primary and chest-wall recurrence were ER/PR positive, HER2 negative. Later psoas metastasis was ER positive, PR/HER2 negative.

Metastatic Site: skin of left chest wall; bone; left psoas muscle;…

As of May 2025, one year after diagnosis of malignant psoas syndrome from breast cancer metastasis, she remained on outpatient treatment with eribulin and had stable disease.

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Stage IV EGFR Lung Cancer: Natasha's Patient Story

Patient Info: Natasha, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: EGFR-positive

Metastatic Site: brain

Natasha had Stage IV EGFR-positive lung cancer with brain metastases. Tagrisso/osimertinib was her main treatment, but a new brain metastasis later appeared and was treated with Gamma Knife. As of May 2025, she was awaiting follow-up MRI while continuing care.

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Metastatic rectal cancer responding well after intensive treatment despite severe chemotherapy complications

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 40s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: KRAS exon 4 mutation, BRAF wild-type, PD-L1 CPS 2

Metastatic Site: liver, lung

After more than 14 months of treatment, the primary rectal tumor and most lung metastases had been resected, liver lesions had largely regressed, and he was described as near NED while continuing maintenance capecitabine plus bevacizumab.

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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.

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Recurrent breast cancer with pleural disease: capecitabine stopped after cardiac complications

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

Metastatic Site: pleura

As of May 2025, she was living with recurrent breast cancer involving the pleura after stopping capecitabine because of major cardiac complications; cardiac symptoms were medically managed with stable NYHA class II dyspnea at 3-month follow-up.

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Breast cancer first discovered after it had already spread to the spinal cord

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

Biomarkers: Estrogen receptor-positive; progesterone receptor-negative; HER2 score 0

Metastatic Site: intramedullary spinal cord (D11-D12); bilateral…

Her paraplegia did not improve after spinal radiation, and she died from disease progression 3 months after the breast-cancer diagnosis.

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Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Esteban's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Esteban Moreno | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Lynch syndrome

After immunotherapy and surgery for Stage IV colorectal cancer, Esteban reported recent scans showing no signs of cancer and described himself as NED.

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Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Crystal's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Crystal, Female | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Bladder involvement

As of May 2025, Crystal was living after major surgery for Stage IV colon cancer involving the bladder, with both colostomy and urostomy bags and an emphasis on mental health, support, and quality of life.

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Metastatic Colorectal Cancer With NRG1 Fusion Controlled for Years With Afatinib

Patient Info: Anonymized, female, 40s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: MATN-NRG1 fusion; no KRAS alteration detected

Afatinib controlled her metastatic colorectal cancer for 136 weeks. After resection of the remaining target lesion in September 2022, she remained alive with no progression as of October 2024.

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