Stage IV Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Eva's Patient Story

Patient Info: Eva Joseph | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Triple-negative

Metastatic Site: lungs, sternum

On ongoing atezolizumab plus nab-paclitaxel, Eva’s lung and sternum tumors became very small and were being kept at bay while she felt well enough to enjoy short trips.

Stage IV Breast Cancer: Kirby's Patient Story

Patient Info: Kirby Lewis, Male | Stage IV

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

Metastatic Site: lung|spine

Kirby was living with metastatic breast cancer, and his most recent scans showed the right-lung tumor was stable with no signs of progression while he continued fulvestrant and palbociclib.

Stage IV BRCA2 Breast Cancer: Lisa's Patient Story

Patient Info: Lisa Quinn, Female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Inherited BRCA2 mutation

Metastatic Site: bone, liver

Lisa Quinn died on August 30, 2021, after sharing her experience with metastatic breast cancer and advocating for cancer research funding.

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

Patient Info: Tomma Hargraves, Female | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: brain

After a later brain and lymph-node relapse was brought under control, Tomma had no further cancer treatment and remained active in survivorship advocacy. She died on September 7, 2023.

Surgery for an isolated splenic metastasis from lung adenocarcinoma

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

Metastatic Site: spleen

Nine months after removal of the isolated splenic metastasis, follow-up showed no local or disseminated recurrence and she remained under regular lung-cancer surveillance.

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Gastric adenocarcinoma with a rare choriocarcinoma component and rapid liver and lung spread

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

Biomarkers: HER2-positive

Metastatic Site: liver, lung

Rapid liver and lung metastatic progression caused bleeding from a liver metastasis. He declined further treatment and died from hemorrhagic shock 18 days after his final discharge.

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More than 10 years living with relapsing extensive-stage small cell lung cancer

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

Biomarkers: Chromogranin-positive.

Metastatic Site: pleura; pancreas; left kidney and perinephric region

After five treatment lines and several metastatic relapses over more than 10 years, his latest irinotecan and carboplatin course produced another partial response and he was doing well at the last follow-up.

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Stage IV Gastric Cancer: Faye's Patient Story

Patient Info: Faye Hood, female, 70+ | Stage IV

After surgery and heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy, Faye recovered, returned to exercise and completed a half-marathon 1 year later.

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Late-onset mania revealed advanced small cell lung cancer

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

Biomarkers: ACTH-producing tumor with ACTH 776 pg/mL and morning cortisol 206.8 micrograms/dL.

Metastatic Site: right lung; liver

He died a few months after diagnosis from aspiration pneumonia and multiorgan failure in the setting of rapidly deteriorating stage IV small cell lung cancer.

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An unusual paratesticular metastasis from colon cancer

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

Biomarkers: CK20-positive; CDX2-positive; CK7-negative.

Metastatic Site: lungs; right paratesticular soft tissue

He recovered well after removal of the paratesticular metastasis and continued treatment for metastatic colon cancer with his oncology team.

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Stage IV Breast Cancer: Dan's Patient Story

Patient Info: Dan DiNardo, Male, 40s | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Left femoral ball/hip; spine; lymph nodes; chest

As of January 2020, Dan was living with metastatic recurrent male breast cancer on ongoing hormone-blocking therapy plus a CDK4/6 inhibitor after surgery and hip radiation; his cancer had shown no growth for 1 year.

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Metastatic ER-positive breast cancer complicated by osteonecrosis of the jaw

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

Biomarkers: ER-positive.

Metastatic Site: bone (sternum, spine, pelvis, and proximal femur)

After progressive metastatic bone disease and severe medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw, she entered end-of-life care and died three weeks after discharge to a nursing home.

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Gastric cancer with an unexpected appendix metastasis

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

Metastatic Site: appendix

PET/CT at 6, 12 and 18 months showed no recurrence, giving at least 18 months with no evidence of disease after treatment.

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Clival skull-base metastasis during treatment for Stage IV gastric cancer

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

Biomarkers: HER2-negative

Metastatic Site: peritoneum, cervical lymph nodes, pelvic bone, lungs,…

At publication he was alive on fourth-line treatment, with no disease progression for 6 months after the clival metastasis was treated and with sustained improvement in his cranial-nerve symptoms.

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Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Lina's Patient Story

Patient Info: Lina | Stage IV

Lina was living with Stage IV colorectal cancer 2–3 years after diagnosis after stopping chemotherapy, radiation, and immunotherapy.

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Stage IV EGFR-mutated lung cancer responding to osimertinib despite new lung opacities

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

Biomarkers: EGFR L858R mutation; EGFR T790M mutation

Metastatic Site: bilateral lungs

Over the following year on osimertinib, imaging showed an excellent tumour response with gradual improvement of the lung opacities and sustained clinical improvement.

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Osimertinib rechallenge after severe pneumonitis in Stage IV lung cancer

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

Biomarkers: EGFR exon 19 deletion; acquired EGFR T790M mutation

Metastatic Site: pleura, liver, bone, leptomeninges

She initially regained a significant response after osimertinib rechallenge without recurrent pneumonitis, but developed progressive leptomeningeal disease after 11 months.

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Ovarian cancer that later spread to an axillary lymph node

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

Metastatic Site: axillary lymph nodes

After later peritoneal progression, additional treatment brought the disease to a stable state through her last recorded visit in July 2019.

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Ovarian cancer presenting with axillary lymph-node spread

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

Metastatic Site: axillary lymph nodes

A 39-year-old woman with high-grade serous ovarian cancer had confirmed spread to an axillary lymph node at diagnosis and underwent extensive cytoreductive surgery.

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Stage IV ovarian cancer with axillary lymph-node spread

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

Metastatic Site: axillary lymph nodes

A 58-year-old woman with ovarian serous carcinoma and axillary lymph-node spread received chemotherapy, cytoreductive surgery, and postoperative chemotherapy.

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Erlotinib-related uveitis during treatment for stage IV EGFR-mutated lung cancer

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

Biomarkers: EGFR L858R mutation-positive.

A partial response to erlotinib was maintained at six months, while the uveitis resolved and did not recur after treatment resumed at a lower dose.

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A uterine mass revealed a rare metastasis from lung adenocarcinoma

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

Biomarkers: CK7-positive; TTF-1-positive; CK20-negative; PAX8-negative; GATA3-negative.

Metastatic Site: uterus within a leiomyoma

Twelve months after removal of the uterine metastasis, she remained well with normal surveillance imaging and no concern for recurrent disease.

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Nivolumab-related adrenal failure during treatment for metastatic lung cancer

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

Metastatic Site: brain (left cerebellum)

Her confusion, gastrointestinal symptoms, and hyponatremia improved after glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid replacement, and she was discharged on ongoing hormone replacement.

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Stage IV Breast Cancer: Natalia's Patient Story

Patient Info: Natalia Padron, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: No hereditary breast-cancer mutation identified

Metastatic Site: pelvic organs; ovaries

As of November 2019, Natalia was living about 5 years after a terminal metastatic breast cancer diagnosis, using daily treatment/medications to help control the cancer and advocating for the metastatic breast cancer community.

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