Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer: 738 Real Stories

738 stories match breast cancer and chemotherapy. 653 of them mention surgery.

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

Isolated adrenal metastasis from breast cancer: adrenalectomy and exemestane plus palbociclib

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

Biomarkers: ER-positive; PR-positive; HER2-negative; GATA3-positive; CK7-positive; mammaglobin-positive; GCDFP-15 rare staining

Metastatic Site: right adrenal gland

After laparoscopic right adrenalectomy for isolated metastatic breast carcinoma, follow-up CT abdomen/pelvis and PET-CT showed no metastatic disease elsewhere; surveillance while on exemestane and palbociclib showed no recurrence so far.

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

Stage III Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Lynn's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Lynn Leiro, Female, Under 40 | Stage III

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

Lynn achieved complete response after breast cancer treatment and remission from therapy-related acute lymphocytic leukemia after CAR T cell therapy and bone marrow transplant; as of July 2025, nearly 1 year post-transplant, she was doing better and getting stronger.

City of Hope
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage III Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage IIIB triple-negative breast cancer: complete response after LVAD-supported neoadjuvant immunotherapy

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

Biomarkers: ER-negative; PR-negative; HER2-negative; Ki-67 95%; nuclear grade 3, triple negative

As of July 2025, breast cancer remained in remission 2.5 years after mastectomy, after neoadjuvant paclitaxel/carboplatin/pembrolizumab, surgery, radiation, and 1 year of adjuvant pembrolizumab.

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

Stage 4 triple-negative breast cancer: NED after adrenalectomy

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

Biomarkers: ER-negative; PR-negative; HER2-negative; CA 15-3 elevated at recurrence; normalized post-surgery

Metastatic Site: adrenal gland

After adrenalectomy, serum CA15-3 and metanephrine/normetanephrine levels normalized, and the preoperative workup had found no other metastatic disease.

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

HER2-low lobular breast cancer with bone marrow involvement responding to T-DXd

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Initial surgical specimen: ER-positive; PR-negative; HER2-negative. Bone marrow relapse: breast cancer infiltration with low HER2 staining.

Metastatic Site: bone marrow

Two years after starting T-DXd, this patient remained free of bone marrow disease and continued the same treatment regimen.

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

HER2-low lobular breast cancer with bone marrow involvement treated with T-DXd

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Initial surgical specimen: ER-positive; PR-negative; HER2-negative. Bone marrow relapse: breast cancer infiltration with low HER2 staining.

Metastatic Site: bone marrow

Two years after starting T-DXd, this patient remained free of bone marrow disease and continued the same treatment regimen.

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

Breast cancer survivorship: radiation-related esophageal stricture and H. heilmannii gastritis treated after therapy

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 70+

Biomarkers: Breast tumor biomarkers not reported; initial gastric biopsies H. pylori-negative; repeat gastric biopsies showed H. heilmannii organisms

After completing breast cancer surgery and chemoradiotherapy, post-treatment dysphagia and gastritis resolved with esophageal dilation, proton pump inhibitor therapy, and bismuth-based quadruple therapy for H. heilmannii.

PubMed Central
OutcomeSurvivorship / Completed Treatment
Courtney, who was diagnosed with Stage III Invasive Lobular CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Stage III HR-Positive Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: Courtney's Patient Story

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

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

As of June 2025, Courtney was recovering from Stage III ER-positive, PR-positive, HER2-negative ILC treatment after double mastectomy, Taxotere/Cytoxan chemotherapy, and 25 rounds of radiation, with reconstructive surgery delayed by radiation skin injury.

Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance
OutcomeCare Ongoing
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

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.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
SM
Breast Cancer

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.

PubMed Central
OutcomeNot reported
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
Tanya, who was diagnosed with Stage III Invasive Lobular CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Stage III HR-Positive Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: Tanya's Patient Story

Patient Info: Tanya, Female, 40s | Stage III

Biomarkers: ER-positive; PR-positive; HER2-negative; grade 1

As of May 2025, Tanya was recovering from chest wall surgery, ALT flap repair, and a later skin graft after developing angiosarcoma in her radiated reconstructed breast years after Stage IIIA ILC treatment.

Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance
OutcomeSetback / Progression
Onjalai, who was diagnosed with Stage II Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Stage II BRCA2 Invasive Ductal Carcinoma: Onjalai's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Onjalai Brown, Female, Under 40 | Stage II

Biomarkers: Patient-specific biomarker/genetic result not reported; family history suggests BRCA2 mutation

After lumpectomy, 20 rounds of chemotherapy and 36 rounds of radiation for Stage II invasive ductal carcinoma with lymph-node involvement, Onjalai had been cancer-free for 3 years as of May 2025.

City of Hope
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Invasive Lobular CarcinomaBreast Cancer

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.

PubMed Central
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
A patient, who was diagnosed with Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Triple-negative sebaceous carcinoma of the breast: no recurrence after multimodality treatment

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, Under 40

Biomarkers: Triple-negative sebaceous breast carcinoma; EMA-positive; Ki-67 50-60%; inherited breast/ovarian cancer testing negative for pathogenic variants.

As of May 2025, after surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy, and radiation, she had 5 years of follow-up with no evidence of neoplastic recurrence.

PubMed Central
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
Kelsey, who was diagnosed with Stage II Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage II HR-Positive Breast Cancer: Kelsey's Patient Story

Patient Info: Kelsey, Female, Under 40 | Stage II

Biomarkers: ER-positive

As of May 2025, Kelsey had completed chemotherapy, double mastectomy with reconstruction, and 16 radiation sessions, and was continuing tamoxifen with Verzenio planned for 2 years plus Lupron ovarian-suppression shots.

The Patient Story
OutcomeCare Ongoing
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

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.

PubMed Central
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
LaShae, who was diagnosed with Stage II Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Stage II HR-Positive Invasive Ductal Carcinoma: LaShae's Patient Story

Patient Info: LaShae, Female, Under 40 | Stage II

Biomarkers: ER-positive; comprehensive genetic panel negative

As of May 2025, LaShae had completed mastectomy for Stage IIB ER-positive breast cancer with 2 positive lymph nodes and was undergoing chemotherapy, with radiation and 5-10 years of hormone therapy planned.

The Patient Story
OutcomeCare Ongoing