Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer: 738 Real Stories

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

Cancer Stories

Lourdes, who was diagnosed with Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Breast Cancer: Lourdes's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Lourdes del Río, Female

Biomarkers: Oncotype test performed; score/result not reported

As of May 2025, Lourdes described herself as cancer-free and 100% healthy, with a mammogram and ultrasound from the previous day coming out perfect.

YouTube (ES search)
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage I Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Breast Cancer in a Woman Carrying Both BRCA1 and BRCA2 Mutations

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage I

Biomarkers: ER-positive, PR-positive, HER2-negative, BRCA1 pathogenic variant, BRCA2 pathogenic variant

Remained free of recurrence 17 months after treatment.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
MT
Breast Cancer

Metaplastic triple-negative breast cancer: near-complete response to taxane/carboplatin before surgery

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, Under 40 | Stage Metastatic/Advanced

Biomarkers: ER-negative; PR-negative; HER2-negative; CA 15-3 elevated, triple negative

As of April 2025, imaging after taxane/carboplatin showed a near-complete morpho-metabolic response in the right breast and major reduction of axillary nodal disease, followed by surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy/radiotherapy.

PubMed Central
OutcomeResponding Well
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 Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Lung inflammation from pembrolizumab immunotherapy returned months after stopping treatment

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 70+

Biomarkers: Estrogen receptor-negative; progesterone receptor-negative; HER2-negative

Surgery confirmed a pathologic complete response, and she remained in breast-cancer remission during routine follow-up after treatment for recurrent pembrolizumab-related pneumonitis.

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

Metastatic Neuroendocrine Breast Cancer With Severe Hormone Overproduction

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

Biomarkers: ER-negative, PR focally positive, HER2-negative, PIK3CA mutation

Metastatic Site: liver, bone

Died after rapid deterioration and cardiac arrest during progressive metastatic disease.

PubMed Central
OutcomeIn Memory
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
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage III Inflammatory Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Bilateral inflammatory breast cancer treated with pembrolizumab and surgery

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

Biomarkers: Bilateral breast cancers had different biology: right side ER/PR-positive and HER2 FISH-negative; left side triple-negative/HER2 1+.

As of March 2025, she had no recurrence 6 months after bilateral mastectomy, bilateral axillary lymph node dissection, thoracoabdominal flap closure, and planned postmastectomy radiation for Stage IIIC bilateral inflammatory breast cancer.

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

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

Patient Info: Stephani St. Cyr, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: HER2-targeted treatments reported; no inherited cancer gene mutation found.

Metastatic Site: Bone; liver; brain

As of March 2025, Stephani had Stage IV metastatic breast cancer involving bone, liver, and brain, had no evidence of disease since July 2021, and continued HER2-targeted/systemic therapy.

Living Beyond Breast Cancer
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
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 Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Breast cancer history: atypical pelvic fracture after long-term zoledronic acid

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 60s | Stage Metastatic/Advanced

Prior breast cancer treatment had been completed; CT during fracture evaluation showed no metastatic disease, and the atypical iliac wing fracture healed progressively with conservative care and teriparatide.

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

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

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

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

As of February 2025, Katie was a few months beyond active treatment for Stage III ER-positive, PR-positive, HER2-negative ILC and was adjusting to maintenance therapy with Verzenio, Lupron, and Letrozole.

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

Radiation-induced breast sarcoma after breast cancer radiotherapy: 4-patient case series

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female

Biomarkers: TP53 mutation reported in 1 patient; all 4 radiation-induced breast sarcomas were undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma

Across the 4-patient case series, follow-up was variable: 1 patient remained disease-free, 1 recurred within 1 year, 1 had no recurrence for 7 years before unrelated death, and the patient with metastases progressed over 9 months.

PubMed Central
OutcomeSetback / Progression
Maggie, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage IV Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Maggie's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Maggie, Female | Stage IV

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

Metastatic Site: lungs, lymph nodes; possible liver

Diagnosed in 2022 with de novo Stage IV triple-negative breast cancer involving the lungs and lymph nodes, with possible liver involvement. After entering a chemotherapy/immunotherapy clinical trial, she reported being cancer-free / no evidence of disease for well over 1 year as of February 2025.

The Patient Story
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Kelly, who was diagnosed with Stage III Breast CancerBreast Cancer

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

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

Biomarkers: Triple-negative breast cancer; no inherited cancer gene mutation found.

As of February 2025, Kelly identified as a Stage IIIC triple-negative breast cancer survivor after neoadjuvant chemotherapy, double mastectomy with reconstruction, and radiation, and was using her experience to support others through TNBC Thrivers.

The Patient Story
OutcomeSurvivorship / Completed Treatment
Chance, who was diagnosed with Stage II Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Facing Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Chance’s Story

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

Biomarkers: ER-negative; PR-negative; HER2-negative; BRCA1 mutation

As of February 2025, Chance described follow-up after Stage II BRCA1-associated triple-negative breast cancer and stated that she did not currently have cancer, while continuing close surveillance.

The Patient Story
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage 4 hormone receptor-positive breast cancer: remission with PARP inhibitor

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

Biomarkers: HR-positive breast cancer with HER2-low/negative recurrence, and pathogenic BRCA2 R2318* mutation.

Metastatic Site: pleura

As of January 2025, she had maintained complete response for 36 months after sequential FEC/docetaxel and olaparib for hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative/HER2-low metastatic breast cancer with BRCA2 R2318* mutation.

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

Breast cancer survivor with synchronous intercostal nerve schwannomas mimicking metastasis

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, Under 40

Biomarkers: Breast cancer biomarkers not reported; schwannomas were S100-positive

After prior breast cancer treatment, later D6-D7/rib lesions were proven to be S100-positive schwannomas rather than metastases, and surgical removal relieved the patient’s rib-cage numbness and pain.

PubMed Central
OutcomeSurvivorship / Completed Treatment