Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer: 738 Real Stories

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

Cancer Stories

Karen, who was diagnosed with Stage II Invasive Lobular CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Stage II HR-Positive Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: Karen's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Karen, Female, 40s | Stage II

Biomarkers: ER-positive; PR-positive; HER2-negative; grade 2; inherited genetic testing negative

Karen completed double mastectomy, 3 months of chemotherapy and reconstruction. She was doing well on ongoing endocrine and targeted therapy and walking 3–5 miles daily.

Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance
OutcomeCare Ongoing / Survivorship
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage I Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage I ER-positive/HER2-positive breast cancer with radiation-associated morphea

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

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

No evidence of breast cancer recurrence after 2018 treatment; ongoing issue was generalized morphea and breast deformity related to prior radiation, improved with mycophenolate by April 2024.

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

Stage IIIC triple-negative breast cancer with pembrolizumab-related HLH/DIC and pathologic complete response

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, Under 40

Biomarkers: Triple-negative/HR-negative breast cancer with germline BRCA1 pathogenic mutation. HLH/DIC episode had high IL-6

Surgery confirmed ypT0ypN0 pathologic complete response after neoadjuvant carboplatin, paclitaxel, and pembrolizumab, and she remained recurrence-free while being monitored without additional cancer-directed treatment.

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

Stage II Breast Cancer: India's Survivor Story

Patient Info: India Robinson, Female, 40s | Stage II

As of January 2025, India had completed Stage II breast cancer treatment and had returned to work, the gym and daily life after robotic lymphatic microsurgery resolved breast lymphedema; the story does not explicitly state NED.

Cleveland Clinic
OutcomeSurvivorship / Surveillance
Kate, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage IV HR-Positive Breast Cancer: Kate's Patient Story

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

Biomarkers: HR-positive

Metastatic Site: lymph nodes near the lungs; chest wall and skin…

Kate was receiving chemotherapy for Stage IV hormone-positive breast cancer, with surgery and radiation discussed as planned next steps but not yet completed in the source.

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

Stage IV Breast Cancer: Kate's Patient Story

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

Biomarkers: Hormone-positive

Metastatic Site: Hip bone; lymph nodes near the lungs

Kate remained in active chemotherapy for stage IV disease, with surgery and radiation planned.

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

HER2-Positive Breast Cancer With Metastatic Progression and Drug-Induced Lupus During T-DM1

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

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

Metastatic Site: bones, axillary lymph nodes, intra-abdominal lymph…

More than 5 years after her March 2018 diagnosis, she was living with metastatic breast cancer, but T-DM1 had been stopped after disease progression in 2023.

PubMed Central
OutcomeSetback / Progression
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage I Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Stage I triple-negative solid basaloid adenoid cystic breast cancer treated with mastectomy and oral chemotherapy

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

Biomarkers: Current tumor was triple-negative with high Ki-67 and c-kit/CK7 staining. Prior breast cancer was ER-positive, HER2-positive, PR-negative.

One year after mastectomy and postoperative tegafur-gimeracil-oteracil potassium, she was recovering well without signs of metastasis.

PubMed Central
OutcomeSurvivorship / Completed Treatment
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage III Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Stage III Breast Cancer Complicated by a Large Liver Abscess

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

Biomarkers: ER-positive, HER2-negative

Continuing adjuvant anastrozole and oncology follow-up after mastectomy for Stage III breast cancer.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCare Ongoing
MB
Breast Cancer

Metastatic breast cancer with receptor evolution: sequential endocrine, immunotherapy, CDK4/6, and antibody-drug conjugate treatment

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

Biomarkers: Markers changed over time: initial tumor ER-positive/HER2-negative; local recurrence triple-negative/HER2-low; pleural fluid ER-negative.

Metastatic Site: mediastinal lymph nodes, pleura; pulmonary nodules…

More than 7 years after diagnosis, she remained on sequential systemic therapy for metastatic breast cancer, with at least a partial response 3 months after starting sacituzumab govitecan for presumed triple-negative pleural disease.

PubMed Central
OutcomeResponding Well
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage IV luminal A breast cancer: liver resection and disease-free follow-up

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

Biomarkers: luminal A; ER-positive; PgR-positive; HER2-negative

Metastatic Site: lung, liver

Disease-free after R0 hepatic segmentectomy for breast cancer liver metastasis, with May 2021 MRI showing no remaining liver nodules while she continued maintenance letrozole and goserelin.

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

Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Marissa's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Marissa Sweitzer, Female, Under 40

Biomarkers: ER-negative; PR-negative; HER2-negative; no breast cancer genetic mutation reported

As of December 2024, Marissa had a complete response to treatment and no evidence of cancer after postpartum triple-negative breast cancer involving the breast and lymph nodes was treated with chemotherapy, double mastectomy and 5 weeks of radiation.

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

Stage 4 HR-positive breast cancer: stable disease on ribociclib

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

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

Metastatic Site: left iliac bone

Metastatic HR-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer remained without progression as of October 2024 while she continued ribociclib 400 mg plus letrozole after SBRT to a left iliac bone metastasis.

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

Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Juliette's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Juliette Landgrave, Female, Under 40

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

After egg preservation, 16 rounds of chemotherapy with complete response, lumpectomy, 25 radiation sessions and 1 year of immunotherapy, Juliette was cancer-free as of December 2024.

City of Hope
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Anna, who was diagnosed with Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Breast Cancer: Anna's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Anna, Female, Under 40

As of December 2024, Anna was about 7 years beyond her breast cancer diagnosis and living in survivorship, with ongoing emotional, fertility and family impacts described.

The Patient Story
OutcomeSurvivorship / Completed Treatment
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Breast Cancer Recurrence in the Small Intestine and Bone More Than 5 Years After Diagnosis

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

Biomarkers: Initial ER-positive, PR-positive, HER2-negative; metastatic lesion ER-negative, PR-negative, triple negative

Metastatic Site: small intestine, bone, right fallopian tube

More than 5 years after her December 2018 diagnosis, she was alive at 1-year follow-up after metastatic recurrence, with multiple bone metastases still present.

PubMed Central
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage II Breast Squamous Cell CarcinomaBreast Cancer

HER2-positive squamous cell breast cancer in complete remission

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

Biomarkers: HER2-positive squamous cell breast cancer, ER/PR negative, PD-L1 negative

Clinical complete remission and survival beyond 4 years after mastectomy, AC-TH chemotherapy, and HER2-directed maintenance therapy for Stage IIA HER2-positive primary squamous cell breast cancer.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED