Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer: 453 Real Stories
453 stories match breast cancer and chemotherapy. 392 of them mention surgery.
Breast Cancer: Brittney’s Survivor Story
Brittney Rinella was 26 and planning her wedding when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. After discussing options with Cleveland Clinic oncologist Dr. Halle Moore and the rest of her care team, Brittney chose a double mastectomy followed by chemotherapy…
Read this storyStage II Breast Cancer: Margaret’s Survivor Story
Margaret was diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer in December 2015 after changes in her left breast were easy to explain away at first. In late 2014, she noticed that her nipple was inverting and that the breast seemed to be shrinking. She was training for…
Read this storyStage II Invasive Ductal Carcinoma: Margaret’s Survivor Story
Margaret’s fuller treatment story starts with the same breast changes she first noticed in late 2014: an inverted nipple and shrinking appearance in the left breast. A standard mammogram did not clearly show cancer, but a later 3D mammogram found the tumor…
Read this storyHER2-Positive Breast Cancer: Jane’s Survivor Story
Jane Dennington was living in Haiti with her husband, Bud, doing missionary work when she noticed a growing lump in her breast. Local X-ray equipment malfunctioned, and she was told everything looked fine, but Jane knew the lump was getting bigger. She…
Read this storyStage IV Breast Cancer: Magnolia’s Survivor Story
Magnolia, from Colombia, was diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer after noticing a hard breast mass. Her menstrual periods had stopped at age 45, and the symptoms developed over several months before she sought medical care. The diagnosis left her…
Read this storyStage 0 Breast Cancer: Kelly’s Survivor Story
Kelly was 38 when a routine company mammogram led to her Stage 0 breast cancer diagnosis in 2019. A technologist noticed something concerning and advised follow-up testing. Kelly then sought a second opinion with a more experienced doctor before the diagnosis…
Read this storyStage III Breast Cancer: Kathryn’s Survivor Story
Kathryn first noticed swelling between her breasts, changes in breast shape, and irritation in 2019. After seeking medical advice, she was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. The diagnosis left her frightened, overwhelmed, isolated, and worried about what…
Read this storyStage II Breast Cancer: Emma’s Patient Story
Emma, 48, is from Singapore and was diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer after pain in her breast and armpit pushed her to seek medical attention. The diagnosis was shocking and brought sadness, fear, nervousness, worry, and a sense of emptiness. She sought…
Read this storyStage II Breast Cancer: Lena’s Patient Story
Lena found a lump during a breast self-examination and went to the hospital for further evaluation. She was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer. After considering her doctor’s recommendation and doing her own research, she underwent a lumpectomy to remove…
Read this storyStage I Breast Cancer: Aura’s Patient Story
Aura, 49, discovered 2 small lumps in her right breast and was diagnosed with Stage I breast cancer. Her treatment included mastectomy, lymphadenectomy, hysterectomy, and chemotherapy. Afterward, she remained on hormone therapy. The diagnosis changed her…
Read this storyStage II Breast Cancer: Ana’s Survivor Story
Ana was 47 when she noticed a lump in her left breast while showering. Part of the nipple also pulled inward and retracted again when she tried to move it. When referral through her health insurer was taking too long, she sought help from a nonprofit…
Read this storyStage III Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Mary’s Survivor Story
Mary, a retired woman living in Ireland, was diagnosed with stage 3 triple-negative breast cancer in September 2019. She sought medical help after feeling unusual soreness and discomfort during floor exercises in a yoga class. The diagnosis was especially…
Read this storyStage III Breast Cancer: Carole’s Survivor Story
Carole, 63, is a breast cancer survivor from the United Kingdom. She was diagnosed with Stage III breast cancer in 2019 after noticing dimpled skin and a small lump around her breast. She did not have other symptoms, so those visible breast changes were what…
Read this storyStage I Breast Cancer: Jennifer’s Survivor Story
Jennifer Buckland was 43 when she received chemotherapy for Stage I breast cancer at Cleveland Clinic’s Taussig Cancer Institute. Once a week for 12 weeks, she put on a tight helmet-like cooling cap before treatment began. She wore it for as long as 8 hours…
Read this storyStage I Breast Cancer: Deidre’s Survivor Story
Deidre Smith was careful about yearly mammograms, which made her 2015 diagnosis especially shocking. She came to Cleveland Clinic Florida for a second opinion after being told elsewhere that 2 calcifications were benign. On November 23, 2015, just before…
Read this storyBreast Cancer Patient Story
This patient was diagnosed with breast cancer about 6 months before her husband, Jeffrey Collins, died from male breast cancer. Her cancer did not have a genetic component. During a difficult period for the family, she was receiving chemotherapy while also…
Read this storyStage II Breast Cancer: Jamie’s Patient Story
Jamie Bernard was 32 when she was diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer in 2015. She was both an MD Anderson employee and a patient, giving her a view of cancer care from two sides. Jamie underwent a mastectomy and received chemotherapy. After treatment, a…
Read this storyBreast Cancer: Heather’s Survivor Story
Heather Kokinda was diagnosed with breast cancer at 29 while breastfeeding her 5-month-old daughter. She first noticed a lump in the shower and thought it might be a clogged milk duct, but it did not go away despite the usual measures. After the cancer…
Read this storyStage III BRCA2 Breast Cancer: Ashley’s Survivor Story
Ashley was 28 when she was diagnosed with Stage III breast cancer in January 2017. At the time, she was nursing her youngest child and initially thought the lump in her right breast was a clogged milk duct. Her biggest concern after diagnosis was how cancer…
Read this storyBreast Cancer: Michael’s Patient Story
Michael Johnston was diagnosed with male breast cancer in 2009. His treatment included surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, all within a single calendar year. After going through that intensive period of care, he made a personal commitment to increase…
Read this storyStage III Breast Cancer: Jacquelyn’s Patient Story
Jacquelyn noticed a suspicious change during a breast self-examination and sought medical care. She was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. Her doctors recommended mastectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy, and she followed the plan. Although she felt…
Read this storyStage II Breast Cancer: Ana’s Survivor Story
Ana, 51, was diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer after an unexpected workup. She had no family history of cancer and wanted a second opinion because she felt her first doctor had not given her enough information. She also described noticing blood from the…
Read this storyStage I Breast Cancer: Yanzi’s Patient Story
At age 45, Yanzi received a text notification offering a free mammogram and decided to schedule the screening. She had no symptoms, but the mammogram was abnormal. Further evaluation at a nearby hospital led to a diagnosis of Stage I breast cancer. The…
Read this storyStage IV Breast Cancer: Lindsey’s Patient Story
Lindsey Ballas was balancing work, family and cancer care after being diagnosed with Stage IV metastatic breast cancer. She owned a hair salon and wanted treatment to disrupt her life as little as possible. Her main goal was to keep life close to normal while…
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