Stage II Breast Cancer: Lan's Patient Story

Patient Info: Lan | Stage II

Lan had completed surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation and remained on hormone therapy, with ongoing concern about treatment effects but growing optimism.

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Stage III Breast Cancer: Margaret's Patient Story

Patient Info: Margaret | Stage III

Margaret remained hopeful while managing severe treatment effects, sepsis, financial pressure, and reduced time with her children.

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Stage II Breast Cancer: Anne's Patient Story

Patient Info: Anne, Female, 50s | Stage II

As of 2023, Anne was receiving/continuing care for Stage II breast cancer after lumpectomy, paclitaxel chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and a targeted-therapy plan reduced to 9 rounds by insurance coverage.

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Stage I Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Emma's Patient Story

Patient Info: Emma, Female, 40s | Stage I

Biomarkers: Left breast: triple-negative; right breast: ER-positive

As of the 2023 story, Emma was receiving chemotherapy for Stage I bilateral breast cancer after the initial multimodality plan was changed because of borderline white blood cells.

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Stage II Breast Cancer: Annie's Patient Story

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

As of 2023, Annie was still receiving care for Stage II breast cancer after completing chemotherapy and hormonal therapy, with lumpectomy, lymphadenectomy, radiation therapy, and immunotherapy still ahead in her plan.

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Stage II Breast Cancer: Sarah's Patient Story

Patient Info: Sarah | Stage II

Sarah remains in active treatment, with the plan changed to focus on chemotherapy, and she is hopeful about completing treatment and returning to daily life.

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Stage IV Breast Cancer: Adriana's Patient Story

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

Adriana was continuing treatment for stage 4 breast cancer and hoped for a complete response. She remained focused on her children despite substantial emotional and financial strain.

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Stage II Breast Cancer: Amanda's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Amanda, Female, 70+ | Stage II

Amanda completed breast-conserving surgery, lymph-node surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. She entered survivorship and focused on living one day at a time rather than using a specific remission label.

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

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

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

As of 2023, Becki was receiving ongoing treatment for Stage II triple-positive breast cancer after recently completing mastectomy and experiencing chemotherapy-related fatigue, hair loss, and chemo fog.

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Stage II Breast Cancer: Grace's Patient Story

Patient Info: Grace, Female, 60s | Stage II

Grace was still in treatment for Stage II breast cancer, including lumpectomy-based care, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and immunotherapy, and reported that treatment was working despite difficult side effects and job loss.

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Breast Cancer: Maeve's Patient Story

Patient Info: Maeve

Maeve had undergone lumpectomy, lymph-node surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and targeted therapy and was focused on returning to work and being present for her family.

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Stage I Breast Cancer: Hu's Patient Story

Patient Info: Hu Jia, Female | Stage I

As of 2023, Hu Jia was in treatment for Stage I breast cancer after choosing a modified plan that excluded lymphadenectomy, while anticipating future medication costs and focusing on diet, art, reflection, and emotional resilience.

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

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

Biomarkers: ER-positive / hormone-positive

Metastatic Site: Liver; bones; lymph nodes; stomach

As of December 2022, Bethany was living with Stage IV metastatic breast cancer after recurrence to the liver, bones, lymph nodes, and stomach, and was on lifelong maintenance treatment after disease shrinkage.

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After Being Diagnosed with 2 Cancers I Found "My Support Crew"

Patient Info: Loriana Hernandez-Aldama, Female

Biomarkers: CHIP marker reported after bone marrow transplant; breast cancer biomarkers not reported

As of December 2022, Loriana was described as a 2-time cancer survivor and patient advocate after AML, bone marrow transplant, and later breast cancer; no active cancer treatment or NED wording was stated.

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Breast Cancer: Mary's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Mary Richichi, female, 70+

Biomarkers: hormone receptor-positive

Mary’s breast cancer was described as under control and in remission after treatment.

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Breast Cancer Spread to the Sinuses, Eye Sockets and Skull

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ER-positive; PR-positive

Metastatic Site: ethmoid and frontal sinuses; both orbits; multiple…

At 1-year follow-up, the sino-orbital metastases had not progressed on neuroimaging, right-eye visual acuity remained good, and chemoradiotherapy had been tolerated without complication.

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Metastatic Breast Cancer Treatment Caused Severe Circulation Problems in Her Fingers and Toes

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

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

The digital ischaemia improved after gemcitabine was stopped, without revascularisation, debridement or amputation, although a small necrotic fingertip area persisted at 3 months. Metastatic breast cancer treatment continued with further systemic lines after progression.

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Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Stephanie's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Stephanie, Female, Under 40

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

As of October 2022, Stephanie had completed treatment for triple-negative breast cancer in January 2022, follow-up tests showed she was cancer-free, and she had no evidence of cancer.

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Stage IV PIK3CA Breast Cancer: Abigail's Patient Story

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

Biomarkers: Hormone-positive breast cancer with PIK3CA mutation and germline ATM mutation; later PD-L1 somatic change reported. HER2 not stated.

Metastatic Site: Bone, including femurs, spine, and humeri; later liver

As of October 2022, Abigail was living with Stage IV hormone-positive metastatic breast cancer after years of treatment, bone-dominant disease that later involved the liver, targeted therapies, genomic testing, and advocacy around clinical trials and patient research participation.

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Breast Cancer: Sharon's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Sharon Kovach, Female, 60s

Sharon, age 63 at the time of the story, had remained in remission since completing treatment for recurrence in 2003.

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Metastatic Breast Cancer Reclassified After NTRK Fusion Testing

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ETV6-NTRK3 fusion detected in tissue but not circulating tumor DNA; ER low-positive; PR-negative; HER2-negative; PD-L1-negative; germline CHEK2 variant of uncertain significance

Metastatic Site: lungs and pleura; hilar, mediastinal and retrocaval…

After tissue testing identified an ETV6-NTRK3 fusion, treatment with larotrectinib produced a rapid clinical and radiological response.

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Recurrent Malignant Phyllodes Tumor Requiring Major Chest Wall Reconstruction

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female

Two months after completing postoperative chemotherapy and radiation, she developed pneumonia and respiratory failure and died.

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Stage IV Breast Cancer: Lianne's Patient Story

Patient Info: Lianne Kraemer, female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: brain

Six years after brain metastases were diagnosed, Lianne remained in active follow-up with scans and treatment decisions every 8 weeks while living with metastatic breast cancer.

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HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: Feyama's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Feyama Ashby, Female

Biomarkers: HER2-positive

As of September 2022, Feyama had completed chemotherapy, lumpectomy with lymph-node removal, reconstruction, and 6 weeks of VMAT radiation, and was entering close monitoring for 5 years before survivorship clinic follow-up.

MD AndersonRead more →