Radiation for ER Positive Breast Cancer: 125 Real Stories

HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: Susan's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Susan, Female, 70+

Biomarkers: 2021 breast cancer described as estrogen-positive and progesterone-positive; HER2 not reported. First breast cancer biomarker status not reported.

As of August 2023, Susan was living in survivorship after a first breast cancer treated with lumpectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation and a later separate breast cancer treated with bilateral mastectomy.

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

Patient Info: Megan Claire Chase, Female | Stage II

Biomarkers: ER-positive; PR-positive; HER2 not reported

As of July 2023, Megan-Claire was in survivorship after Stage II invasive lobular breast cancer, with clear early scans but significant long-term effects, surgical menopause, chronic pain, fatigue, chemo brain, and inability to tolerate recurrence-prevention medications.

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Stage III HR-Positive Breast Cancer: Sarah's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Sarah McDonald, Female, 40s | Stage III

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

Sarah was 10 years from diagnosis without a recurrence and described the breast cancer as successfully treated. She later paused hormone therapy, completed IVF and gave birth at age 48.

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Stage III HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: Christine's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Christine Elliott, Female, Under 40 | Stage III

Biomarkers: Estrogen receptor-positive; HER2 and progesterone receptor status not reported

As of May 2023, Christine was about 3 years from diagnosis and in survivorship after chemotherapy, lumpectomy, and radiation. She reported lasting physical and emotional effects but did not state a formal NED status.

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

Patient Info: Abigail Myers, female, Under 40 | Stage IV

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

Metastatic Site: bones, brain

Abigail continued living with Stage IV metastatic breast cancer after about 8 years of multiple treatment lines, including therapy for bone and brain metastases.

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Chemotherapy complication: methotrexate absorbed into the bloodstream after spinal injection

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ER-positive; PR-positive; HER2-negative; Oncotype DX Recurrence Score 20

Metastatic Site: leptomeninges / central nervous system; brain

Five months after leptomeningeal carcinomatosis was recognised, she developed a new 2 cm brain lesion and neurological decline. Her family chose supportive care, and she died 10 days after transfer to inpatient hospice.

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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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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 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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Breast radiation completed after severe vertigo during COVID-19 vaccination

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 60s

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

Four weeks after completing radiation, her skin reaction was improving and she had returned to work briefly, although vertigo was still present.

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Recurrent Lobular Breast Cancer Spread to the Opposite Armpit Lymph Node

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

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

Metastatic Site: Contralateral right axillary lymph node

After surgery for the recurrence and removal of the opposite-side axillary nodes, the patient proceeded with adjuvant chemotherapy and remained in active treatment.

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

Patient Info: Jeanine, Female | Stage III

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

Jeanine completed chemotherapy, bilateral mastectomy, and post-surgery radiation after her disease was restaged from Stage II to Stage III, and she described continued active oncology care and advocacy as of June 2021.

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Male breast cancer discovered after years of stiff-person syndrome

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 50s

Biomarkers: ER-positive; PR-positive; HER2-negative; anti-amphiphysin antibody positive at 1:64; hereditary cancer panel negative for pathogenic germline variants.

He completed curative-intent breast cancer treatment and reported substantial improvement in upper-body stiffness, although lower-extremity stiffness, cramps, and unsteadiness persisted.

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Breast cancer with sarcoidosis that mimicked metastatic disease

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 40s

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

Her most recent mammogram showed no recurrent breast cancer while she continued letrozole, goserelin, and six-monthly follow-up.

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Breast cancer recurrence in the mandibular condyle causing jaw pain

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

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

Metastatic Site: right mandibular condyle with extension into the…

After anastrozole and 60 Gy of radiation, her jaw pain, mouth opening, and function improved, although some discomfort remained and palliative systemic treatment was continuing.

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A BioZorb-Site Density Two Years After Lumpectomy Was Fat Necrosis

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 60s

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

A new density at the lumpectomy site was confirmed as fat necrosis rather than recurrent cancer during ongoing surveillance.

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A New Mass Three Years After Lumpectomy Was Fat Necrosis

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 50s

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

A new mass detected three years after treatment was biopsy-proven fat necrosis rather than recurrent cancer.

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A Surveillance Asymmetry Near a BioZorb Marker Was Benign Scar and Fat Necrosis

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 60s

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

The new surveillance asymmetry was confirmed as benign fat necrosis, fibrosis, and scar tissue, with follow-up imaging planned.

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A Mass Beside a BioZorb Implant Was Fat Necrosis, Not Recurrence

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 50s

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

A 1.8 cm mass detected beside the BioZorb site was confirmed as fat necrosis, with continued imaging follow-up recommended.

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Small Masses Near a BioZorb Marker After DCIS Treatment Were Fat Necrosis

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 50s

Biomarkers: ER-positive.

Small masses detected three years after DCIS treatment were confirmed as fat necrosis during ongoing surveillance.

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Local Breast Cancer Recurrence Was Found During BioZorb Surveillance

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 70+

Biomarkers: Initial right breast tumor: ER-positive, PR-positive, HER2-equivocal. Recurrent right breast tumor: ER-positive, HER2-negative.

Two sites of right-breast recurrence were confirmed three years after lumpectomy, leading to right mastectomy.

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A New Mass Near a BioZorb Implant Was a Foreign-Body Reaction

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 40s

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

Follow-up imaging after a benign biopsy showed no mammographic evidence of malignancy.

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Locally advanced male breast cancer associated with a pathogenic ATM variant

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 50s | Stage Metastatic/Advanced

Biomarkers: ER 100% positive; PR 100% positive; HER2-negative; Ki-67 30%; germline pathogenic ATM variant c.2921+1G>A.

Two years after diagnosis, he had an ECOG performance status of 0 and remained without signs of breast-cancer relapse or another primary cancer.

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A durable response to trastuzumab in heavily pretreated metastatic breast cancer

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

Biomarkers: Initial tumor ER-positive and PR-positive. Metastatic liver biopsy ER-negative and PR-negative with HER2 IHC 1+ and nonamplified. Later biopsy ER and PR weakly positive at 5%–10%, HER2 IHC 1+ and nonamplified, and ERBB3 p. with evidence of HER2/HER3 pathway activation.

Metastatic Site: lungs; hilar and mediastinal lymph nodes; liver; bone

She had ongoing benefit for more than 10 months on trastuzumab and capecitabine, with improved symptoms, lower tumor markers, and a confirmed partial response.

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