Trastuzumab for HER2 Positive Breast Cancer: 78 Real Stories

HER2-Positive Acantholytic Squamous Breast Cancer Responds Completely to Preoperative Therapy

Patient Info: Anonymized, female

Biomarkers: HER2-positive; postoperative residual in-situ disease ER-positive and PR-positive

The invasive cancer achieved a pathologic complete response, and she had no recurrence or metastasis during 1.5 years of follow-up.

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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.

Dana-FarberRead more →

HER2-positive breast cancer on hemodialysis: partial response to T-DM1 then no metabolically active disease

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

Biomarkers: Hormone receptor-positive; HER2/neu-positive; E-cadherin-positive; Ki-67 55-60%; luminal B type

As of March 2023, after 12 total cycles of T-DM1 and modified radical mastectomy, PET-CT showed no metabolically active disease, and she continued endocrine therapy and dialysis.

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Stage II HER2-Positive Invasive Ductal Carcinoma: Lanie's Patient Story

Patient Info: Lanie Jones, Female, Under 40 | Stage II

Biomarkers: HER2-positive; Li-Fraumeni syndrome / TP53 mutation; BRCA-negative

As of January 2023, Lanie was living with Li-Fraumeni syndrome after 5 cancer diagnoses and was on lifelong maintenance chemotherapy while advocating for genetic testing and specialized surveillance.

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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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Cancer in Accessory Breast Tissue Under Both Arms in a Man

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male

Biomarkers: Left tumor: HER2-positive by gene amplification; ER-negative; PR-negative; Ki-67 70%; p53 staining 80%

After surgery removed both accessory-breast cancers, he continued with adjuvant paclitaxel, trastuzumab and radiation.

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Stage II HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: María's Survivor Story

Patient Info: María Ángeles, Female | Stage II

Biomarkers: HER2-positive

As of March 2022, María Ángeles was 4 years from diagnosis after completing 14 chemotherapy sessions, mastectomy with immediate reconstruction, 21 radiation sessions, and trastuzumab for Stage II HER2-positive breast cancer.

HER2-positive left breast cancer treated with trastuzumab and mastectomy

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

Biomarkers: ER-negative; PR-negative; HER2/CerbB2 strongly positive; BRCA1/2 negative for known pathogenic variants; FANCA variant of uncertain significance.

She remained alive, asymptomatic, and disease-free while undergoing annual surveillance after treatment for the left HER2-positive breast cancer.

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Recovery from severe bowel and oesophageal complications after breast cancer chemotherapy

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 40s

Biomarkers: HER2-positive.

She regained independence after an 89-day hospital course, but breast surgery remained deferred three months after intensive-care discharge and tamoxifen was being used during recovery.

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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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Stage I HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: Betty's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Betty, Female, 50s | Stage I

Biomarkers: HER2-positive

As of 2021, Betty was in remission after mastectomy and chemotherapy with Herceptin, while managing side effects such as hair loss, peripheral neuropathy, and weight changes.

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Stage II HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: Kelsey's Survivor Story

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

Biomarkers: HER2-positive

Kelsey survived Stage II HER2-positive breast cancer after mastectomy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy, with recovery supported by nutrition changes, massages, supplements, and support-group connection.

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HER2-positive breast cancer diagnosed during pregnancy and later spread to bone and brain

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

Biomarkers: Initial tumour: ER 0%, PR <1%, HER2 3+

Metastatic Site: bone (L3)|brain

After treatment and surveillance without new lesions, she developed a large symptomatic occipital brain metastasis 14 months after completing paclitaxel and radiation and died after rapid neurological deterioration.

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HER2-Positive Breast Cancer Linked to a Rare Immune-Related Neurological Syndrome

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 40s

Biomarkers: HER2-positive in both foci; one focus ER-negative/PR-positive with Ki-67 45%; second focus ER-negative/PR-negative with Ki-67 35%; anti-Yo antibodies positive in serum and CSF; tumour-susceptibility gene panel negative

At 1 year, she had completed trastuzumab, continued tamoxifen, and had no evidence of recurrent breast cancer; intensive rehabilitation improved her mobility, although balance and right-sided neurological deficits persisted.

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Heart Failure and Electrical Conduction Changes During Trastuzumab Treatment

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 70+

Biomarkers: HER2-positive; ER-positive

Trastuzumab was suspended after acute heart failure and electrical conduction abnormalities; 4 weeks later, left ventricular function recovered and the ECG returned to normal during cardio-oncology follow-up.

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Fatal Bowel Infection After the First Chemotherapy Cycle for Early HER2-Positive Breast Cancer

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 70+

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

Nine days after the first TCH cycle, she developed fulminant febrile neutropenia and Clostridium septicum sepsis with extensive bowel ischaemia; despite emergency treatment and resuscitation, she died 4 hours after hospital arrival.

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Occult breast cancer found in the axillary lymph nodes during diagnosis of four cancers

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 70+

Biomarkers: ER 90% positive; HER2 overexpression; CK19-positive; mammaglobin-positive.

Almost four years after the synchronous cancer diagnoses, she was alive without recurrence and continued letrozole and oncology follow-up.

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

Patient Info: Christine Hodgdon, Female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Biomarkers: HER2-positive

Christine had no evidence of disease after 1 year and continued HER2-targeted treatment with regular surveillance scans.

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

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

Biomarkers: HER2-positive

Metastatic Site: Chest lymph nodes; spine; pelvis; femur

As of October 2019, Kate had been in remission for about 3 years with regular PET scans showing no evidence of active disease, while continuing monthly HER2-targeted maintenance treatment.

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Breast Cancer Recurrence in the Parotid Gland Eight Years Later

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

Biomarkers: Primary breast tumor: ER-positive and HER2-positive. Parotid metastasis: ER-positive, PR-negative, and HER2-positive.

Metastatic Site: left parotid gland

The isolated parotid metastasis was completely resected, one-month PET-CT showed no significant abnormality, and endocrine therapy continued with exemestane.

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Nocardia Infection Mimicked Breast Cancer Lung Metastases

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

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

The lung nodules resolved with antibiotics and proved infectious rather than metastatic; she remained in good health at the last follow-up in January 2019.

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HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: Jane's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Jane Dennington, Female, 60s

Biomarkers: HER2-positive breast cancer

As of January 2019, Jane was cancer-free for almost 5 years after HER2-positive breast cancer treatment with chemotherapy, Herceptin, surgery and Kadcyla through the KATHERINE clinical trial.

Cleveland ClinicRead more →

Stage II HER2-Positive Breast Cancer With Anti-Yo Paraneoplastic Cerebellar Degeneration

Patient Info: Anonymized, female, 50s | Stage II

Biomarkers: HER2 positive

Her severe anti-Yo paraneoplastic cerebellar syndrome did not meaningfully respond to IVIG or cancer treatment. She became wheelchair-dependent and ultimately required long-term care, with only moderate improvement in ataxia after rehabilitation.

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Stage III BRCA2 Breast Cancer: Ashley's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Ashley, female, Under 40 | Stage III

Biomarkers: BRCA2 positive; HER2 positive

Ashley described herself as cancer-free after chemotherapy, double mastectomy and 30 rounds of radiation, with 10 months of Herceptin planned.

MD AndersonRead more →