Stage III Breast Cancer: Claritza's Patient Story

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

Claritza was living with Stage III breast cancer more than 3 years after diagnosis after her initial plan changed from lumpectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy to immunotherapy and pain medication.

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Stage III Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: Kerri's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Kerri, Female, 40s | Stage III

After lumpectomy and double mastectomy for Stage III invasive lobular carcinoma, Kerri used her experience to advocate for better ILC awareness, imaging education, and support for newly diagnosed patients.

Lobular Breast Cancer AllianceRead more →

Stage I Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: Chickie's Patient Story

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

Biomarkers: Oncotype DX scores 16 and 17

Chickie had bilateral Stage I ILC treated with bilateral lumpectomy, clear margins, negative lymph nodes, low Oncotype DX scores that avoided chemotherapy, and photon radiation.

Lobular Breast Cancer AllianceRead more →

Stage II Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: Alma's Patient Story

Patient Info: Alma, Female | Stage II

Alma had Stage II invasive lobular carcinoma treated with lumpectomy, chemotherapy, radiation, and planned 10 years of tamoxifen, then found a local recurrence 4.5 years after diagnosis.

Lobular Breast Cancer AllianceRead more →

Stage II HR-Positive Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: Tanya's Patient Story

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

Biomarkers: Genetic testing negative; Oncotype DX score 27; MammaPrint low risk; ER-positive

Tanya had Stage II ER-positive breast cancer with a large lobular tumor found on MRI, underwent bilateral mastectomy with immediate reconstruction, completed 4 rounds of chemotherapy, and started tamoxifen.

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Stage IV HR-Positive Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: Nikoo's Patient Story

Patient Info: Nikoo, Female | Stage IV

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

Metastatic Site: Peritoneum | Ascites | Possible bone

Nikoo’s early lobular breast cancer treated in 2003 with lumpectomy, radiation, and 5 years of tamoxifen recurred 19 years later as ER-positive, PR-positive, HER2-negative metastatic lobular breast cancer involving the peritoneum, ascites, and possible bone.

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Breast Cancer: Genevieve's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Genevieve, Female, 40s

Biomarkers: 1987 tumor not hormone-receptive; 2017 tumor hormone-receptive. 2022 full marker panel not stated.

After breast cancer episodes beginning in 1987, another tumor in 2017, and cancer found again in 2022, PET scans every 3-4 months were clear and she described herself as in remission again as of May 2025.

breastcancer.orgRead more →

Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Valerie's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Valerie Hamilton, Female, 50s | Stage Metastatic/Advanced

Biomarkers: Triple-negative breast cancer; ER-negative; PR-negative; HER2-negative

Valerie completed chemotherapy, lumpectomy and radiation for locally advanced triple-negative breast cancer and preserved her breast/body image; no explicit NED or cancer-free status was provided.

Memorial Sloan KetteringRead more →

Stage I Invasive Ductal Carcinoma: Jill's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Jill, Female | Stage I

Biomarkers: Gene profile used to help avoid chemotherapy; specific biomarkers not reported

Jill completed lumpectomy, sentinel node biopsy and 4 weeks of hypofractionated radiation for Stage I invasive ductal carcinoma, avoided chemotherapy, and moved into recovery; no explicit NED/cancer-free status was provided.

Memorial Sloan KetteringRead more →

Stage IV Breast Cancer: Amy's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Amy Mannarino, Female, 50s | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Brain

After brain metastasis surgery and 3 radiation sessions, Amy was doing well with no evidence of disease; the source specifically distinguishes NED from being cured or cancer-free in the setting of metastatic disease.

Memorial Sloan KetteringRead more →

Stage II Invasive Ductal Carcinoma: Dwan's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Dwan Thomas, Female | Stage II

Biomarkers: HER2-negative; estrogen-positive

Dwan completed treatment for Stage II HER2-negative, estrogen-positive invasive ductal carcinoma in 2017 and later became active in MD Anderson advocacy and fundraising efforts.

MD AndersonRead more →

Severe postsurgical pyoderma gangrenosum after prior breast cancer treatment

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 70+

Biopsies of the later chronic breast wound repeatedly showed no malignancy.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Stage II Breast Cancer: Naomi's Patient Story

Patient Info: Naomi Arbel-Brodd, Female | Stage II

Twenty years after her 2006 diagnosis, she had returned to UT MD Anderson as a weekly volunteer supporting other women receiving breast cancer care.

MD AndersonRead more →

Stage I Breast Cancer: Tamara's Patient Story

Patient Info: Tamara Mitchell, Female | Stage I

Tamara continued annual breast cancer screening while her leukemia and kidney cancer were being managed separately.

MD AndersonRead more →

Stage III HR-Positive Invasive Ductal Carcinoma: Stefanie's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Stefanie, Female | Stage III

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

Stefanie completed chemotherapy, breast-conserving surgery, prolonged Herceptin and 30 radiation treatments, then moved into survivorship while still adjusting to the lasting effects of treatment.

The Patient StoryRead more →

Stage IV HR-Positive Invasive Ductal Carcinoma: Shari's Patient Story

Patient Info: Shari S., Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ER-positive, PR-positive and HER2-positive; no inherited cancer mutation was identified

Metastatic Site: Brain; other initial metastatic sites were not named

Systemic imaging after chemotherapy showed no active disease, but brain metastases later required stereotactic radiation. Shari remained stage 4, continued Herceptin every 3 weeks and underwent brain MRI every 3–4 months.

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Stage II Breast Cancer: Wendi's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Wendi Kushner | Stage II

Biomarkers: Triple-positive

After the clinical trial, lumpectomy pathology showed a complete pathological response with no residual cancer in the breast or lymph nodes.

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Stage I Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: Jen's Survivor Story

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

Jen completed 2 operations and radiation for a 3.5 mm stage 1 lobular breast cancer and then entered post-treatment follow-up.

Lobular Breast Cancer AllianceRead more →

Stage IV Breast Cancer: Abigail's Patient Story

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

Biomarkers: Strongly hormone-positive; germline ATM mutation

Metastatic Site: Bones

As of June 2026, Abigail was living with Stage IV metastatic hormone-positive breast cancer with bone metastases after diagnosis at 38 and lumpectomy in June 2017.

The Patient StoryRead more →

Stage II Invasive Ductal Carcinoma: Monica's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Monica, Female, Under 40 | Stage II

As of June 2026, Monica described survivorship after treatment for Stage IIB breast cancer and a separate undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma, with lasting neuropathy, bone pain, reconstruction complications, and grief around fertility.

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

Patient Info: Genoa M., Female | Stage III

Biomarkers: HER2-positive; ER-positive

As of June 2026, Genoa had completed treatment for Stage III HER2-positive, ER-positive breast cancer with neoadjuvant Taxotere/carboplatin/trastuzumab, lumpectomy, and radiation, and was focused on survivorship and rebuilding life after treatment.

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Stage I HR-Positive Invasive Ductal Carcinoma: Amelia's Patient Story

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

Biomarkers: ER-positive; PR-positive; HER2-negative; BRCA negative; Oncotype DX score 22

As of June 2026, Amelia had no evidence of disease after lumpectomy, bilateral mastectomy, TC chemotherapy, and reconstruction, and she remained on tamoxifen.

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Stage IV HER2-Positive Invasive Ductal Carcinoma: Renee's Patient Story

Patient Info: Renee N., Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: HER2-positive

Metastatic Site: Brain

As of June 2026, Renee’s public story described living with metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer as a chronic illness, after brain radiation and while on Kadcyla every 3 weeks with stable scans reported in December 2019 and early March 2020.

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Stage 0 HR-Positive Invasive Ductal Carcinoma: Natalie's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Natalie, Female | Stage 0

Biomarkers: ER-positive

As of June 2026, Natalie was living after Stage 0 DCIS, later nipple/Paget's disease recurrence, and 20 surgeries through May 2019, with a full life and ongoing attention to physical changes after reconstruction.

The Patient StoryRead more →