Mastectomy for Breast Cancer: 631 Real Stories

631 stories match breast cancer and mastectomy. 611 of them mention surgery.

Caroline, who was diagnosed with Stage III Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage III HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: Caroline's Patient Story

Patient Info: Caroline McNally, Female, Under 40 | Stage III

Biomarkers: Hormone-positive component reported; exact ER/PR/HER2 panel not stated

As of February 2026, Caroline was in active treatment for Stage III hormone-positive breast cancer, receiving Taxol after dose-dense AC and preparing for double mastectomy, likely radiation, and hormone therapy.

Susan G. Komen
OutcomeCare Ongoing
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage III Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage IIIB triple-negative metaplastic breast cancer: urgent mastectomy and reconstruction after rapid progression on neoadjuvant therapy

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

Biomarkers: ER-negative; PR-negative; HER2-negative; nuclear grade 3

At 18-month follow-up, she was disease-free after urgent mastectomy, axillary dissection, flap/skin-graft reconstruction, resumed chemotherapy, and radiation for rapidly progressive triple-negative metaplastic breast cancer.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Stage IIB breast cancer with severe radiation recall after abemaciclib

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 40s

Biomarkers: ER-positive; PR-positive; HER2 1+ / HER2-negative

The flap healed after abemaciclib was stopped and the tissue expander/patch were removed, but her long-term cancer-control and reconstruction outcomes were not yet reported.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCare Ongoing
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Stage 4 breast cancer: 4 years and counting

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

Biomarkers: Initial tumor: hormone receptor-positive; HER2 1+. Metastatic recurrence: triple-negative breast cancer.

Metastatic Site: liver, bone, lung, supraclavicular lymph nodes,…

After response of choroidal metastases to eye radiation plus sacituzumab govitecan, disease progressed in February 2023 with cerebellar and pituitary brain lesions; she developed obstructive hydrocephalus, entered hospice in May 2023, and died in June 2023.

PubMed Central
OutcomeIn Memory
A patient, who was diagnosed with Small Cell Lung CancerBreast Cancer

Localized male small-cell neuroendocrine breast cancer with complete response

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 40s

Biomarkers: Synaptophysin-positive; weak cytokeratin-positive; HER2-negative; Ki-67 greater than 70%; genetic testing not performed

The tumor shrank substantially during neoadjuvant cisplatin/etoposide. Modified radical mastectomy then showed a complete pathologic response and 17 reactive axillary lymph nodes; the patient remained disease-free after 18 months of follow-up.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Metastatic triple-negative breast cancer with sacituzumab-govitecan pneumonitis and progression

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

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

Metastatic Site: lung

Sacituzumab-govitecan pneumonitis improved with corticosteroids and half-dose rechallenge did not reproduce pneumonitis, but follow-up CT showed one new pulmonary metastasis and enlargement of previous lung metastases; PFS on sacituzumab govitecan was 5.37 months.

PubMed Central
OutcomeSetback / Progression
Tamra, who was diagnosed with Stage II Invasive Lobular CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Stage II Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: Tamra's Patient Story

Patient Info: Tamra, Female | Stage II

Biomarkers: MammaPrint genomic analysis pending/under consideration

As of January 2026, Tamra had chosen partial mastectomy with radiation and concurrent bilateral reconstruction for Stage II invasive lobular breast cancer, with chemotherapy decision dependent on MammaPrint results.

Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance
OutcomeCare Ongoing
Sonja, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage IV HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: Sonja's Patient Story

Patient Info: Sonja Rideout, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: HER2-positive; Tempus testing later indicated immunotherapy as an option

Metastatic Site: Lungs; liver; bone: tailbone; thoracic lymph nodes

As of January 2026, Sonja was living with metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer after spread to lungs and liver, later tailbone and thoracic lymph nodes, and had moved to weekly carboplatin/gemcitabine plus monthly immunotherapy.

Susan G. Komen
OutcomeSetback / Progression
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage III Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Stage III Breast Cancer Treatment Complicated by Coronary Thrombosis

Patient Info: Anonymized, female, 40s | Stage III

Biomarkers: ER-positive; PR-positive; HER2-negative; Ki-67 25–30%

She achieved complete remission about 12 months after the myocardial infarction and remained in complete oncologic remission at 44 months.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Sian, who was diagnosed with Stage II Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage II HR-Positive Breast Cancer: Sian's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Sian Bevans, Female, 50s | Stage II

Biomarkers: Triple-positive

Sian was 11 years past diagnosis, completed 10 years of maintenance medication in May 2025, and reported feeling more like herself; no recurrence was described.

Cleveland Clinic
OutcomeSurvivorship / Completed Treatment
Lea, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage IV Breast Cancer: Lea's Patient Story

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

Metastatic Site: Bone: hip sockets, femurs, spine; liver

As of January 2026, Lea was living with metastatic breast cancer involving bone and liver and was in active treatment with Taxol after progression changed her treatment plan.

Susan G. Komen
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Triple-negative breast cancer with occult metastasis in parathyroid and ectopic thyroid adenomas: complete remission after chemotherapy

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

Biomarkers: Triple-negative breast cancer. Metastatic deposits were CK7 positive and negative for ER, HER2

Metastatic Site: parathyroid adenoma; ectopic thyroid adenoma /…

As of December 2025, she remained in complete remission 1 year after systemic chemotherapy for triple-negative breast cancer with occult metastatic deposits in parathyroid and ectopic thyroid adenomas.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Young Woman With Breast Cancer and Four Inherited Cancer-Risk Variants

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

Biomarkers: ER 40%; PgR 60%; HER2 0; Ki-67 25%; germline pathogenic variants in ATM, PALB2, PMS2

Metastatic Site: brain

The breast cancer spread rapidly to the brain, and she died within a few months.

PubMed Central
OutcomeIn Memory
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

I Was Told I Was TOO YOUNG For Breast Cancer!

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: mediastinum; lymph nodes between the lungs

As of November 2025, the patient was living with Stage IV metastatic breast cancer, described as lifelong and requiring ongoing treatment. She had also completed local treatment for a later breast lesion.

YouTube — The Patient Story
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast AdenocarcinomaBreast Cancer

Synchronous EGFR-mutated lung adenocarcinoma and metastatic breast cancer: surgery and adjuvant therapy

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

Biomarkers: Two cancers: lung adenocarcinoma with EGFR exon 19 deletion; breast cancer ER-positive, PR-low, HER2 non-amplified.

Metastatic Site: lung

Follow-up CT on 26 December 2024 showed no recurrence, with disease-free survival estimated at 27 months to 1 April 2025 while on icotinib and letrozole maintenance.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage III Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Triple-negative breast cancer with pathologic complete response after neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy complicated by immune toxicity

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

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

Left mastectomy on November 17 confirmed pathologic complete response, and 5-month follow-up showed no residual hepatic, dermatological, metabolic, or neurological sequelae from the treatment-related complications.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage III Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Recurrent breast cancer complicated by T-DXd-associated dermatomyositis and interstitial lung disease

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

Biomarkers: Initial tumor had weak ER/AR, PR-negative, HER2 0. Recurrence became ER/PR/AR-negative, HER2-low, PD-L1 CPS ~30.

The cancer progressed after adjuvant therapy and again after 6 cycles of gemcitabine/carboplatin. Trastuzumab deruxtecan was followed by dermatomyositis features and interstitial pneumonia, with symptoms worsening despite glucocorticoid treatment after continued exposure.

PubMed Central
OutcomeSetback / Progression
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage 0 Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

HER2-positive DCIS with KLHL11 encephalitis and pulmonary adenocarcinoma in situ

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, Under 40 | Stage 0

Biomarkers: Breast DCIS was ER/PR positive and HER2 positive

After local breast treatment and later lung resection, she was asymptomatic on levetiracetam and tamoxifen, with no recurrent fever, seizures, or ataxia reported.

PubMed Central
OutcomeSurvivorship / Completed Treatment
Stacy, who was diagnosed with Stage III Invasive Lobular CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Stage III Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: Stacy's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Stacy, Female | Stage III

Biomarkers: Hormone receptor-positive; HER2-negative

Stacy completed chemotherapy, mastectomy, radiation and reconstruction. She remained under regular monitoring and was taking Letrozole as part of a planned 10-year course.

Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance
OutcomeCare Ongoing / Survivorship
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

HER2-positive breast cancer: brain recurrence, T-DXd liver injury, and later progression

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

Biomarkers: HER2-positive; hormone receptor-negative; grade 3 infiltrative breast carcinoma

Metastatic Site: brain; thoracic lymph nodes

As of October 2025, the patient had developed brain and thoracic nodal recurrence after HER2-directed treatment, experienced T-DXd-associated liver injury, progressed after later paclitaxel/trastuzumab, and died at home in December 2024 under palliative care.

PubMed Central
OutcomeIn Memory