Breast Cancer: 1,219 Real Stories

1,219 stories match breast cancer. 974 of them mention surgery.

Claudia, who was diagnosed with Invasive Lobular CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: Claudia's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Claudia, Female, 40s

Biomarkers: Grade 3

As of March 2025, Claudia described herself as a breast cancer survivor and advocate after mastectomy for multifocal grade 3 ILC, with whole-person healing and community support central to recovery.

Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Stephani, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

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

Patient Info: Stephani St. Cyr, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: HER2-targeted treatments reported; no inherited cancer gene mutation found.

Metastatic Site: Bone; liver; brain

As of March 2025, Stephani had Stage IV metastatic breast cancer involving bone, liver, and brain, had no evidence of disease since July 2021, and continued HER2-targeted/systemic therapy.

Living Beyond Breast Cancer
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage 1 breast cancer with benign esophageal tumor removed endoscopically

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 40s

Biomarkers: Leiomyoma IHC: desmin positive; αSMA positive; S100 negative; CD34 negative; c-kit negative; CD117 negative; GLUT1 negative

Right breast cancer had not recurred 5 years after resection, and the FDG-avid esophageal lesion was completely removed and confirmed to be benign leiomyoma.

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

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

Patient Info: Anne Keane, 40s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: HER2-positive

Metastatic Site: bones, liver

Anne had an extraordinary response to first-line treatment for metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer and remained on the same HER2-targeted therapy for 6 years.

Dana-Farber
OutcomeResponding Well
A patient, who was diagnosed with Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Breast cancer history: atypical pelvic fracture after long-term zoledronic acid

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

Prior breast cancer treatment had been completed; CT during fracture evaluation showed no metastatic disease, and the atypical iliac wing fracture healed progressively with conservative care and teriparatide.

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

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

Patient Info: Katie, Female, Under 40 | Stage III

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

As of February 2025, Katie was a few months beyond active treatment for Stage III ER-positive, PR-positive, HER2-negative ILC and was adjusting to maintenance therapy with Verzenio, Lupron, and Letrozole.

Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance
OutcomeCare Ongoing
A patient, who was diagnosed with Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Radiation-induced breast sarcoma after breast cancer radiotherapy: 4-patient case series

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female

Biomarkers: TP53 mutation reported in 1 patient; all 4 radiation-induced breast sarcomas were undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma

Across the 4-patient case series, follow-up was variable: 1 patient remained disease-free, 1 recurred within 1 year, 1 had no recurrence for 7 years before unrelated death, and the patient with metastases progressed over 9 months.

PubMed Central
OutcomeSetback / Progression
Maggie, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage IV Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Maggie's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Maggie, Female | Stage IV

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

Metastatic Site: lungs, lymph nodes; possible liver

Diagnosed in 2022 with de novo Stage IV triple-negative breast cancer involving the lungs and lymph nodes, with possible liver involvement. After entering a chemotherapy/immunotherapy clinical trial, she reported being cancer-free / no evidence of disease for well over 1 year as of February 2025.

The Patient Story
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Chance, who was diagnosed with Stage II Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Facing Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Chance’s Story

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

Biomarkers: ER-negative; PR-negative; HER2-negative; BRCA1 mutation

As of February 2025, Chance described follow-up after Stage II BRCA1-associated triple-negative breast cancer and stated that she did not currently have cancer, while continuing close surveillance.

The Patient Story
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Kelly, who was diagnosed with Stage III Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage III Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Kelly's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Kelly, Female, Under 40 | Stage III

Biomarkers: Triple-negative breast cancer; no inherited cancer gene mutation found.

As of February 2025, Kelly identified as a Stage IIIC triple-negative breast cancer survivor after neoadjuvant chemotherapy, double mastectomy with reconstruction, and radiation, and was using her experience to support others through TNBC Thrivers.

The Patient Story
OutcomeSurvivorship / Completed Treatment
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Metastatic Breast Cancer Returning About 20 Years After Initial Treatment

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

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

Metastatic Site: bones

About 20 years after her original breast-cancer treatment and sustained remission, bone biopsy confirmed metastatic recurrence; she became too unwell for planned cancer therapy and chose supportive care.

PubMed Central
OutcomeSetback / Progression
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage 4 hormone receptor-positive breast cancer: remission with PARP inhibitor

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

Biomarkers: HR-positive breast cancer with HER2-low/negative recurrence, and pathogenic BRCA2 R2318* mutation.

Metastatic Site: pleura

As of January 2025, she had maintained complete response for 36 months after sequential FEC/docetaxel and olaparib for hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative/HER2-low metastatic breast cancer with BRCA2 R2318* mutation.

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

Breast cancer survivor with synchronous intercostal nerve schwannomas mimicking metastasis

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, Under 40

Biomarkers: Breast cancer biomarkers not reported; schwannomas were S100-positive

After prior breast cancer treatment, later D6-D7/rib lesions were proven to be S100-positive schwannomas rather than metastases, and surgical removal relieved the patient’s rib-cage numbness and pain.

PubMed Central
OutcomeSurvivorship / Completed Treatment
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage III Breast AdenocarcinomaBreast Cancer

Stage 3B breast cancer: partial mastectomy with pulmonary complications

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 70+ | Stage III

Partial mastectomy was completed for local control of bleeding/anemia in Stage IIIB breast cancer; she was discharged on postoperative day 7 without complications, but long-term cancer control was not reported.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCare Ongoing
Karen, who was diagnosed with Stage II Invasive Lobular CarcinomaBreast Cancer

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

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

Biomarkers: ER-positive; PR-positive; HER2-negative; grade 2; inherited genetic testing negative

Karen completed double mastectomy, 3 months of chemotherapy and reconstruction. She was doing well on ongoing endocrine and targeted therapy and walking 3–5 miles daily.

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

Stage I ER-positive/HER2-positive breast cancer with radiation-associated morphea

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

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

No evidence of breast cancer recurrence after 2018 treatment; ongoing issue was generalized morphea and breast deformity related to prior radiation, improved with mycophenolate by April 2024.

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

Stage IIIC triple-negative breast cancer with pembrolizumab-related HLH/DIC and pathologic complete response

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, Under 40

Biomarkers: Triple-negative/HR-negative breast cancer with germline BRCA1 pathogenic mutation. HLH/DIC episode had high IL-6

Surgery confirmed ypT0ypN0 pathologic complete response after neoadjuvant carboplatin, paclitaxel, and pembrolizumab, and she remained recurrence-free while being monitored without additional cancer-directed treatment.

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

Stage II Breast Cancer: India's Survivor Story

Patient Info: India Robinson, Female, 40s | Stage II

As of January 2025, India had completed Stage II breast cancer treatment and had returned to work, the gym and daily life after robotic lymphatic microsurgery resolved breast lymphedema; the story does not explicitly state NED.

Cleveland Clinic
OutcomeSurvivorship / Surveillance