HER2-positive breast cancer: surgery after neoadjuvant therapy

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

Biomarkers: ER 1% weakly positive; PR-negative; HER2-positive

No evidence of disease on follow-up while taking anastrozole after pathologic complete response to neoadjuvant T-DM1, lumpectomy/SLNB, radiotherapy, and adjuvant trastuzumab for Stage I HER2-positive breast cancer.

PubMed CentralRead more →

HER2-positive Stage I breast cancer: residual microinvasion after neoadjuvant T-DM1

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

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

No evidence of disease on follow-up after neoadjuvant T-DM1, lumpectomy/SLNB showing only residual microinvasion/DCIS, continued adjuvant T-DM1 to 17 total cycles, and 52.5 Gy radiotherapy.

PubMed CentralRead more →

HR-Positive Breast Cancer: LaShae's Patient Story

Patient Info: LaShae, Female, Under 40

Biomarkers: ER-positive; MammaPrint high-risk recurrence; 70-gene hereditary cancer panel negative

As of June 2024, LaShae had completed mastectomy and was undergoing TC chemotherapy, with radiation and long-term hormonal therapy planned; no remission or NED status was stated.

The Patient StoryRead more →

Stage II Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: Lizzie's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Lizzie, Female | Stage II

Lizzie completed mastectomy, reconstruction-related surgery and 5 weeks of radiation. She remained on a planned 10-year course of an aromatase inhibitor and became active in breast cancer research advocacy.

Lobular Breast Cancer AllianceRead more →

Stage IV triple-negative breast cancer in remission: CBD and exercise for neuropathy

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

Biomarkers: Triple-negative breast cancer. Blood and immune inflammation measures were tracked during neuropathy care.

Metastatic Site: liver

She was in remission for more than 5 years after Stage IV breast cancer with a solitary liver metastasis, while later managing chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy with CBD and an exercise program that improved symptoms and function.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Stage 0 Invasive Ductal Carcinoma: Erica's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Erica Newbert Campbell, Female | Stage 0

Biomarkers: BRCA1/2-negative

As of June 2024, about 6 years after Stage 0 DCIS diagnosis, Erica described her body and mind as cancer-free after double mastectomy and reconstruction.

The Patient StoryRead more →

Stage IV Breast Cancer: Lisa's Patient Story

Patient Info: Lisa Ordmandy, Female, 60s | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Spine/bone: C2 and L3 vertebrae

As of June 2024, Lisa was living with metastatic breast cancer as a chronic illness, had recovered mobility after November 2023 spine surgery, continued close MD Anderson monitoring, and was being evaluated for possible clinical trials.

MD AndersonRead more →

Stage 3 breast cancer: pathologic complete response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, Under 40

Biomarkers: ER-positive, PR-negative, HER2-negative breast cancer with very high Ki-67. MammaPrint high-risk/basal type; hereditary testing negative.

Free of recurrence at last follow-up after neoadjuvant pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy, breast-conserving surgery with RCB-0/pathologic complete response, adjuvant radiation, and adjuvant pembrolizumab.

PubMed CentralRead more →

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

Patient Info: Liz O'Riordan, Female, 40s | Stage III

Biomarkers: ER-positive; HER2-negative; PIK3CA mutation reported by patient

As of June 2024, Liz described Stage III ER-positive/HER2-negative mixed ductal and lobular breast cancer followed by 2 locoregional recurrences after mastectomy; no distant metastatic disease was described for her personal story.

YouTube — Dr Liz O'RiordanRead more →

Breast Cancer: Virginia's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Virginia Carnesale, Female

As of June 2024, Virginia Carnesale was a breast cancer survivor and founder of Stage, a marketplace created to help patients find treatment-tested fashion, beauty, and lifestyle products.

Secretory Breast Carcinoma With Apocrine Differentiation in a 72-Year-Old Woman

Patient Info: Anonymized, female, 70+

Biomarkers: ER and PR positive in the microcystic component and negative in the solid component; AR-positive in the solid component

More than 1 year after diagnosis, she was alive and under long-term surveillance after surgery.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Breast Cancer and a Rare Benign Blood-Vessel Growth Found in the Same Lymph Node

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 40s

Biomarkers: HER2-negative

A 47-year-old woman with hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer had five involved axillary lymph nodes, including one that also contained a rare benign hemangioma.

PubMed CentralRead more →

BRCA2-mutant metastatic breast cancer: complete response with rucaparib maintenance

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

Biomarkers: Germline BRCA2 mutation; somatic BRCA2 mutation; HER2 amplification not seen by FISH; grade III IDC

Metastatic Site: bone

She maintained a complete response for 2 years on rucaparib, letrozole, and zoledronic acid after upfront metastatic BRCA2-mutated breast cancer involving bone, axillary nodes, and right-breast nodules.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: Kim's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Kim, Female

Biomarkers: ER 99% positive; PR 85% positive; HER2-negative

Kim’s ER-positive, PR-positive, HER2-negative ILC responded strongly to Zoladex and Letrozole before skin-sparing mastectomy, with 90% tumor necrosis, clear margins, no lymph node spread, and confirmation that she was cancer-free.

Lobular Breast Cancer AllianceRead more →

Primary breast angiosarcoma: R0 resection, disease-free at 6 months

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, Under 40

Biomarkers: ERG-positive; Ki-67 50%

Disease-free 6 months after skin-sparing mastectomy with R0 resection for localized primary breast angiosarcoma; continued close 3-month surveillance after declining further treatment.

PubMed CentralRead more →

ER/PR-positive invasive mucinous breast cancer: mastectomy, DIEP reconstruction, and tamoxifen

Patient Info: Anonymized, trans woman, 50s

Biomarkers: ER 100% positive; PR 100% positive; HER2-negative; 19-gene hereditary cancer panel negative

As of May 2024, she was 1 year after bilateral DIEP free-flap reconstruction, satisfied with the cosmetic result, taking tamoxifen for recurrence-risk reduction, and planning nipple reconstruction; no recurrence status beyond the postoperative course was stated.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Stage 4 breast cancer: hip reconstruction preserves mobility

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

Metastatic Site: bone (right acetabulum/pelvis: ilium, ischium,…

As of May 2024, 2 years after reconstruction for metastatic breast cancer involving the right acetabulum/pelvis, she had no recurrence of hip pain and had returned to baseline function; overall systemic cancer response was not reported.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Stage 2 triple-negative breast cancer: pathologic complete response to chemotherapy

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

Biomarkers: Triple-negative breast cancer, with pathogenic PALB2 c.1451T>A variant found in blood/buccal/tumor testing.

As of May 2024, more than 1 year after surgery, she was well and free of cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy, mastectomy, reconstruction, and preventive adnexectomy.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Secretory breast cancer: mastectomy and radiotherapy to no evidence of disease

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

Biomarkers: ER-negative; PR-negative; HER2-negative; Ki-67 50%; tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes 60%

As of May 2024, 6 months after mastectomy and adjuvant radiotherapy for pT2N0M0 triple-negative secretory breast cancer, clinical examination and imaging showed no evidence of relapse.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Stage III Inflammatory Breast Cancer: Katrece's Patient Story

Patient Info: Katrece Nolen, Female | Stage III

More than 10 years after her diagnosis, Katrece was taking medication intended to reduce recurrence risk and remained active in advocacy for people with inflammatory breast cancer.

HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: Irasema's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Irasema Partida Chavez, Female

Biomarkers: HER2-positive

Irasema reported no evidence of breast cancer for 3 years after surgery and HER2-targeted treatment.

Stage IV Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: Melissa's Patient Story

Patient Info: Melissa Adams, Female | Stage IV

Melissa’s breast cancer progressed after maintenance hormone therapy and was reassigned as Stage IV. She describes living with incurable disease while focusing on keeping the cancer at bay and staying engaged with family, church, and advocacy.

Triple-negative metaplastic breast cancer with complete pathologic response to chemotherapy

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 40s

Biomarkers: ER-negative; PR-negative; HER2-negative; Ki-67 <10%; CK-positive; S100-positive; focal vimentin-positive

At 1-year follow-up, there were no signs of recurrence after doxorubicin/cyclophosphamide chemotherapy and modified radical mastectomy with complete pathologic response.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Samantha's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Samantha Salway, Female, Under 40

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

As of May 2024, Samantha had delivered a healthy baby, completed chemotherapy, lumpectomy, radiation and additional chemotherapy, had no current evidence of cancer, and remained under close monitoring.

Cleveland ClinicRead more →