Bilateral inflammatory breast cancer treated with pembrolizumab and surgery

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

Biomarkers: Bilateral breast cancers had different biology: right side ER/PR-positive and HER2 FISH-negative; left side triple-negative/HER2 1+.

As of March 2025, she had no recurrence 6 months after bilateral mastectomy, bilateral axillary lymph node dissection, thoracoabdominal flap closure, and planned postmastectomy radiation for Stage IIIC bilateral inflammatory breast cancer.

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Left breast epithelioid MPNST with concurrent right breast cancer: no recurrence after surgery

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

Biomarkers: Left MPNST markers included S100 and SOX10 positivity. Right breast cancer was ER/PR-positive, HER2-negative/1+

As of March 2025, 3 years after bilateral mastectomy, there was no recurrence of the left epithelioid MPNST or the concurrent right breast invasive ductal carcinoma.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Stage IIIA encapsulated papillary breast carcinoma with invasion: mastectomy, axillary dissection, and anastrozole

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

Biomarkers: ER 100%; PgR 80%; HER2 2+ by IHC with FISH negative; Ki-67 20%; initial biopsy HER2 1+

She received postoperative anastrozole alone after right mastectomy and axillary dissection; no apparent recurrence was observed 18 months after surgery.

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Stage III Breast Cancer Complicated by a Large Liver Abscess

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

Biomarkers: ER-positive, HER2-negative

Continuing adjuvant anastrozole and oncology follow-up after mastectomy for Stage III breast cancer.

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Stage III HER2-Positive Breast Cancer Complicated by Systemic Sclerosis During Treatment

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

Biomarkers: HER2-positive

At 3-month follow-up after anticancer treatment was stopped, no breast-cancer recurrence or metastasis was detected.

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Stage III HER2-Positive Occult Breast Cancer With a Complete Response to Treatment

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

Biomarkers: HER2-positive

Surgery after neoadjuvant treatment found no residual tumor in the breast or 20 examined lymph nodes, indicating a complete pathologic response; HER2-targeted therapy continued afterward.

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Triple-negative breast cancer: partial response to TAC chemotherapy

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

Biomarkers: Triple-negative breast cancer with EGFR positivity and high Ki-67; BRCA1 staining was positive by IHC.

After 1 cycle of TAC chemotherapy, the large ulcerated breast tumor shrank enough for surgery. Radical mastectomy with adjacent flap transfer achieved clear margins and no nodal metastatic cancer; she was recovering at home while awaiting planned postoperative AC-T chemotherapy.

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Stage 3 infiltrating ductal carcinoma treated with radical mastectomy

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

Biomarkers: Breast cancer was ER/PR positive, HER2 negative

The patient recovered fully after right radical mastectomy and complete axillary dissection for Stage III male breast infiltrating ductal carcinoma; adjuvant therapy and recurrence follow-up were not reported in the extracted case text.

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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.

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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.

Triple-negative breast cancer and ovarian cancer treated with chemotherapy and PARP inhibitor

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

Biomarkers: Germline pathogenic BRCA2 c.6468_6469del; breast tumor triple-negative

As of April 2024, 6-week follow-up after breast and nodal radiation was unremarkable, erythema had resolved, and no breast, chest wall, respiratory, or axillary abnormality was found; longer-term control was not reported.

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Stage III Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: Harvey's Patient Story

Patient Info: Harvey, Male, 50s | Stage III

Biomarkers: Genetic testing negative

Harvey was in active treatment for male Stage IIIC grade 3 ILC after right mastectomy and initiation of AC-T chemotherapy, with radiation and endocrine/targeted therapy planned as of March 2024.

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Stage III Breast Cancer: Gail's Patient Story

Patient Info: Gail, Female, 60s | Stage III

Biomarkers: Luminal A

As of 2024, Gail had Stage III luminal A breast cancer and was awaiting the start of planned treatment with lumpectomy, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and hormone therapy.

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Stage IIIA breast cancer history with benign lipid pneumonia mimicking lung malignancy

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

Prior Stage IIIA breast cancer treatment was completed; a later suspicious lung lesion proved to be benign lipid pneumonia rather than recurrence or lung cancer, and she was asymptomatic 1 year after lobectomy with continued surveillance for new right-lung changes.

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Stage III Breast Cancer: Susana's Patient Story

Patient Info: Susana | Stage III

Treatment is ongoing with docetaxel chemotherapy, with surgery still being planned at the time described.

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Stage III Male Breast Cancer Responds to Chemotherapy, Surgery and Radiation

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

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

Follow-up CT scans 4 months and 9 months after surgery showed no suspicious metastatic lesions or tumor recurrence.

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Stage III Breast Cancer Linked to Paraneoplastic Neuromyelitis Optica

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

Biomarkers: ER-positive, PR-positive, HER2-negative; tumor AQP4 expression

A 51-year-old woman with Stage III hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer developed a rare paraneoplastic neurologic disorder that caused severe vomiting and spinal-cord symptoms.

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Kelly's Stage 3 Breast Cancer Story: “I’m Still Here & THRIVING!"

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

Biomarkers: Initial triple-negative breast cancer; after surgery

As of August 2023, Kelly was 5 years from her Stage IIIC triple-negative breast cancer diagnosis with no recurrence reported.

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Stage III Inflammatory Breast Cancer: Nikki's Patient Story

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

Biomarkers: Hormone-positive

As of July 2023, Nikki had completed 7 chemotherapy rounds for Stage III inflammatory hormone-positive breast cancer, had no sign of distant spread on PET scans, and was preparing for single mastectomy, radiation, and long-term hormone therapy.

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

Patient Info: Nikki, Female | Stage III

Biomarkers: HER2-positive; hormone receptor-positive

After 7 chemotherapy rounds, imaging showed no visible disease, but the team expected possible microscopic cancer. A single mastectomy, radiation and long-term hormone therapy were still planned, so she was not classified as cancer-free.

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Stage III Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: Neda's Survivor Story

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

Neda had completed surgery, 24 CMF treatments and 25 radiation treatments. She was regaining energy, had started endocrine therapy and was preparing to add another recurrence-reduction medicine.

Lobular Breast Cancer AllianceRead more →