Hormone Therapy for Stage 4 Breast Cancer: 135 Real Stories

Stage IV Breast Cancer: Linda's Patient Story

Patient Info: Linda Norman, Female, 60s | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Bone: humerus/shoulder region

As of August 2025, Linda was 1 year into treatment for bone-metastatic breast cancer with letrozole, Verzenio, and bone-strengthening infusions; scans showed the tumor had not grown and bone scarring suggested healing.

Metastatic hormone receptor-positive breast cancer: palbociclib and fulvestrant during dialysis

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

Biomarkers: ER-positive; PR-negative; HER2 0 / HER2-negative; Ki-67 20.1%

Metastatic Site: lung, pleura, bone, right supraclavicular lymph node

As of August 2025, metastatic breast cancer had remained stable for 18 months on fulvestrant plus dialysis-adjusted palbociclib dosing, with hematologic toxicity managed through treatment interruptions, transfusion, and dose reduction.

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Metastatic invasive lobular breast cancer with emergency surgery for bowel obstruction

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

Metastatic Site: peritoneum, ovaries, pelvic wall/pelvic mass, liver…

The patient had known metastatic invasive lobular breast cancer and recovered from emergency laparotomy for bowel obstruction, with discharge in stable condition on postoperative day 5.

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Isolated adrenal metastasis from breast cancer: adrenalectomy and exemestane plus palbociclib

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

Biomarkers: ER-positive; PR-positive; HER2-negative; GATA3-positive; CK7-positive; mammaglobin-positive; GCDFP-15 rare staining

Metastatic Site: right adrenal gland

After laparoscopic right adrenalectomy for isolated metastatic breast carcinoma, follow-up CT abdomen/pelvis and PET-CT showed no metastatic disease elsewhere; surveillance while on exemestane and palbociclib showed no recurrence so far.

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HER2-low lobular breast cancer with bone marrow involvement responding to T-DXd

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Initial surgical specimen: ER-positive; PR-negative; HER2-negative. Bone marrow relapse: breast cancer infiltration with low HER2 staining.

Metastatic Site: bone marrow

Two years after starting T-DXd, this patient remained free of bone marrow disease and continued the same treatment regimen.

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HER2-low lobular breast cancer with bone marrow involvement treated with T-DXd

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Initial surgical specimen: ER-positive; PR-negative; HER2-negative. Bone marrow relapse: breast cancer infiltration with low HER2 staining.

Metastatic Site: bone marrow

Two years after starting T-DXd, this patient remained free of bone marrow disease and continued the same treatment regimen.

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

Patient Info: Kathleen McEvoy-Schufreider, female, 60s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: HER2-positive

Metastatic Site: liver, bones

Kathleen continued long-term treatment for metastatic breast cancer, including infusions every 3 weeks after resuming the PATINA regimen outside the trial.

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Metastatic male breast cancer: complete metabolic response after restarting anastrozole, leuprolide, abemaciclib, zoledronic acid, and radiation

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

Biomarkers: ER >95%; PR >95%; HER2/neu-negative; Ki-67 30%; PIK3CA exon 21 pathogenic variant; BRCA1 not mutated; BRCA2 not mutated

Metastatic Site: bone (vertebral bodies T2-T6, L1, and L5)

As of May 2025, after restarting endocrine and targeted therapy and receiving palliative radiation, the last two PET scans showed complete metabolic response without disease progression, and brain MRI showed no metastasis.

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Metastatic ER-positive pleomorphic lobular breast cancer: psoas metastasis and stable disease on eribulin

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

Biomarkers: Primary and chest-wall recurrence were ER/PR positive, HER2 negative. Later psoas metastasis was ER positive, PR/HER2 negative.

Metastatic Site: skin of left chest wall; bone; left psoas muscle;…

As of May 2025, one year after diagnosis of malignant psoas syndrome from breast cancer metastasis, she remained on outpatient treatment with eribulin and had stable disease.

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

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

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

Metastatic Site: Rib; spine; pelvis

After a mixed response on the radium trial, Samantha changed to anastrozole and abemaciclib. She described the newer hormone-targeted combination as easier to tolerate and working better while remaining in ongoing treatment.

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HER2-positive breast cancer with brain metastases: responding well to T-DXd

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

Biomarkers: ER-positive; PR-positive; HER2-positive / HER2 IHC 3+

Metastatic Site: brain (left cerebellum, left frontal lobe, medulla)

After 14 months and 19 doses of T-DXd, brain metastases remained controlled with no symptomatic or radiological relapse and no severe T-DXd-related adverse events.

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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.

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Metastatic breast cancer with receptor evolution: sequential endocrine, immunotherapy, CDK4/6, and antibody-drug conjugate treatment

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

Biomarkers: Markers changed over time: initial tumor ER-positive/HER2-negative; local recurrence triple-negative/HER2-low; pleural fluid ER-negative.

Metastatic Site: mediastinal lymph nodes, pleura; pulmonary nodules…

More than 7 years after diagnosis, she remained on sequential systemic therapy for metastatic breast cancer, with at least a partial response 3 months after starting sacituzumab govitecan for presumed triple-negative pleural disease.

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Stage IV luminal A breast cancer: liver resection and disease-free follow-up

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

Biomarkers: luminal A; ER-positive; PgR-positive; HER2-negative

Metastatic Site: lung, liver

Disease-free after R0 hepatic segmentectomy for breast cancer liver metastasis, with May 2021 MRI showing no remaining liver nodules while she continued maintenance letrozole and goserelin.

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Stage IV luminal B HER2-negative breast cancer with liver-limited metastasis resected after systemic therapy

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

Biomarkers: Luminal B; HER2-negative

Metastatic Site: liver

After liver segmentectomy for breast-cancer liver metastasis, follow-up imaging showed no remaining liver nodes, and she remained fit, well, disease-free, and on maintenance letrozole plus goserelin.

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Stage 4 HR-positive breast cancer: stable disease on ribociclib

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

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

Metastatic Site: left iliac bone

Metastatic HR-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer remained without progression as of October 2024 while she continued ribociclib 400 mg plus letrozole after SBRT to a left iliac bone metastasis.

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Stage IV luminal B breast cancer with liver, bone, and bone marrow metastases

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

Biomarkers: ER 90% positive; PR 20% positive; HER2-negative; Ki-67 60%; luminal B

Metastatic Site: liver, bone, bone marrow

The patient had marked clinical and hematologic improvement on leuprorelin, letrozole, ribociclib, and zoledronic acid, with sustained complete remission reported for 4 months from September to December 2023 and monthly follow-up advised.

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

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

Biomarkers: HER2-positive; broad hereditary genetic testing negative

Metastatic Site: spine

As of November 2024, Nina described being in a no-evidence-of-disease phase, while continuing treatment because of her Stage IV HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer history.

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Breast invasive lobular carcinoma metastatic to the endometrium: hysterectomy and hormone therapy

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

Biomarkers: HER2 negative, PR/HER2 negative.

Metastatic Site: endometrium (endometrial polyp)

No signs of recurrence were reported 18 months after total hysterectomy with bilateral adnexectomy for endometrial metastasis from invasive lobular breast carcinoma, with scheduled follow-up every 3 to 6 months.

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

Patient Info: Dee Doherty, Female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Hormone-sensitive disease implied by letrozole and ovarian suppression; ER/PR/HER2 status not explicitly stated

Metastatic Site: bone

As of September 2024, Dee was living with Stage IV metastatic breast cancer. Her tumors had not shrunk, but disease was stable on ribociclib/Kisqali, letrozole, and ovarian suppression.

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Stage IV KRAS Breast Cancer: Lauren's Patient Story

Patient Info: Lauren, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: KRAS mutation in colon cancer context

Metastatic Site: Abdominal lining; spine

As of September 2024, Lauren was living with a history of Stage IV colon cancer and recurrent metastatic breast cancer in the spine, with low colon tumor markers, recurring spinal spots, and PET scans every 3 months.

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Stage IV Breast Cancer: Lourdes's Patient Story

Patient Info: Lourdes Monje, Under 40 | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: lung

Lourdes is receiving investigational treatment through a clinical trial, with manageable side effects, while continuing to work and spend time with family and friends.

Stage 4 breast cancer: complete remission with letrozole and palbociclib

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Breast cancer was ER/PR positive, HER2 0

Metastatic Site: pleura/pleural effusion

Breast cancer remained in remission on letrozole after palbociclib was stopped; Ph-positive B-ALL achieved complete response with no molecular residual disease after blinatumomab plus ponatinib, with ongoing monthly outpatient monitoring.

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Stage 4 breast cancer: ongoing treatment with multi-line chemotherapy

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

Biomarkers: Initial tumor: hormone receptor-negative; HER2 2+. 2011 recurrence: ER 10%; PR 70%; HER2 2+.

Metastatic Site: pleura/pleural effusion; lung

Metastatic breast cancer with malignant pleural effusion achieved complete response after chemotherapy and long-term endocrine therapy; PET-CT in October 2023 still showed complete response, with ongoing cardiac and bone-health management.

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