Mastectomy for Stage 4 Breast Cancer: 131 Real Stories

Metastatic HER2-Positive Breast Cancer With Treatment-Related Telangiectasias

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

Biomarkers: HER2-positive; initially ER-negative and PR-negative; metastatic disease weakly ER-positive and PR-negative; germline testing negative

Metastatic Site: left supraclavicular, mediastinal, axillary and…

Living with HER2-positive breast cancer for 9+ years since her 2014 diagnosis, including metastatic disease since 2017. She remained on reduced-dose tucatinib in 2023 while treatment-related telangiectasias improved after dose reduction and electrocautery.

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BRCA2-Positive Breast Cancer in a Woman With Down Syndrome

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

Biomarkers: ER-positive, PR-negative, HER2-negative, germline BRCA2 pathogenic variant

Metastatic Site: lungs, bones

The cancer later progressed with lung and bone metastases and extensive cancer spread through lymphatic vessels in both lungs. She died 59 months after breast surgery.

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Treatment-Refractory Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Treated With Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes

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

Biomarkers: Germline BRCA1 pathogenic variant; later triple-negative phenotype

Metastatic Site: skin, lungs, bones

Tumor burden briefly decreased after tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte therapy, but she developed severe treatment complications followed by rapid cancer relapse and died about 1 month after the TIL/IL-2 treatment began.

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Male Breast Cancer Controlled for Years Through Multiple Lines of Targeted and Endocrine Therapy

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

Biomarkers: Initial tumor ER-positive, PR-positive, HER2-positive; later ER-positive, PR-negative, HER2-negative; PIK3CA mutation; germline BRCA1/2 negative

Metastatic Site: bones, pleura, liver

After a 5-year and 6-month disease-free interval, the cancer recurred in bone and later progressed to the pleura and liver. He died in January 2021, more than 13 years after his 2007 breast-cancer diagnosis.

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Adenoid Cystic Breast Cancer Spreads to the Kidney, Lungs, Bone and Spleen

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

Biomarkers: Triple-negative

Metastatic Site: kidneys, lungs, spleen, bone, lymph nodes

The cancer progressed from an initial kidney metastasis to widespread disease involving the lungs, spleen, right kidney, lymph nodes, and C4 vertebra. By May 2022 she had worsening cachexia and pain, and best supportive care was recommended.

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Male breast cancer in both breasts linked to Klinefelter syndrome, initially missed

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male | Stage IV

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

Metastatic Site: spine / bone

With advanced metastatic disease and an estimated prognosis of weeks or less, care focused on symptom relief under the palliative-care team.

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Breast cancer lung metastasis treated with a minimally invasive freezing procedure

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: HER2-positive; ER-negative

Metastatic Site: lungs

Follow-up PET/CT at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months after cryoablation showed no progression or new lesions without systemic therapy.

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

Patient Info: Olivia Franz, Female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Biomarkers: HER2-positive

Metastatic Site: Bones; distant lymph nodes

As of October 2023, Olivia continued to show no evidence of disease on scans while receiving maintenance trastuzumab and pertuzumab every 3 weeks and zoledronic acid every 3 months for bone health.

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Stage IV Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: April's Patient Story

Patient Info: April Donaldson, Female, 40s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Triple-negative breast cancer; BRCA1 positive

Metastatic Site: Lungs

As of September 2023, April was living with Stage IV metastatic triple-negative breast cancer in the lungs; scans were stable in February but showed growth again in July, and PARP inhibitor therapy was being planned.

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Stage IV Breast Cancer: Britney's Patient Story

Patient Info: Britney Beadle, Female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Bone; liver; brain; lungs

As of August 2023, Britney was living with Stage IV breast cancer on Enhertu every 21 days, with liver clear and bone/lung disease showing regression on the latest described scan.

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Stage IV Breast Cancer: Brittney's Patient Story

Patient Info: Brittney Beadle, Female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Bones; liver; brain; lungs

As of August 2023, Brittney was living with Stage IV breast cancer on ENHERTU every 21 days, with brain clear for 4.5 years, liver clear, and bone and lung disease regressing.

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Stage IV HR-Positive Breast Cancer: Abigail's Patient Story

Patient Info: Abigail Myers, female, Under 40 | Stage IV

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

Metastatic Site: bones, brain

Abigail continued living with Stage IV metastatic breast cancer after about 8 years of multiple treatment lines, including therapy for bone and brain metastases.

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Chemotherapy complication: methotrexate absorbed into the bloodstream after spinal injection

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ER-positive; PR-positive; HER2-negative; Oncotype DX Recurrence Score 20

Metastatic Site: leptomeninges / central nervous system; brain

Five months after leptomeningeal carcinomatosis was recognised, she developed a new 2 cm brain lesion and neurological decline. Her family chose supportive care, and she died 10 days after transfer to inpatient hospice.

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Breast cancer that spread to the thymus gland

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Oestrogen receptor-positive; progesterone receptor-positive; HER2-negative

Metastatic Site: thymus

She had a good response after 4 cycles of abemaciclib, anastrozole and goserelin and continued endocrine treatment with surveillance of the opposite breast.

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Rare breast cancer subtype that recurred years later in a more aggressive form

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: CD117 focally positive in the transformed component; high Ki-67; hormone-receptor status was unknown at the original diagnosis

Metastatic Site: lungs

One year after treatment for the late chest-wall recurrence, CT showed another local recurrence and metastatic nodules in both lungs. She chose to continue treatment elsewhere.

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Stage IV BRCA Invasive Ductal Carcinoma: Langley's Patient Story

Patient Info: Langley Perer, female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Biomarkers: inherited BRCA mutation

Metastatic Site: brain, bones, leptomeninges

After 1 year on a PARP inhibitor, Langley’s metastatic breast cancer remained in check without progression and some lesions had begun to shrink.

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Stage IV Breast Cancer: Adriana's Patient Story

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

Adriana was continuing treatment for stage 4 breast cancer and hoped for a complete response. She remained focused on her children despite substantial emotional and financial strain.

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Stage IV HR-Positive Breast Cancer: Bethany's Patient Story

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

Biomarkers: ER-positive / hormone-positive

Metastatic Site: Liver; bones; lymph nodes; stomach

As of December 2022, Bethany was living with Stage IV metastatic breast cancer after recurrence to the liver, bones, lymph nodes, and stomach, and was on lifelong maintenance treatment after disease shrinkage.

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Metastatic Breast Cancer Reclassified After NTRK Fusion Testing

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ETV6-NTRK3 fusion detected in tissue but not circulating tumor DNA; ER low-positive; PR-negative; HER2-negative; PD-L1-negative; germline CHEK2 variant of uncertain significance

Metastatic Site: lungs and pleura; hilar, mediastinal and retrocaval…

After tissue testing identified an ETV6-NTRK3 fusion, treatment with larotrectinib produced a rapid clinical and radiological response.

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Stage IV Breast Cancer: Lianne's Patient Story

Patient Info: Lianne Kraemer, female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: brain

Six years after brain metastases were diagnosed, Lianne remained in active follow-up with scans and treatment decisions every 8 weeks while living with metastatic breast cancer.

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Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Recurring in Groin Lymph Nodes

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

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

Metastatic Site: right inguinal lymph node; right iliac/pelvic lymph…

Her condition deteriorated after 3 cycles of palliative capecitabine. She developed vomiting, headache and seizures concerning for brain metastases and died about 4 months after the groin metastasis was detected.

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Recurrent Lobular Breast Cancer Spread to the Opposite Armpit Lymph Node

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

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

Metastatic Site: Contralateral right axillary lymph node

After surgery for the recurrence and removal of the opposite-side axillary nodes, the patient proceeded with adjuvant chemotherapy and remained in active treatment.

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

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

Biomarkers: HER2-positive

Metastatic Site: Liver

As of March 2022, Loli was living with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer involving the liver and receiving clinical-trial treatment with chemotherapy every 21 days.

Stage IV Inflammatory Breast Cancer: Caroline's Patient Story

Patient Info: Caroline McGuirk, female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: pelvic bone

Caroline continued follow-up care and regular infusions to control Stage IV inflammatory breast cancer.

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