Mastectomy for Stage 4 Breast Cancer: 131 Real Stories

Right breast cancer with contralateral axillary lymph-node metastasis

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

Biomarkers: Right breast primary: ER-positive; PR-positive; HER2-negative; Ki-67 70%. Left axillary metastasis: ER-positive; PR-negative; HER2-negative; Ki-67 15%; GATA3-positive.

Metastatic Site: contralateral left axillary lymph nodes

Two years after bilateral surgery, clinical and radiological follow-up showed no metastasis or disease recurrence.

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A durable response to trastuzumab in heavily pretreated metastatic breast cancer

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

Biomarkers: Initial tumor ER-positive and PR-positive. Metastatic liver biopsy ER-negative and PR-negative with HER2 IHC 1+ and nonamplified. Later biopsy ER and PR weakly positive at 5%–10%, HER2 IHC 1+ and nonamplified, and ERBB3 p. with evidence of HER2/HER3 pathway activation.

Metastatic Site: lungs; hilar and mediastinal lymph nodes; liver; bone

She had ongoing benefit for more than 10 months on trastuzumab and capecitabine, with improved symptoms, lower tumor markers, and a confirmed partial response.

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Stage IV Breast Cancer: Harper's Patient Story

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

Harper was living with Stage IV breast cancer after self-funded private treatment that included mastectomy, lymphadenectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy; she felt better than before diagnosis but still hoped for complete recovery.

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Stage IV Breast Cancer: Rachael's Patient Story

Patient Info: Rachael | Stage IV

Rachael was living with stage 4 breast cancer after following a plan of mastectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.

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HER2-positive breast cancer diagnosed during pregnancy and later spread to bone and brain

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

Biomarkers: Initial tumour: ER 0%, PR <1%, HER2 3+

Metastatic Site: bone (L3)|brain

After treatment and surveillance without new lesions, she developed a large symptomatic occipital brain metastasis 14 months after completing paclitaxel and radiation and died after rapid neurological deterioration.

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Stage IV Invasive Ductal Carcinoma: Allison's Patient Story

Patient Info: Allison Rebello, female, 40s | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: bones (neck, spine, hip, ribs), lungs

As of October 2020, Allison’s metastatic breast cancer was stable and she was feeling well on daily oral cancer therapy.

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Stage IV Breast Cancer: Pam's Patient Story

Patient Info: Pam Benchley, Female, 50s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Not explicitly reported; treated with anti-estrogen therapy and a CDK4/6 inhibitor

Metastatic Site: Liver

As of October 2020, Pam had responded favorably to anti-estrogen therapy plus a CDK4/6 inhibitor, surgery, radiation and liver radiofrequency ablation; her oncologist described her as free of evidence of active cancer, while avoiding the term cancer-free for metastatic disease.

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Stage IV Breast Cancer: Doris's Patient Story

Patient Info: Doris, Female | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: lungs

As of August 2020, Doris was living with Stage IV breast cancer metastatic to the lungs after chemotherapy and bilateral mastectomies, and the story asked for help so she could continue treatment.

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Recurrent Breast Cancer With a Benign-Appearing Chest-Wall Rash

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Initial tumor: ER-positive; PR-negative; HER2-negative.

Metastatic Site: mediastinal lymph nodes

She had recurrent chest-wall and mediastinal metastatic disease; a later rash biopsy showed dermatitis rather than another skin recurrence.

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Young woman with ductal breast cancer and bleeding gastric metastases

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

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

Metastatic Site: pancreas|liver|kidney|stomach

After rapid progression to the pancreas, liver, kidney and stomach, she chose palliative care and died 1 month after presenting with gastrointestinal bleeding.

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Lobular breast cancer later spread to the stomach, bone, neck and mediastinum

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

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

Metastatic Site: stomach|bone|neck|mediastinum

After gastric metastasis was diagnosed and later imaging showed bone, neck and mediastinal spread, her oral intake and health declined; she chose palliative care and died 7 months after the diagnostic endoscopy.

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Lobular Breast Cancer Spread Into a Nasal Tumor

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

Biomarkers: Metastatic lobular focus: ER 8/8; PR 8/8; HER2-negative; E-cadherin-negative.

Metastatic Site: liver; bone; right nasal cavity within an olfactory…

The nasal lesion was removed with no residual local disease on imaging, and capecitabine was restarted while oncology follow-up continued for metastatic breast cancer.

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Stage IV Invasive Ductal Carcinoma: Kristine's Patient Story

Patient Info: Kristine, Female | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Lymph nodes; chest wall; upper lungs

As of May 2020, Kristine was living with recurrent metastatic breast cancer involving lymph nodes, chest wall and upper lungs, after surgery and radiation, with daily oral chemotherapy helping keep cancer controlled.

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

Patient Info: Eva Joseph | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Triple-negative

Metastatic Site: lungs, sternum

On ongoing atezolizumab plus nab-paclitaxel, Eva’s lung and sternum tumors became very small and were being kept at bay while she felt well enough to enjoy short trips.

Stage IV Breast Cancer: Kirby's Patient Story

Patient Info: Kirby Lewis, Male | Stage IV

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

Metastatic Site: lung|spine

Kirby was living with metastatic breast cancer, and his most recent scans showed the right-lung tumor was stable with no signs of progression while he continued fulvestrant and palbociclib.

Stage IV BRCA2 Breast Cancer: Lisa's Patient Story

Patient Info: Lisa Quinn, Female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Inherited BRCA2 mutation

Metastatic Site: bone, liver

Lisa Quinn died on August 30, 2021, after sharing her experience with metastatic breast cancer and advocating for cancer research funding.

Stage IV Breast Cancer: Dan's Patient Story

Patient Info: Dan DiNardo, Male, 40s | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Left femoral ball/hip; spine; lymph nodes; chest

As of January 2020, Dan was living with metastatic recurrent male breast cancer on ongoing hormone-blocking therapy plus a CDK4/6 inhibitor after surgery and hip radiation; his cancer had shown no growth for 1 year.

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Metastatic ER-positive breast cancer complicated by osteonecrosis of the jaw

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

Biomarkers: ER-positive.

Metastatic Site: bone (sternum, spine, pelvis, and proximal femur)

After progressive metastatic bone disease and severe medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw, she entered end-of-life care and died three weeks after discharge to a nursing home.

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Breast Cancer Recurrence in the Liver Mimicking Cirrhosis

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

Biomarkers: Original cancer: HER2-negative and PR-positive. Liver recurrence: ER-positive.

Metastatic Site: liver

The breast cancer recurred in the liver after 14 years, produced pseudocirrhosis and portal-hypertension complications, and she died from hepatorenal syndrome five weeks after presentation.

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Breast Cancer Recurrence in the Parotid Gland Eight Years Later

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

Biomarkers: Primary breast tumor: ER-positive and HER2-positive. Parotid metastasis: ER-positive, PR-negative, and HER2-positive.

Metastatic Site: left parotid gland

The isolated parotid metastasis was completely resected, one-month PET-CT showed no significant abnormality, and endocrine therapy continued with exemestane.

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Stage IV Breast Cancer: Magnolia's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Magnolia | Stage IV

Magnolia was declared cancer-free in March 2022 and described herself as remaining in remission while continuing hormone therapy.

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Breast cancer recurrence involving the bladder and bones

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Initial breast cancer: ER-positive, PR-positive, HER2-negative. Bladder metastasis: ER-positive, PR-negative, HER2 1+.

Metastatic Site: bladder, bone, rectosigmoid region, anorectal region

She died in October 2016 from pulmonary haemorrhage, 47 months after metastatic disease was diagnosed.

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Breast cancer recurrence presenting with numb chin syndrome

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

Metastatic Site: sternum, left mandibular foramen

She was discharged ambulatory without lower-limb pain, although left mandibular numbness persisted, with monthly oncology follow-up planned.

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Metastatic Lobular Breast Cancer With Long-Term Disease Control Across Multiple Therapies

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

Biomarkers: Initial tumor: ER negative, HER2 negative, Ki67 17%. 2006 recurrence: ER 40%

Metastatic Site: pleura, liver, skin, bone

She was alive on ongoing metronomic vinorelbine with substantial disease stabilization at the most recent follow-up.

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