Radiation for Stage 4 Breast Cancer: 155 Real Stories

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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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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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 HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: Christine's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Christine Hodgdon, Female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Biomarkers: HER2-positive

Christine had no evidence of disease after 1 year and continued HER2-targeted treatment with regular surveillance scans.

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: 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 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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Metastatic Breast Cancer Presenting With Severe Pulmonary Hypertension

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

Biomarkers: ER-positive; PR-positive.

Metastatic Site: bone; bone marrow

At seven months, she was doing well with a marked response on PET imaging, normalized right-heart pressures, and ongoing systemic treatment with palbociclib.

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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 spreading to the colon, rectum and peritoneal surfaces

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

Biomarkers: Primary tumor: ER >80% positive; PR 50–60% positive; HER2 negative; E-cadherin positive. Later colorectal metastases: ER positive; PR negative; HER2 negative; CK7 positive; CK20 negative; CDX2 negative.

Metastatic Site: colon, rectum, peritoneum, diaphragm, liver, bowel,…

Metastatic breast cancer was subsequently confirmed in the colon and rectum, with later laparoscopic biopsies showing peritoneal and additional intra-abdominal metastatic disease.

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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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Stage IV Breast Cancer With Long-Term Tumor Regression After Radiation Therapy

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

Biomarkers: HER2 positive

Metastatic Site: 8th thoracic vertebra

Follow-up showed near-complete regression of the breast tumor, resolution of the bone lesion, normal tumor markers, and a 2015 biopsy with no tumor cells. Follow-up showed no further recurrence, and she returned to work with good quality of life.

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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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Metastatic Breast Cancer With Bone and Liver Progression After Multiple Therapies

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

Biomarkers: Initial tumor: ER 80%, HER2 negative, Ki67 18%. Liver metastasis: ER 75%

Metastatic Site: bone, liver

After massive hepatic progression and liver failure, chemotherapy was stopped and she died on January 31, 2016.

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Bilateral Breast Cancers Followed by Metastatic Disease and Long Eribulin Treatment

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

Biomarkers: Left primary: ER 90%, HER2 FISH not amplified, Ki67 25%. Right primary: ER 90%

Metastatic Site: lung, pleura, liver, bone

After pelvic bone metastases appeared in 2017, she stopped eribulin, received pelvic radiation and remained on fulvestrant treatment.

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Metastatic Breast Cancer With Durable Liver and Peritoneal Response to Eribulin

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

Biomarkers: Initial tumor: ER 90%, PgR 70%. Liver metastasis: ER 60%, HER2 1+

Metastatic Site: liver, peritoneum

While continuing eribulin beyond 34 cycles, her liver disease was stable and the peritoneal response persisted after earlier major tumor reduction.

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Metastatic Breast Cancer Responding to Eribulin After Repeated Liver Progression

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

Biomarkers: ER 100%, HER2 negative

Metastatic Site: bone, liver

Eribulin remained ongoing with repeated partial responses documented through 12 cycles and no need for dose reduction.

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