Targeted Therapy for Stage 4 Breast Cancer: 142 Real Stories

Metastatic Breast Cancer Treatment Complicated by a Supplement–Drug Interaction

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

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

Metastatic Site: bones

She resumed ribociclib with letrozole after the supplement was discontinued and the treatment-related neutropenia improved enough to restart therapy.

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Stage IV Breast Cancer: Sherri's Patient Story

Patient Info: Sherri, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: BRCA1-negative

Metastatic Site: Bone marrow

As of November 2023, Sherri had no evidence of disease on recent breast cancer scans but remained on targeted treatment every 3 weeks and had started oxaliplatin after surgery for a separate Stage III colon cancer.

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Metastatic breast cancer: three years in remission with T-DM1 (Kadcyla) treatment

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: HER2-positive; hormone receptor-positive

Metastatic Site: liver; spine / bone

T-DM1 produced a complete clinical and radiological response after 7 cycles, sustained for 41 months and 60 cycles while treatment continued.

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Stage IV Inflammatory Breast Cancer: Corky's Patient Story

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

Metastatic Site: Not reported

As of October 2023, Corky was living with Stage IV inflammatory breast cancer as a chronic condition, receiving ongoing treatment focused on prolonging life and preserving quality of life.

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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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Exercise Trainer Helps Detect Brain Metastases in a Woman With Long-Standing Metastatic Breast Cancer

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

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

Metastatic Site: liver, bones, lymph nodes, kidney, brain

She died 5 months after the brain metastases were diagnosed, roughly 7 years after her original 2014 breast-cancer diagnosis.

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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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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: Anna's Patient Story

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

As of 2023, Anna was living with Stage IV breast cancer and receiving treatment that included lumpectomy surgery, hormone therapy, and targeted therapy as her plan.

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Metastatic Breast Cancer Treatment Caused Severe Circulation Problems in Her Fingers and Toes

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

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

The digital ischaemia improved after gemcitabine was stopped, without revascularisation, debridement or amputation, although a small necrotic fingertip area persisted at 3 months. Metastatic breast cancer treatment continued with further systemic lines after progression.

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Stage IV PIK3CA Breast Cancer: Abigail's Patient Story

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

Biomarkers: Hormone-positive breast cancer with PIK3CA mutation and germline ATM mutation; later PD-L1 somatic change reported. HER2 not stated.

Metastatic Site: Bone, including femurs, spine, and humeri; later liver

As of October 2022, Abigail was living with Stage IV hormone-positive metastatic breast cancer after years of treatment, bone-dominant disease that later involved the liver, targeted therapies, genomic testing, and advocacy around clinical trials and patient research participation.

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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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Stage IV Breast Cancer: Fleur's Patient Story

Patient Info: Fleur Profinet, Female, 40s | Stage IV

As of May 2022, Fleur was living with metastatic breast cancer; she said chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and hormone therapy had made her metastases “sleep,” while fatigue, pain, and mood changes continued.

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Stage IV Breast Cancer: Màrius's Patient Story

Patient Info: Màrius, Male | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Bone: vertebra/cervical spine and ribs

As of October 2021, Màrius was living with metastatic male breast cancer described as dormant on lifelong medication after chemotherapy, radiation, 3 operations, and cyclin-inhibitor treatment.

Stage IV Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: Carol's Survivor Story

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

Metastatic Site: Bone

Carol had de novo Stage IV breast cancer with bone metastases, achieved complete remission after chemotherapy, stayed on daily Letrozole for 10 years, then returned to NED/no active disease after Kisqali and Faslodex for bone progression.

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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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Occult lobular breast cancer first discovered through colon metastases

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

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

Metastatic Site: colon

Her tumour marker decreased during letrozole and palbociclib treatment, but recurrent infections interrupted therapy, and she died from urosepsis 2 years after diagnosis.

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