Surgery for Breast Cancer: 974 Real Stories

974 stories match breast cancer and surgery. 653 of them mention chemotherapy.

Cancer Stories

Melissa, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Invasive Lobular CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Stage IV Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: Melissa's Patient Story

Patient Info: Melissa Adams, Female | Stage IV

Melissa’s breast cancer progressed after maintenance hormone therapy and was reassigned as Stage IV. She describes living with incurable disease while focusing on keeping the cancer at bay and staying engaged with family, church, and advocacy.

AACR
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
A patient, who was diagnosed with Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Triple-negative metaplastic breast cancer with complete pathologic response to chemotherapy

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 40s

Biomarkers: ER-negative; PR-negative; HER2-negative; Ki-67 <10%; CK-positive; S100-positive; focal vimentin-positive

At 1-year follow-up, there were no signs of recurrence after doxorubicin/cyclophosphamide chemotherapy and modified radical mastectomy with complete pathologic response.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Samantha, who was diagnosed with Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Samantha's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Samantha Salway, Female, Under 40

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

As of May 2024, Samantha had delivered a healthy baby, completed chemotherapy, lumpectomy, radiation and additional chemotherapy, had no current evidence of cancer, and remained under close monitoring.

Cleveland Clinic
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Breast CancerBreast Cancer

At 41, a Tumor Test Supported Chemotherapy for Rare Neuroendocrine Breast Cancer

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 40s

Biomarkers: Chromogranin strongly positive; synaptophysin strongly positive; ER score 270; PR score 75; HER2-negative; Ki-67 60%; Oncotype DX Recurrence Score 41

A 41-year-old with a small, node-negative neuroendocrine breast tumor had an Oncotype DX score of 41, supporting chemotherapy despite otherwise early features.

PubMed Central
OutcomeNot reported
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

MSI-High Metastatic Hormone-Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer Responding to Pembrolizumab

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

Biomarkers: ER-positive; PR-positive; HER2-negative; MSI-high; BRCA mutation-negative

Metastatic Site: bone, para-aortic lymph nodes, brain

Pembrolizumab produced marked improvement in metastatic bone and nodal disease. After 1 year it was stopped because of appetite loss; 8 months later she was symptom-free and back at work on endocrine therapy, although asymptomatic brain metastases were documented.

PubMed Central
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
A patient, who was diagnosed with Breast CancerBreast Cancer

At 40, a Tumor Test Supported Chemotherapy for Rare Neuroendocrine Breast Cancer

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 40s

Biomarkers: Chromogranin strongly positive; synaptophysin strongly positive; ER score 300; PR score 240; HER2-negative; Ki-67 35%; Oncotype DX Recurrence Score 38

A 40-year-old with a 1.4 cm, node-negative neuroendocrine breast tumor had a high Oncotype DX score of 38, supporting chemotherapy.

PubMed Central
OutcomeNot reported
A patient, who was diagnosed with Breast CancerBreast Cancer

At 45, a Tumor Test Supported Chemotherapy for Rare Neuroendocrine Breast Cancer

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 40s

Biomarkers: Chromogranin strongly positive; synaptophysin strongly positive; ER score 300; PR score 270; HER2-negative; Ki-67 40%; Oncotype DX Recurrence Score 32

A 45-year-old with a 2.0 cm, node-negative neuroendocrine breast tumor had a high Oncotype DX score of 32, supporting chemotherapy.

PubMed Central
OutcomeNot reported
A patient, who was diagnosed with Breast CancerBreast Cancer

At 53, a Tumor Test Suggested Chemotherapy Could Be Avoided for Rare Breast Cancer

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 50s

Biomarkers: Chromogranin strongly positive; synaptophysin strongly positive; ER score 285; PR score 300; HER2-negative; Ki-67 40%; Oncotype DX Recurrence Score 13

A 53-year-old with a 3.0 cm, grade 3 neuroendocrine breast tumor had a low Oncotype DX score of 13, suggesting chemotherapy could be omitted.

PubMed Central
OutcomeNot reported
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage III Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Triple-negative breast cancer and ovarian cancer treated with chemotherapy and PARP inhibitor

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

Biomarkers: Germline pathogenic BRCA2 c.6468_6469del; breast tumor triple-negative

As of April 2024, 6-week follow-up after breast and nodal radiation was unremarkable, erythema had resolved, and no breast, chest wall, respiratory, or axillary abnormality was found; longer-term control was not reported.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCare Ongoing
A patient, who was diagnosed with Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Vision problems led to a breast cancer diagnosis (cancer-associated retinopathy)

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female

Biomarkers: Anti-recoverin and anti-alpha-enolase antibodies associated with cancer-associated retinopathy; tumor biomarkers not reported

Six years after her initial visual symptoms, vision remained stable and she remained cancer-free on surveillance.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Freezing treatment (cryoablation) used to manage slow-growing triple-negative breast cancer

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage Metastatic/Advanced

Biomarkers: ER-negative; PR-negative; HER2-negative; androgen receptor-positive in original tumor; Ki-67 5% initially and 10% at recurrence

At 29 months after recurrence diagnosis and 20 months after the first cryoablation, no viable breast tumor was seen at treated sites, axillary nodes were unchanged, pain was absent, and she remained active and independent.

PubMed Central
OutcomeStable
A patient, who was diagnosed with Breast CancerBreast Cancer

HER2-positive apocrine breast cancer: chemotherapy and Herceptin

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 60s

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

Disease-free for 2 years after treatment for HER2-positive apocrine breast cancer, with no reported lymph-node recurrence or distant metastases during surveillance.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Invasive Lobular CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Invasive lobular breast cancer with isolated scalp metastasis: excision and endocrine therapy

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

Biomarkers: Original breast tumor: ER-positive; PR-positive; scalp metastasis: CK7-positive; ER-positive; GCDFP-15 partially positive

Metastatic Site: scalp/skin

As of April 2024, she had no signs of recurrence in the breast or scalp and no distant metastasis after excision of the isolated scalp metastasis while continuing anastrozole.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Allison, who was diagnosed with Stage II Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Stage II HR-Positive Invasive Ductal Carcinoma: Allison's Patient Story

Patient Info: Allison Tierney, Female | Stage II

Biomarkers: ER-positive; PR-positive; HER2-positive; CHEK2 mutation; BRCA1/2 negative

As of March 2024, Allison had completed Taxol and Herceptin treatment, was on tamoxifen planned for 10 years, and had moved to 6-month oncology follow-up. No metastatic disease or recurrence was reported.

YouTube — The Patient Story
OutcomeCare Ongoing
Harvey, who was diagnosed with Stage III Invasive Lobular CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Stage III Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: Harvey's Patient Story

Patient Info: Harvey, Male, 50s | Stage III

Biomarkers: Genetic testing negative

Harvey was in active treatment for male Stage IIIC grade 3 ILC after right mastectomy and initiation of AC-T chemotherapy, with radiation and endocrine/targeted therapy planned as of March 2024.

Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance
OutcomeCare Ongoing
SI
Breast Cancer

Stage II Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Chance's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Chance Osborne, Female, Under 40 | Stage II

Biomarkers: ER-negative; PR-negative; HER2-negative; BRCA1 mutation

As of March 2024, Chance Osborne was a young Stage II TNBC survivor with a BRCA1 mutation, sharing her experience with chemotherapy, double mastectomy recovery, and advocacy.

Dear Cancer, I'm Beautiful (LBBC)
OutcomeSurvivorship / Completed Treatment
A patient, who was diagnosed with Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Malignant Phyllodes Tumor Recurs Early Along the Biopsy Tract in a Young Woman

Patient Info: Anonymized, female

Biomarkers: No pathogenic germline mutations identified; MLH1 variant of uncertain significance

Clinical examination, breast MRI, and chest CT showed no evidence of disease at about 3 months after the recurrence surgery and before the 6-month follow-up.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Dorian, who was diagnosed with Stage II Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Stage II HR-Positive Invasive Ductal Carcinoma: Dorian's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Dorian de Salvo, Female | Stage II

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

As of March 2024, Dorian had a complete response to TCHP chemotherapy, clear surgical margins, and no lymph-node involvement after surgery, with radiation completed and additional care still expected for several months.

The Patient Story
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED