Bloodstream Infection in a Man With Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

Patient Info: Anonymized, male, 70+

He was living with colorectal cancer involving the liver and peritoneum after multiple chemotherapy courses and liver surgery.

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HER2-amplified metastatic colon cancer treated with afatinib after several therapies

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

Biomarkers: RAS wild-type; BRAF wild-type; HER2 amplification; HER2 mutation

Metastatic Site: liver|abdominal wall|lung

After multiple treatment lines and a 3-month period of stable disease on afatinib, the cancer progressed again. He died in January 2018 from severe lung infection and kidney failure.

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Colorectal Cancer: Michelle's Patient Story

Patient Info: Michelle

Michelle underwent partial colectomy, chemotherapy and immunotherapy after a colon tumor was found during evaluation of pain, bowel changes and blood in the stool.

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Stage II Colorectal Adenocarcinoma: Anne-Marie's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Anne-Marie | Stage II

Anne-Marie was declared cancer-free in January 2025 and continues to manage fear of recurrence.

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Catherine

Patient Info: Catherine | Stage III

After treatment, Catherine continues to manage bowel changes after stoma reversal and remains concerned about recurrence while focusing on family life.

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Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Carole's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Carole Motycka, Female, 40s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Juvenile polyposis syndrome

Metastatic Site: Liver

As of December 2018, Carole was cancer-free after chemotherapy, complete removal of colon and liver cancers, liver-directed chemotherapy infusion pump placement and a living donor liver transplant; she had returned to normal life.

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Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Anatole's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Anatole Karpovs, Male, Under 40 | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Liver

As of October 2018, Anatole had no evidence of disease after liver surgery and FOLFIRI for a July 2014 liver recurrence, and had been cancer-free for almost 4 years while recognizing that microscopic disease could still be possible.

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Rectal Cancer Spreading to the Thyroid and Bones

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 40s | Stage Metastatic/Advanced

Biomarkers: CEA 2.75 ng/mL at diagnosis

Metastatic Site: thyroid|bones

His metastatic disease worsened after 3 cycles of bevacizumab and capecitabine. He declined further treatment and died at home within 2 months.

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Colon Cancer With Lung Metastasis Alongside a Separate Thyroid Cancer

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 60s | Stage Metastatic/Advanced

Biomarkers: Rising CEA

Metastatic Site: lungs

A 64-year-old woman had colon cancer involving the lungs while a separate follicular-variant thyroid cancer involved the kidney.

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Metastatic Colon Cancer With Painful Skin Fissures During Cetuximab

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

Biomarkers: KRAS unmutated

Metastatic Site: lungs|pericardium|mediastinal lymph nodes

He died not long after cetuximab was stopped following cancer progression.

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Metastatic colon cancer in a woman later diagnosed with Lynch syndrome

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

Biomarkers: Pathogenic germline MLH1 p. mutation; Lynch syndrome

Metastatic Site: liver

Twenty years after the metastatic colon cancer treatment, she presented with a separate small-bowel adenocarcinoma rather than recurrent colon cancer. Follow-up imaging 6 months after treatment of that later cancer showed no evidence of neoplastic disease.

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Teenage colon cancer initially mistaken for anorexia nervosa

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

Biomarkers: Loss of MSH2 and MSH6 expression; microsatellite instability; MSH2 variant of uncertain significance suspected to affect splicing; Lynch syndrome diagnosis

She remained in remission 3 years after surgery.

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Locally advanced transverse colon cancer complicated by a colocutaneous fistula

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

After initially recovering from surgery, she developed a respiratory infection, sepsis and metabolic encephalopathy and died after cardiorespiratory arrest on postoperative day 12.

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Colorectal cancer discovered during treatment for Klebsiella endophthalmitis

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 60s | Stage II

Post-treatment pathology showed Stage II rectal adenocarcinoma, with a synchronous sigmoid adenocarcinoma also identified.

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Colon cancer chemotherapy complicated by a severe manic episode

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

He completed chemotherapy without further affective episodes on the revised regimen and remained under regular follow-up.

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Stage III Colorectal Cancer: Annie's Patient Story

Patient Info: Annie Schreiber, Female, Under 40 | Stage III

As of March 2018, Annie had recovered from TaTME surgery with a temporary ileostomy instead of a permanent colostomy and was undergoing chemotherapy with a very good prognosis.

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Rectal cancer treatment followed by a rare rectovaginal fistula

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 60s

After fistula repair and later ileostomy closure, she remained fully continent despite 5–10 liquid bowel movements per day.

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Stage IV Colorectal Adenocarcinoma: Patricia's Patient Story

Patient Info: Patricia, 50s | Stage IV

Living with Stage IV colorectal cancer after about 6.5 years of intermittent chemotherapy and multiple local treatments; on a treatment holiday while awaiting December 2024 scans.

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Stage IV rectal cancer treatment complicated by repeated heart-related side effects

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: p53 mutation

Metastatic Site: liver

After responding again to adapted chemotherapy and NanoKnife ablation, she had no evidence of active disease and had not restarted chemotherapy; ileostomy reversal was planned.

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Severe but reversible neurologic side effects during 5-fluorouracil treatment for Stage IV colorectal cancer

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

Metastatic Site: liver

His confusion, dysarthria and ataxia resolved within 24 hours with intravenous hydration, and the MRI lesion resolved within 1 month. The cancer later progressed on restaging, prompting another treatment change.

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Rectal Cancer With Extensive Perineal Invasion Six Years After Surgery

Patient Info: Anonymized, female, 60s

She was treated for extensive local and perineal rectal-cancer involvement, while chest and abdominal imaging showed no distant metastases.

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Stage III Colon Cancer Found Alongside Ovarian and Adrenal Cancers

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

More than 2 years after diagnosis, she had no sites of recurrence or metastatic disease, and a recent colonoscopy showed no recurrence or polyps.

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Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Treated With S-1 After 5-FU Cardiotoxicity

Patient Info: Anonymized, male, 60s

Biomarkers: RAS-mutant

After progression in the liver despite prior systemic and liver-directed treatment, he started S-1, oxaliplatin and bevacizumab; the first cycle caused no cardiac complication and treatment continued as an outpatient.

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Stage IV Colorectal Adenocarcinoma: Darrell's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Darrell Sawyer, Male | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Liver

As of February 2017, Darrell had completed surgery, portal vein embolization, liver resection and chemotherapy for Stage IV sigmoid adenocarcinoma and was living with treatment effects including neuropathy, vision changes, weight loss and chemobrain.

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