Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Starr's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Starr, Female, 40s | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Liver; peritoneum; lymph nodes

Starr had Stage IV colon cancer involving the liver, peritoneum, and lymph nodes. After chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and 2 surgeries in early 2025, she was told scans and circulating-tumor testing showed no visible cancer. As of October 2025, she described being in remission.

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The Cancer Spread One Year Later…

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

Metastatic Site: Lungs; bilateral lung nodules

Kalei initially had Stage II rectal cancer that responded to chemoradiation and IV chemotherapy without rectal surgery. In 2025, biopsy-proven lung metastasis changed the diagnosis to Stage IV. As of October 2025, she had undergone lung resections with clear margins and remained in ongoing follow-up rather than having a clearly stated NED status.

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Stage II Colorectal Adenocarcinoma: Ali's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Ali, Female, Under 40 | Stage II

Ali completed 8 chemotherapy treatments after delivering her daughter by C-section at 35 weeks. A January 2025 scope and biopsy confirmed remission, and later MRI, scope, and colonoscopy surveillance were good. As of October 2025, she remained on close watch-and-wait surveillance.

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Kidney complication after switching colorectal cancer chemotherapy regimens

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

Metastatic Site: liver

The cancer had worsening liver metastases when FTD/TPI began. After treatment was stopped, steroid therapy resolved edema within 1 month and proteinuria returned to baseline 2.5 months after admission; the later cancer course was not established.

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Stage IV sigmoid colon cancer: recurrence after FOLFOX, hepatectomy, and colectomy

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

Biomarkers: Mismatch repair proficient; microsatellite stable; KRAS wild-type; BRAF wild-type; CEA 3.8 ng/mL at diagnosis

Metastatic Site: liver, lung

As of September 2025, metastatic sigmoid colon cancer had recurred in the lungs and remnant liver after initial FOLFOX, hepatectomy, and colectomy, requiring FOLFIRI plus cetuximab.

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Stage IV BRAF Colorectal Cancer: Jackson's Patient Story

Patient Info: Jackson, Male, Under 40 | Stage IV

Biomarkers: BRAF mutation

Metastatic Site: Liver; peritoneal wall

Jackson had Stage IV BRAF-mutated colon cancer with extensive liver disease and later confirmed peritoneal-wall tumors. His treatment response was strong, with about 90% of liver disease estimated gone, but he remained on active treatment with possible future HIPEC evaluation. As of September 2025, he was responding well but not cancer-free.

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Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Laura's Patient Story

Patient Info: Laura VanBrocklin, 40s | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: liver

After multiple procedures and surgery for Stage IV colorectal cancer with liver involvement, Laura was still finishing chemotherapy.

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Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Heather's Patient Story

Patient Info: Heather Candrilli, Female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Liver

Heather had Stage IV colon cancer with liver-only metastases. Her scans improved and Signatera became negative, but she still had many liver lesions and was not considered resectable. As of September 2025, she remained on chemotherapy while pursuing living-donor liver transplant evaluation.

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Stage IV transverse colon cancer with NTRK fusion: entrectinib response followed by fatal PTTM

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

Biomarkers: RAS/BRAF wild type, low TMB. CEA and CA19-9 were elevated before entrectinib and fell with response.

Metastatic Site: peritoneum, greater omentum, pleura,…

He died 7 weeks after hospitalization from pulmonary tumor thrombotic microangiopathy causing severe pulmonary hypertension and right-heart failure, despite biochemical and ascites response to entrectinib.

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Stage III Colorectal Cancer: Kara's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Kara Lionetta, Female | Stage III

An update to Kara's story reported that she was no evidence of disease while completing cleanup chemotherapy and planning later ileostomy reversal.

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Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Claire's Patient Story

Patient Info: Claire, Female, 40s | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Abdominal wall; lungs

As of September 2025, Claire was living with metastatic recurrent colorectal cancer as a chronic illness, receiving chemotherapy every 2 weeks since April 2018, approaching her 200th round, and maintaining stable disease with no signs of growth.

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Colorectal Cancer: Shiva's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Shiva Sharma, Male, 40s

As of September 2025, Shiva described being told he was cancer-free after surgery and continued follow-up with scans every 6 months and regular colonoscopy.

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Metastatic rectal cancer: total scapulectomy improves pain and function

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

Biomarkers: CEA 418 ng/mL preoperatively; 10.3 ng/mL postoperatively; 7.2 ng/mL at 7 months; 11.1 ng/mL at about 5 months postoperatively; 6.4 ng/mL at 8 months

Metastatic Site: liver, right acromion/scapula, left adrenal gland

The patient had meaningful pain relief and functional recovery after total scapulectomy, but later developed liver and left adrenal progression and remained on palliative chemotherapy with a positive response.

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Stage III Colorectal Cancer: Nicole's Survivor Story

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

Nicole completed surgery and 6 months of chemotherapy for Stage III sigmoid colon cancer. As of August 2025, she described good scans and bloodwork while managing survivorship issues, including lasting chemotherapy-related nerve damage.

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Colorectal Cancer: Samantha's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Samantha Fletcher, Female, Under 40

After surgery and 8 rounds of chemotherapy, Samantha completed treatment in March and scans showed no evidence of disease.

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Colorectal Cancer: Kathy's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Kathy Ball-Toncic, Female, 60s

As of August 2025, Kathy had been declared cancer-free again in August 2024 after treatment for breast DCIS and a later colorectal cancer, rebuilt strength with physical therapy, and completed a 162-mile Pan-Mass Challenge ride.

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Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Devon's Survivor Story

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

Devon first reached no evidence of disease in February 2024, then had a Stage IV recurrence in August 2024. After additional chemotherapy and radiation ending January 2025, her June 2025 scans, bloodwork, and tumor markers were clear or negative.

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Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Dan's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Dan Trombley, Male, Under 40 | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Liver; portal vein; duodenum

As of July 2025, after Stage IV colon cancer that had spread through much of the liver and involved the portal vein and duodenum, Dan’s cancer had not returned and he had regained strength, returned to work, and welcomed a daughter in 2023.

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Stage III Colorectal Cancer: Ian's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Ian, Male, Under 40 | Stage III

Ian had Stage III sigmoid colon cancer treated with robotic laparoscopic surgery and adjuvant FOLFOX-based chemotherapy. As of July 2025, he described negative ctDNA tests and clear scans, with his oncologist comfortable saying he had been NED since surgery on December 13, 2022.

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Stage IIIB ascending colon cancer with later cervical and vaginal metastases, systemic nodal progression, and death

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

Biomarkers: Primary colon cancer and vaginal/cervical metastasis both supported colorectal origin. MMR proteins were retained; HER2 0; Ki-67 high in metastasis.

Metastatic Site: cervix, vagina, rectal wall/serosa, systemic lymph…

After initial Stage IIIB ascending-colon cancer and later cervical/vaginal metastatic recurrence, CAPEOX was stopped because of cardiac toxicity; systemic lymph node metastases developed in early 2023, treatment was abandoned, and she died in April 2023.

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Stage IIIC ascending colon adenocarcinoma with appendiceal goblet-cell/signet-ring features: no recurrence at 46 months

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

Biomarkers: Colon tumor: MMR proteins retained, p53 positive, Ki-67 80%. Appendix lesion had neuroendocrine markers and Ki-67 10%.

At last follow-up on December 31, 2024, about 46 months after surgery, outside CT imaging and CEA testing showed no radiologic or biochemical evidence of tumor recurrence or metastasis.

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I Was SHOCKED At My STAGE 4 Diagnosis!

Patient Info: Lauren, Female, 40s | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: peritoneum / abdominal cavity

Lauren was early in treatment for Stage IV signet-ring cell colon cancer. As of July 2025, she was receiving chemotherapy, living with a colostomy, and hoping for enough response to allow further surgery or HIPEC; remission was not stated.

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Kate Joyal

Patient Info: Kate Joyal | Stage IV

After 8 rounds of chemotherapy and colorectal surgery, Kate reported clear follow-up scans and remained hopeful about becoming cancer-free.

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Metastatic colorectal cancer during pregnancy: chemotherapy and liver metastases

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

Biomarkers: Mismatch-repair deficient; KRAS ; BRAF not detected; CEA 38 ug/L; Lynch syndrome family history

Metastatic Site: liver, porta hepatis lymph nodes, retroperitoneal…

After initial response to FOLFOX, she developed bowel obstruction after moving closer to family and died during that admission after conservative management.

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