Colorectal Cancer: Leon's Patient Story

Patient Info: Leon Gerspacher, Male, Under 40 | Stage Metastatic/Advanced

Biomarkers: No hereditary colorectal cancer described

Leon was living with advanced unresectable rectal cancer on indefinite palliative chemotherapy; the tumor was stable at the time described, and he remained active despite side effects, uncertainty, and life with a stoma.

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Stage III Colorectal Cancer: Kevin's Survivor Story

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

Biomarkers: Tumor DNA used to create custom blood test for ctDNA monitoring; no actionable biomarker reported

No issues or signs of recurrence 2.5 years after finishing chemotherapy, with clean colonoscopy 1 year after surgery and ongoing liquid-biopsy monitoring.

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Stage III Colorectal Cancer: Nick's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Nick Cleworth, Male, 40s | Stage III

Cancer-free after ARTEMIS clinical-trial treatment for node-positive rectal cancer, avoiding surgery and a permanent colostomy.

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Stage IV MSI-High Colorectal Cancer: Cindy's Patient Story

Patient Info: Cindy Mette, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: MSI-high

Cindy’s tumor responded to the experimental Werner helicase inhibitor, with falling CEA levels and radiologic response. The response was continuing in 2025 while she remained on the clinical trial.

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Stage IV MSI-High Colorectal Cancer: JJ's Patient Story

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

Biomarkers: Lynch syndrome; microsatellite instability

Metastatic Site: Abdominal wall; lymph nodes throughout the body

At the latest scan, the main abdominal tumor remained stable. JJ had completed 126 rounds of chemo-immunotherapy and continued treatment every 3 weeks; small lung nodules were being watched but were not confirmed as metastases.

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Stage III Colorectal Cancer: Haley's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Haley Pollack, Female, Under 40 | Stage III

Years into survivorship after Stage IIIC colon cancer treated with surgery, CAPOX chemotherapy, and a recurrence-prevention clinical trial; later continued trial follow-up and advocacy for parents with cancer.

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Stage III Colorectal Cancer: Jeffrey's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Jeffrey, Male | Stage III

As of May 2026, Jeffrey reported no evidence of disease, while remaining careful about surveillance language and managing lasting neuropathy after treatment.

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Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: David's Patient Story

Patient Info: David, Male | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Liver; lung; tailbone/bone

Had clear scans after multiple treatments for recurrent Stage IV colon cancer, but a later positive Signatera test suggested possible microscopic disease and more treatment was being planned.

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Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Joe's Patient Story

Patient Info: Joe, Male | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Specific biomarkers not reported

Metastatic Site: Liver; lymph nodes; lungs

Stage IV colon cancer initially reached no evidence of disease after FOLFOX plus panitumumab, but later recurred in the liver and lymph nodes, progressed to the lungs, and did not respond to later FOLFOX rechallenge or FOLFIRI before he started an immunotherapy clinical trial.

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Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Cora's Patient Story

Patient Info: Cora, Female | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Liver; lungs

As of February 2026, Cora had recurrent Stage IV colorectal cancer with a positive ctDNA test but clear CT imaging after stopping an immunotherapy trial because of toxicity, so ongoing care and monitoring were still needed.

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Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Kina's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Kina, Female | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Lungs; lymph node

As of January 2026, Kina described herself as technically having no cancer/no evidence of disease after lung resections, though confirmatory CT was still pending and she was still recovering from complications.

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Stage I Colorectal Cancer: Jessica's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Jessica, Female, Under 40 | Stage I

Biomarkers: Lynch syndrome

Jessica had Stage I Lynch syndrome-associated rectal cancer treated with an immunotherapy clinical-trial approach rather than chemoradiation or surgery. Midpoint colonoscopy and MRI showed the mass was gone, and she completed 7 infusions over 6 months. As of September 2025, she was in survivorship with intensive Lynch syndrome surveillance.

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Stage IV HER2-Positive Colorectal Cancer: Emily's Patient Story

Patient Info: Emily King, Female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Biomarkers: HER2-positive

Metastatic Site: lungs

Emily remained on active treatment for metastatic HER2-positive colon cancer, and her current Boston treatment had shrunk the cancer by 20% with fewer side effects.

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Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Amy's Patient Story

Patient Info: Amy Nicole, Female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: liver; lymph nodes near kidneys/retroperitoneal lymph…

As of June 2024, Amy was living with recurrent Stage IV colon cancer and was on an immunotherapy clinical trial that improved quality of life compared with chemotherapy, though she did not describe remission or NED.

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Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Jessica's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Jessica Dazzler, Female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Biomarkers: FoundationOne testing performed; exact mutation not stated

Metastatic Site: lungs, spine, rib

As of May 2024, Jessica said it took 3 years and 4 months to reach no evidence of disease after Stage IV colorectal cancer, though she remained anxious about future scans and possible circulating cancer.

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Elsa Lankford

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

Biomarkers: Biomarker testing completed; results not reported

She remained in treatment for Stage IV colon cancer and had entered immunotherapy trial NCT05572684; reported side effects included skin rashes and increased anxiety.

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Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Jeff's Patient Story

Patient Info: Jeff Williams, Male, 50s | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Liver; lungs

As of December 2023, Jeff was living with recurrent Stage IV colorectal cancer, had recently developed more lung tumors, continued chemotherapy locally every 2 weeks, and returned to UT MD Anderson every 3 months for scans.

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Stage IV BRAF Colorectal Cancer: Loralee's Patient Story

Patient Info: Loralee Lovell, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: BRAF mutation; microsatellite stable

Metastatic Site: liver|lungs|lymph nodes|peritoneal lining

Loralee continued treatment for metastatic colon cancer for several years and died on May 26, 2026.

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Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Julie's Patient Story

Patient Info: Julie Flower, Female | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Liver; lungs; lymph nodes; bones

As of September 2023, Julie had longstanding Stage IV colorectal cancer but a strong clinical-trial response after about 2.5 years on trial, with possible first no-evidence-of-disease assessment expected soon but not confirmed in this record.

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Stage III MSI-High Colorectal Cancer: Kelly's Survivor Story

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

Biomarkers: dMMR; MSI-H

As of September 2023, Kelly remained in remission after 9 dostarlimab immunotherapy infusions for Stage III dMMR/MSI-H rectal cancer, avoiding the expected chemo/radiation/surgery pathway.

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Stage IV HER2-Positive Colorectal Cancer: Brian's Patient Story

Patient Info: Brian Beck, 50s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: HER2-positive

Metastatic Site: liver

Brian was receiving tucatinib plus trastuzumab on a clinical trial and was working full time 4.5 years after his Stage IV diagnosis.

Stage III Colorectal Cancer: Kelly's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Kelly Spill, Female | Stage III

As of August 2023, Kelly was in complete clinical response/NED after 9 dostarlimab treatments over about 6 months, avoiding the initially expected chemoradiation and surgery path.

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Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Gene's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Gene Jones, Male, 50s | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Liver; lung

As of July 2023, Gene was an 81-year-old, 30-year Stage IV colon cancer survivor with no active colon cancer reported after chemotherapy, cryoablation/liver surgery, later liver surgery, and left-lung surgery.

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How I Found Out I had Colon Cancer: I Wrote Off All My Symptoms

Patient Info: Haley P., Female, Under 40 | Stage III

As of March 2023, Haley had completed surgery, CAPOX chemotherapy, and 3 years of daily recurrence-prevention trial pills, with ongoing low-touch trial follow-up and no active recurrence described.

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