Stage II Colorectal Cancer: Allison's Survivor Story

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

As of March 2024, Allison was a Stage IIC rectal/colorectal cancer survivor after chemoradiation, major open surgery with temporary ileostomy and J-pouch creation, and additional chemotherapy; no metastatic disease was reported.

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Colorectal Cancer: Stephanie's Patient Story

Patient Info: Stephanie McBride, 40s

After chemotherapy, surgery, radiation, and a temporary ileostomy, Stephanie continued managing neuropathy, pain, and increased anxiety.

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Stage III Colorectal Cancer: Jelena's Survivor Story

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

As of January 2024, Jelena was on annual follow-up after Stage III rectal cancer treatment, with her latest colonoscopy showing no polyps or suspicious findings.

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Stage II Colorectal Cancer: Kara's Patient Story

Patient Info: Kara Wutzke | Stage II

After chemotherapy, surgery, a temporary ileostomy, and reversal, Kara focused on gradually rebuilding her fitness, strength, and sense of self.

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Rectal signet ring cell cancer with an unusual metastasis into a lipoma

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

Metastatic Site: subcutaneous abdominal wall lipoma, peritoneum

Peritoneal carcinomatosis developed during adjuvant FOLFOX. Second-line chemotherapy was proposed, and he died 12 months later.

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Colorectal Cancer: Allison's Patient Story

Patient Info: Allison Rosen, Female, Under 40

Allison describes herself as a colorectal cancer survivor and has returned to travel, physical activity, and patient advocacy after her surgeries.

Cancer Researcher Becomes Cancer Survivor

Patient Info: J. Mark Brown, Male | Stage III

Ten years after his Stage III colorectal cancer diagnosis, Mark described the treatment as having cured his cancer; he had completed 6 years of periodic oncology follow-up and was living actively with an ileostomy.

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Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Danielle's Patient Story

Patient Info: Danielle Archer, Female, 40s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: No genetic markers reported

Metastatic Site: Liver; lungs

As of August 2023, Danielle was living with Stage IV metastatic colon cancer involving liver and lung lesions that were stable on ongoing treatment and 3-month surveillance scans.

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Rectal Cancer Treated With Radiation, FOLFOX and Surgery in a Woman With a Separate Breast Cancer

Patient Info: Anonymized, female, 60s

Surgery showed only minimal residual rectal adenocarcinoma with clear margins, and later follow-up described both of her cancers as appearing in remission.

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My Stage 4 Colorectal Cancer Story: How I Never Lost Hope

Patient Info: Jason Randall, Male | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Liver; lungs; bone/sacrum

As of June 2023, Jason had a negative Signatera test, CT scans showing 9 months with no evidence of disease, and about 2.5 years off chemotherapy after Stage IV colorectal cancer treatment and lung ablation.

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Stage III Colorectal Cancer: Amy's Survivor Story

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

Biomarkers: Lynch syndrome

As of April 2023, Amy had no evidence of disease after Stage IIIB Lynch syndrome-associated colorectal cancer treatment, with clear scans/tumor-residue testing and ongoing Lynch syndrome surveillance.

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Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Carmen's Survivor Story

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

Metastatic Site: Liver

As of March 2023, Carmen was in remission after Stage IV rectal cancer with liver metastasis was treated with radiation, chemotherapy, rectum/liver surgery, temporary ileostomy, and ileostomy reversal, with recent CT scans showing no evidence of disease.

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Colon Cancer Returned in a Mesenteric Lymph Node 2 Years After Surgery

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male

The recurrent disease was removed with negative margins in a curative-intent operation. At 8 months, his weight was stable and his energy was improving.

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Colorectal Cancer: Xue's Patient Story

Patient Info: Xue Ming, Male, Under 40

As of the January 2022 story, Xue Ming had undergone chemoradiation, chemotherapy, and successful sphincter-preserving rectal cancer surgery, with a temporary ileostomy and good 3-month recovery while follow-up care continued.

Stage III Colorectal Adenocarcinoma: Elizabeth's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Elizabeth, Female | Stage III

After treatment for a local recurrence, Elizabeth was declared cancer-free in February 2025 and continues to cope with fear of recurrence and life with a permanent ostomy.

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Colorectal Cancer: Barbara's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Barbara, Female, 40s

As of October 2021, Barbara described life after completed colon-cancer treatment, including survivorship, parenting, and a stronger perspective; recurrence was not described in this edited video.

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Stage IV Colorectal Adenocarcinoma: Amanda's Patient Story

Patient Info: Amanda, Under 40 | Stage IV

She remains on ongoing treatment for Stage IV disease and describes the cancer as pretty stable while maintaining a good quality of life.

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Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Maria's Patient Story

Patient Info: Maria | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: lungs

After colorectal cancer spread to the lungs, completed 6 months of chemotherapy and is being monitored with CT scans every 3 months.

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Stage III Colorectal Cancer: Allison's Survivor Story

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

As of August 2020, Allison reported no evidence of disease on follow-up scans while continuing survivorship care after rectal-cancer treatment.

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Stage III rectal adenocarcinoma with concurrent intermediate-risk prostate cancer

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 60s

Biomarkers: Rectal cancer CEA was not elevated. Prostate cancer PSA was high before treatment and low after radiation.

The rectal tumor achieved pathologic complete response with no residual tumor and 0 of 13 lymph nodes involved. Surveillance CT at 10 months showed no local recurrence or distant metastasis, and PSA remained low 1 year after operation.

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A benign liver granuloma mimicked rectal-cancer recurrence after chemotherapy

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 40s

Rectal resection showed a pathologic complete response, and the enlarging liver lesion was repeatedly confirmed as non-malignant granulomatous inflammation rather than metastatic recurrence.

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Pemphigus Vulgaris After Rectal Cancer Surgery and Ileostomy

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 50s | Stage Metastatic/Advanced

Clinicians found no evidence of residual internal malignancy during evaluation of her skin disease, and the pemphigus lesions healed after rituximab with remission maintained for 14 months.

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Colon Cancer Discovered During Emergency Surgery for Intussusception

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 70+

She recovered from emergency surgery, was managed conservatively without chemotherapy, and continued regular follow-up after discharge to a nursing home.

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Metastatic Rectal Cancer Complicated by Salmonella-Related Bowel Perforation

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

Metastatic Site: liver; lungs

Postoperative infection and wound complications delayed palliative chemotherapy, and he died from metastatic rectal cancer one year later.

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