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.

Colorectal Cancer: Li's Patient Story

Patient Info: Li Zong

Li Zong remained on chemotherapy and targeted therapy while considering future hospice and palliative care.

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A second colon cancer leading to a Lynch syndrome diagnosis

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 40s

Biomarkers: Complete loss of MSH2 and MSH6 nuclear staining in the cecal tumor; germline pathogenic MSH2 variant NM_000251.2:c.942+3A>T; Lynch syndrome.

The cecal cancer was treated with complete colectomy, while later presumed recurrences were ultimately identified as meningiomas and metastatic pheochromocytoma; he died after the pheochromocytoma progressed.

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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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Stage II Colorectal Adenocarcinoma: Michael's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Michael | Stage II

Declared cancer-free in July 2024 after surgery, chemotherapy and radiation.

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Stage III Colorectal Cancer: Brandon's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Brandon Dale, Male, 50s | Stage III

As of April 2021, Brandon was cancer-free 3 years after Stage III rectal cancer treatment, living normally with a permanent colostomy.

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Severe immune thrombocytopenia during treatment for metastatic colon cancer

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

Biomarkers: KRAS-mutated; microsatellite stable; BRAF-wild type.

Metastatic Site: bilateral ovaries; pelvis; peritoneum; mesenteric…

After multiple metastatic recurrences and treatment changes, she died from progressive colon cancer; oxaliplatin had been permanently stopped after antibody-confirmed immune thrombocytopenia.

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Rectal cancer that later spread to the vagina

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

Metastatic Site: vagina

The isolated vaginal metastasis was surgically removed and followed by another 12 cycles of chemotherapy.

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Emergency Repair of a Long-Term Perineal Hernia After Rectal Cancer Surgery

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

Metastatic Site: lungs

She lived with metastatic rectal cancer and received community palliative care after becoming too frail for further chemotherapy.

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Metastatic Right-Sided Colon Cancer With an NRG1 Fusion

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

Biomarkers: KRAS mutation; POMK-NRG1 fusion

Metastatic Site: liver|lungs

He had persistent metastatic disease after 16 months of afatinib and entered a phase I trial in January 2020.

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Stage III Colorectal Cancer: Kenneth's Patient Story

Patient Info: Kenneth | Stage III

About 2 years after diagnosis, Kenneth was still undergoing treatment for Stage III colorectal cancer in late 2023.

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Stage II Colorectal Cancer: Chad's Patient Story

Patient Info: Chad | Stage II

Chad was recovering from radiation and preparing for major colorectal surgery while managing anxiety about treatment and its effects.

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Nearly 5 years without rectal cancer recurrence when a lung nodule proved to be infection

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 60s

He remained without rectal-cancer recurrence for nearly 5 years after diagnosis. A new lung nodule found in 2020 was surgically biopsied and proved to be Pneumocystis infection rather than metastasis or a new lung cancer.

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Stage III Colorectal Cancer: Cleo's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Cleo | Stage III

Cleo completed active treatment and reports that she is in remission more than 3 years after her February 2021 diagnosis.

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Scurvy and Severe Bruising During Metastatic Colon Cancer Care

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

Metastatic Site: vagina|sacrum

She died one year after hospitalization for scurvy and Klebsiella bacteremia, following progressive malignancy, recurrent infections, and community palliative care.

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Stage III Colorectal Cancer: Ben's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Ben Simcox, Male, Under 40 | Stage III

As of September 2020, Ben was cancer-free for almost 3 years after treatment for rectal cancer with 3 positive lymph nodes, including chemotherapy, radiation, surgery and 6 additional months of chemotherapy.

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Rectal Cancer Recurrence at a Colostomy Site

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

Metastatic Site: abdominal wall|peritoneum

She was alive 6 months after palliative radiotherapy for recurrent disease at the colostomy and abdominal wall.

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Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Scott's Patient Story

Patient Info: Scott Sterling, 50s | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: liver

After nearly 2 years of treatment for Stage IV colorectal cancer, Scott was able to have his primary tumor removed in August 2020 and was recovering while the metastatic disease continued to be managed.

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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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Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Lina's Patient Story

Patient Info: Lina | Stage IV

Lina was living with Stage IV colorectal cancer 2–3 years after diagnosis after stopping chemotherapy, radiation, and immunotherapy.

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Stage II Colorectal Cancer: Lina's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Lina | Stage II

Some years after her Stage II colorectal cancer diagnosis, Lina said she was cancer-free.

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Budesonide resolved severe capecitabine-related diarrhoea during rectal cancer treatment

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 70+ | Stage II

The treatment-resistant diarrhoea resolved within two weeks of starting budesonide, and follow-up endoscopy and biopsies showed complete resolution of the bowel inflammation.

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