Stage I Colorectal Cancer: Aloysius's Patient Story

Patient Info: Aloysius | Stage I

He is receiving chemotherapy after partial colectomy for Stage I colorectal cancer and remains hopeful about recovery.

Our Cancer StoriesRead more →

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.

Our Cancer StoriesRead more →

Stage I Colorectal Cancer: Andy's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Andy | Stage I

Andy describes reaching remission after treatment and continues regular colon screening because of concern about recurrence.

Our Cancer StoriesRead more →

Stage I rectosigmoid cancer presenting as full-thickness rectal prolapse

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, Under 40 | Stage I

He recovered without postoperative complications and was discharged five days after resection of the stage I rectosigmoid cancer.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Stage I colon cancer found during treatment planning for breast cancer

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

Biomarkers: MSH2, MSH6, MLH1, and PMS2 expression preserved.

Two years after surgery, she remained well with no CT evidence of metastatic disease or recurrence while continuing six-monthly follow-up.

PubMed CentralRead more →

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.

PubMed CentralRead more →

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.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Teri's Patient Story

Patient Info: Teri Griege, Female | Stage IV

Years after her 2009 Stage IV diagnosis, Teri described herself as a cancer fighter and thriver and continued endurance athletics and cancer-research advocacy.

Stage III Colorectal Cancer: Suzanne's Patient Story

Patient Info: Suzanne Kulliver, Female | Stage III

Suzanne completed colon cancer treatment in November 2015 and later reported feeling well and returning to an active routine.

Severe lung injury during panitumumab treatment for metastatic colon cancer

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

Metastatic Site: lungs, bones, pelvis

She died from respiratory failure 13 days after the onset of pulmonary symptoms. Autopsy showed diffuse alveolar damage consistent with acute respiratory distress syndrome and metastatic colon adenocarcinoma in the right lung.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Ureter-to-Colon Fistula After Surgery for Sigmoid Cancer

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 60s

He recovered from repair of the postoperative ureterocolic fistula and returned to work six months after the original cancer operation, although he remained very tired.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Metastatic Colon Cancer With KRAS, NRAS, and BRAF Mutations

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

Biomarkers: KRAS exon 3 ; NRAS exon 2 ; BRAF exon 10 ; PIK3CA exon 2 .

Metastatic Site: liver

The liver metastases progressed despite FOLFOX and bevacizumab, and he died within one year of the initial diagnosis.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Long-term survival after surgery for colon cancer with a stomach metastasis

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

Metastatic Site: stomach

She had no signs of recurrence 7 years and 4 months after surgery and was living with good quality of life.

PubMed CentralRead more →

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.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Radiation Controlled Bleeding Before Surgery for Colon Cancer

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 70+

The colectomy specimen showed no residual tumor and all 18 lymph nodes were negative, representing a complete pathologic response.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Severe Kidney Injury During Oxaliplatin Treatment for Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

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

Metastatic Site: liver

His kidney function returned to baseline 2 months after the acute injury, and colorectal cancer treatment continued with 5-FU and leucovorin after oxaliplatin was stopped.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Colon Cancer and a Separate Liposarcoma Recurring at the Same Time

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

Metastatic Site: liver|pelvic lymph node

Follow-up imaging showed no evidence of colon cancer after FOLFIRI produced a complete response in the liver and pelvic lymph node. He remained without evidence of disease 1.7 years after recurrence.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Rectal Signet Ring Cell Cancer With Rapid, Unusual Metastatic Spread

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

Metastatic Site: peritoneum|lumbosacral vertebrae|bone marrow|right…

The cancer recurred 3 months after surgery and spread rapidly to the peritoneum, bones, bone marrow, orbit, and skin. He later entered palliative care.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Oxaliplatin-Related Muscle Breakdown During Colorectal Cancer Treatment

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

Biomarkers: CEA 1.01 ng/mL; CA 19-9 <0.6 U/mL

He recovered fully from rhabdomyolysis, completed adjuvant capecitabine, and entered follow-up without evidence of cancer recurrence.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Rectal Cancer Presenting With a Rectoprostatic Fistula

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 70+

The infection settled after drainage and antimicrobial treatment. He was discharged home with palliative support and remained relatively well at the time of reporting.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Rectal Cancer With a Solitary Metastasis in the Thigh

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

Metastatic Site: right proximal thigh skeletal muscle

A biopsy-confirmed right proximal thigh metastasis remained after chemotherapy. PET/CT found no other active metastatic site, and further surgery plus chemotherapy was planned.

PubMed CentralRead more →

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.

PubMed CentralRead more →

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.

PubMed CentralRead more →

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.

Our Cancer StoriesRead more →