Metastatic rectal cancer responding well after intensive treatment despite severe chemotherapy complications

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

Biomarkers: KRAS exon 4 mutation, BRAF wild-type, PD-L1 CPS 2

Metastatic Site: liver, lung

After more than 14 months of treatment, the primary rectal tumor and most lung metastases had been resected, liver lesions had largely regressed, and he was described as near NED while continuing maintenance capecitabine plus bevacizumab.

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Metastatic Colorectal Cancer With NRG1 Fusion Controlled for Years With Afatinib

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

Biomarkers: MATN-NRG1 fusion; no KRAS alteration detected

Afatinib controlled her metastatic colorectal cancer for 136 weeks. After resection of the remaining target lesion in September 2022, she remained alive with no progression as of October 2024.

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NRG1-Fusion Colorectal Cancer Progressing on Afatinib

Patient Info: Anonymized, female, 70+

Biomarkers: CD74-NRG1 fusion; no KRAS alteration detected

The cancer progressed clinically after 8 weeks on afatinib. She died in November 2021.

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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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Metastatic MSI-H colon cancer reaches pathologic complete response after immunotherapy and bevacizumab

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

Biomarkers: KRAS, MSI-H

Metastatic Site: liver

The resected liver lesions showed pathologic complete response, and the last CT/MRI in November 2023 showed no recurrence or metastasis, more than 5 years after diagnosis.

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Stage IV cecum cancer with liver and ovarian metastases: ramucirumab-related nephrotic syndrome and glomerular microangiopathy

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

Biomarkers: Cancer biomarkers were not reported. Kidney injury workup showed severe protein leakage and biopsy-proven glomerular microangiopathy.

Metastatic Site: liver, right ovary

The liver metastasis shrank after XELOX plus bevacizumab and metastatic liver/ovarian sites were resected, but ramucirumab-based second-line therapy was stopped after nephrotic syndrome and severe glomerular microangiopathy; blood pressure and proteinuria improved with telmisartan.

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Metastatic Colorectal Cancer With Severe Hypocalcemia After Denosumab

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

Biomarkers: MLH1, PMS2, MSH2 and MSH6 retained; DPYD wild type

Metastatic Site: bone, liver

Bone imaging in November 2023 showed progression with more extensive skeletal involvement while he remained under care for metastatic colorectal cancer.

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Colon cancer recurring in the spleen with a serious splenic abscess

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

Biomarkers: KRAS wild-type, NRAS wild-type, BRAF wild-type

Metastatic Site: spleen

More than 5 years after his 2016 colectomy, he was treated for metastatic recurrence. Disease was assessed as stable during systemic therapy, and he later recovered well after splenectomy for confirmed splenic metastasis.

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Stage IV Colorectal Adenocarcinoma: Nick's Patient Story

Patient Info: Nick Sprague, Male, 40s | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: distant lymph nodes in abdomen/near aorta and left…

As of July 2024, Nick was living with Stage IVA colon cancer and receiving Keytruda/pembrolizumab with fewer side effects than chemotherapy; no NED status had been reached.

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Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Steve's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Steve Slack, Male, 40s | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: liver

As of June 2024, about 6 months after living-donor liver transplant, Steve had a clear surveillance scan and described himself as NED/no evidence of disease.

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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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Regorafenib produced a radiologic complete response in metastatic colon cancer with lung metastases

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

Biomarkers: KRAS codon 146 mutation; BRAF wild type; MSI-low

Metastatic Site: liver, lung

Nine months after stopping regorafenib, CT showed scarring of the lung metastases consistent with a radiologic complete response.

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Stage III Colorectal Cancer: Jena's Patient Story

Patient Info: Jena Sica, Under 40 | Stage III

Biomarkers: Biomarker testing completed; results not reported

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Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Jason's Patient Story

Patient Info: Jason Reese, Male, 40s | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Liver

As of January 2024, Jason still had active Stage IV rectal cancer, but extensive liver metastases had decreased from innumerable lesions to very few visible on scans, and treatment planning continued.

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Metastatic Colorectal Cancer With Leucovorin Hypersensitivity During Cetuximab-FOLFOX Treatment

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

Biomarkers: EGFR mutation detected; no KRAS, NRAS or BRAF mutations detected

Metastatic Site: lung

After 18 cycles of cetuximab plus FOLFOX, her metastatic colorectal cancer was stable and treatment continued with modifications for leucovorin hypersensitivity.

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Colon cancer surgery complication: fistula after extensive pelvic surgery and radiation

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: upper vaginal wall; lungs

She remained alive after treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer and recovered without clinical fistula recurrence at 1- and 2-month postoperative follow-up.

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Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Keith's Patient Story

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

Metastatic Site: Liver; lymph nodes; lungs

As of September 2023, Keith was on third-line treatment for Stage IV colon cancer with lung metastases, small lung lesions under 1 cm, a low tumor marker after 2 rounds, and possible trial/transplant options after standard care.

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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 IV Colorectal Cancer: Michelle's Patient Story

Patient Info: Michelle Cappel, Female, 40s | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Leg/femoral nerve area

As of July 2023, Michelle was living with recurrent Stage IV colorectal cancer after prior NED, leg/femoral-nerve recurrence, radiation, surgery with clear margins, and ongoing surveillance.

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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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32-year-old woman with Stage IV rectal cancer, liver and lung metastases, targeted chemotherapy, surgery, ablation, radiation, and ongoing chemotherapy

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

Biomarkers: KRAS wild-type; NRAS wild-type; BRAF wild-type

Metastatic Site: Liver | Lung | Presacral/perirectal lymph nodes

As of the story endpoint around December 2020, she was 5 years into treatment for Stage IV rectal cancer after multiple systemic regimens, bowel/liver/lung surgery, liver recurrence treatment, ablation, lung surgery, TOMO radiation, and ongoing chemotherapy.

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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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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