What happened, in summary

Lauren, from Houston, first found a breast lump in 2014 after breastfeeding her second child. It was initially dismissed as a fibroadenoma, but 2 years later she developed breast pain and noticed that her left nipple looked unusual. She was diagnosed with Stage III breast cancer and received chemotherapy, mastectomy, radiation, and several years of hormone therapy. In 2021, stomach pain and blood in her stool led to colonoscopy. Doctors found a cancerous lymph node, and she was diagnosed with Stage III colon cancer. She had surgery and chemotherapy but struggled with side effects. Lauren also explored high-dose intravenous vitamin C and fasting after learning about KRAS mutation cancers. In 2022, another PET scan showed spread to the abdominal lining and spine, and she was given a terminal prognosis of about 10 months. By December 2022, a PET scan showed no evidence of disease. Later, biopsy showed that the cancer in her spine was a recurrence of breast cancer rather than colon cancer. As of September 2024, Lauren was living with cancer as part of daily life, managing recurring spinal spots, low colon tumor markers, gastrointestinal effects from colon surgery, and PET scans every 3 months. She remained proactive, combining conventional care with the strategies she felt helped her remain stable.