Cetuximab: 16 Real Stories

Rectal cancer that spread through the lungs: complete remission after BRAF-targeted therapy

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

Biomarkers: BRAF mutation; HER2-negative; microsatellite stable; no detectable KRAS or NRAS mutations

Metastatic Site: lungs (pulmonary lymphangitic carcinomatosis);…

After progression with recurrent lung metastases and a new pericardial effusion, she chose hospice care and died in February 2025, 19 months after diagnosis.

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Stage IV sigmoid colon cancer: recurrence after FOLFOX, hepatectomy, and colectomy

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

Biomarkers: Mismatch repair proficient; microsatellite stable; KRAS wild-type; BRAF wild-type; CEA 3.8 ng/mL at diagnosis

Metastatic Site: liver, lung

As of September 2025, metastatic sigmoid colon cancer had recurred in the lungs and remnant liver after initial FOLFOX, hepatectomy, and colectomy, requiring FOLFIRI plus cetuximab.

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Stage IV transverse colon cancer with NTRK fusion: entrectinib response followed by fatal PTTM

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

Biomarkers: RAS/BRAF wild type, low TMB. CEA and CA19-9 were elevated before entrectinib and fell with response.

Metastatic Site: peritoneum, greater omentum, pleura,…

He died 7 weeks after hospitalization from pulmonary tumor thrombotic microangiopathy causing severe pulmonary hypertension and right-heart failure, despite biochemical and ascites response to entrectinib.

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Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Jennifer's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Jennifer Trefzger, Under 40 | Stage IV

Biomarkers: 2017 genetic testing negative. 2024 testing found a single NTHL1 mutation; the hereditary cause remained unresolved.

Metastatic Site: lungs

Jennifer had been no evidence of disease for more than 4 years as of September 2025 after treatment for metastatic colon cancer involving the lungs.

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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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Painful eye metastasis from Stage IV gastric cancer

Patient Info: Anonymized, male | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: bone, choroid of left eye

The eye surgery relieved his pain, but he died 2 months later.

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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.

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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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.

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Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Treatment Complicated by Severe Lung Inflammation

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

Biomarkers: KRAS wild type; NRAS wild type

Metastatic Site: liver

He recovered from the severe treatment-related lung inflammation, was weaned off oxygen within 1 month, and continued oncology follow-up while living with Stage IV colorectal cancer.

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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.

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Metastatic Colon Cancer With Painful Skin Fissures During Cetuximab

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

Biomarkers: KRAS unmutated

Metastatic Site: lungs|pericardium|mediastinal lymph nodes

He died not long after cetuximab was stopped following cancer progression.

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T790M-negative lung cancer on afatinib after AZD9291 trial ineligibility

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male

Biomarkers: T790M-negative blood test; EGFR/TKI treatment context

On 21 April 2016, the patient was not eligible for the AZD9291 trial because the blood sample was T790M-negative, so he continued afatinib/Giotrif while weighing future options and advance-care preferences.

Sigmoid colon cancer: complete response after repeated metastatic recurrences and multimodal therapy

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

Biomarkers: KRAS/NRAS/BRAF status not reported; CEA elevation used for recurrence monitoring

Metastatic Site: left lung, mediastinal lymph nodes, left adrenal…

By 2011, all metastatic lesions had achieved complete response; nearly 1 year after the last adrenal irradiation, no recurrence had been detected.

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Stage IV lung squamous cell carcinoma with liver metastasis treated with chemotherapy and 90Y radioembolization

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

Metastatic Site: liver

After treatment for liver metastasis, PET CT 2 months after 90Y radioembolization showed complete tumor response without residual tumor, and she was alive without active disease.

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Sigmoid colon cancer with later inguinal lymph-node metastasis: surgery, FOLFOX, FOLFIRI, and cetuximab

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

Biomarkers: CEA was elevated at diagnosis and recurrence. Metastatic lymph node was CK20 positive/CK7 negative; EGFR mutation status not reported.

Metastatic Site: left inguinal lymph node

Apparently disease-free 8 months after surgical removal of the left inguinal lymph-node metastasis followed by FOLFIRI plus cetuximab.

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