Chemotherapy: 1,904 Real Stories

1,904 stories match chemotherapy. 1,436 of them mention surgery.

A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage II Breast CancerBreast Cancer

HER2-Positive Breast Cancer Treatment Followed by Multiple Myeloma

Patient Info: Anonymized, female, 50s | Stage II

Biomarkers: ER-negative; PR-negative; HER2 3+; Ki-67 70%

Postoperative imaging showed no breast cancer recurrence or distant metastasis, and the breast cancer was described as stable when a separate multiple myeloma diagnosis was made.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage II Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Breast cancer treatment changed after severe colitis

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

Biomarkers: HER2-positive, ER-negative, PR-negative

In April 2025, follow-up evaluation showed no evidence of breast cancer recurrence.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung AdenocarcinomaLung Cancer

Severe blood-clotting disorder, liver injury, and reversible kidney injury during treatment for Stage IV lung cancer

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

Biomarkers: PD-L1 about 1%; KRAS mutation

Metastatic Site: bone (right 4th and 5th ribs)

Restaging before cycle 4 showed a partial response. Cancer treatment was then interrupted as severe acquired iTTP, cholestatic liver injury, and reversible acute kidney injury required intensive management.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCare Ongoing
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung AdenocarcinomaLung Cancer

Lung cancer first discovered after a small-bowel blockage

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

Metastatic Site: jejunum|brain|bone

The cancer progressed to the brain and spine despite chemotherapy, and he was admitted to palliative care.

PubMed Central
OutcomeSetback / Progression
Famke, who was diagnosed with Stage III Invasive Lobular CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Stage III Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: Famke's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Famke, Female, Under 40 | Stage III

Famke received surgery, chemotherapy and radiation and celebrated 5 years since diagnosis while continuing long-term hormone therapy.

Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance
OutcomeCare Ongoing / Survivorship
Monica, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Monica Mendoza

Patient Info: Monica Mendoza, 40s | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: liver

Monica was continuing chemotherapy after major surgeries and liver-directed treatment for Stage IV colorectal cancer with liver metastases.

Fight Colorectal Cancer
OutcomeCare Ongoing
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage III Lung Squamous Cell CarcinomaLung Cancer

Stage IIIB lung cancer: heart inflammation from durvalumab immunotherapy, mistaken at first for tumor spreading to the heart

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

Biomarkers: No actionable driver mutations identified; PD-L1 tumor proportion score <1%

She recovered cardiac function after treatment for durvalumab-associated myocarditis and remained without lung-cancer relapse or cardiac decline for more than 4 years, with no additional anticancer therapy.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Michael, who was diagnosed with Stage III Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Stage III Colorectal Cancer: Michael's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Michael Ettinger, Under 40 | Stage III

Michael reported that he was approaching his 5-year cancer-free anniversary in October 2026.

Fight Colorectal Cancer
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung AdenocarcinomaLung Cancer

Long-term lung cancer control after immunotherapy-related diabetes

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

Biomarkers: PD-L1 80%; EGFR, ALK, ROS1 and BRAF negative

Metastatic Site: brain|liver

After years of disease control off pembrolizumab, a new brain lesion appeared in December 2025 and was treated with focused radiation. He remained clinically stable under oncology follow-up.

PubMed Central
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Small Cell Lung CancerBreast Cancer

Rare Breast Neuroendocrine Cancer That Recurred in the Liver

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

Biomarkers: Chromogranin-positive; synaptophysin-positive; GATA-3-positive; ER-positive; PR negative on repeat biopsy and 40% positive on the mastectomy specimen; HER2-negative; Ki-67 85–95%

Metastatic Site: Liver; abdominal lymph nodes

After temporary responses to surgery and repeated chemotherapy, the cancer returned repeatedly in the liver and had spread to abdominal lymph nodes by May 2025. A new chemotherapy regimen was planned.

PubMed Central
OutcomeSetback / Progression
Alison, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage IV HR-Positive Breast Cancer: Alison's Survivor Story

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

Biomarkers: ER-positive; PR-positive; HER2-positive

Metastatic Site: Cervical/neck lymph nodes

Alison reported complete remission since August 2017 while continuing intermittent maintenance chemotherapy, most recently 1 month of treatment followed by 2 months off.

The Patient Story
OutcomeLiving With Cancer / Remission
Stefanie, who was diagnosed with Stage III Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Stage III HR-Positive Invasive Ductal Carcinoma: Stefanie's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Stefanie, Female | Stage III

Biomarkers: ER-positive, PR-positive and HER2-positive

Stefanie completed chemotherapy, breast-conserving surgery, prolonged Herceptin and 30 radiation treatments, then moved into survivorship while still adjusting to the lasting effects of treatment.

The Patient Story
OutcomeTreatment Completed / Survivorship
Shari, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Stage IV HR-Positive Invasive Ductal Carcinoma: Shari's Patient Story

Patient Info: Shari S., Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ER-positive, PR-positive and HER2-positive; no inherited cancer mutation was identified

Metastatic Site: Brain; other initial metastatic sites were not named

Systemic imaging after chemotherapy showed no active disease, but brain metastases later required stereotactic radiation. Shari remained stage 4, continued Herceptin every 3 weeks and underwent brain MRI every 3–4 months.

The Patient Story
OutcomeLiving With Cancer / Ongoing Therapy
Renée, who was diagnosed with Stage II Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage II Breast Cancer: Renée's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Renée, Female, Under 40 | Stage II

Renée described her health as stable and her treatment as working. She remained on a long-term hormone-based anti-cancer regimen and was still healing from reconstruction complications rather than describing herself as cancer-free.

The Patient Story
OutcomeCare Ongoing / Survivorship
JJ, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Stage IV MSI-High Colorectal Cancer: JJ's Patient Story

Patient Info: JJ, Male, Under 40 | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Lynch syndrome; microsatellite instability

Metastatic Site: Abdominal wall; lymph nodes throughout the body

At the latest scan, the main abdominal tumor remained stable. JJ had completed 126 rounds of chemo-immunotherapy and continued treatment every 3 weeks; small lung nodules were being watched but were not confirmed as metastases.

The Patient Story
OutcomeStable Disease / Ongoing Therapy
Lucy, who was diagnosed with Stage II Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage II Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Lucy's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Lucy, Female, Under 40 | Stage II

Biomarkers: Germline BRCA1 mutation; triple-negative breast cancer

Surgical pathology was all clear on June 17 after a strong chemotherapy response. Lucy described herself as cancer-free and continued oncology reviews every 3–4 months while planning delayed reconstruction.

The Patient Story
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED, Surveillance
Melissa, who was diagnosed with Stage II Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage II Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Melissa's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Melissa, Female | Stage II

Biomarkers: Triple-negative breast cancer; BRCA testing negative; NBN gene mutation identified on later testing

Melissa completed pregnancy-adapted cancer treatment, later underwent risk-reducing surgery and reconstruction, and was raising both daughters.

The Patient Story
OutcomeTreatment Completed / Survivorship
Paul, who was diagnosed with Stage III Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Paul Weigel

Patient Info: Paul Weigel, Male, 40s | Stage III

Paul completed treatment, returned to endurance athletics, and later became a colorectal cancer advocate and author.

Fight Colorectal Cancer
OutcomeNot reported
Janine, who was diagnosed with Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Colorectal Cancer: Janine's Patient Story

Patient Info: Janine Stellacci, Female

Janine completed treatment and ileostomy reversal in 2024 and remained active in exercise and colorectal cancer screening advocacy.

Fight Colorectal Cancer
OutcomeNot reported
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Small Cell Lung CancerOvarian Cancer

Rare ovarian cancer diagnosed during pregnancy after an initial misdiagnosis

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

Biomarkers: SMARCA4 and TP53 alterations

Metastatic Site: liver|spleen|bone

After a complete response in July 2024, the cancer recurred widely within about 6 months. She died from progressive disease in January 2025.

PubMed Central
OutcomeIn Memory
A patient, who was diagnosed with Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Breast cancer treatment in a woman with mirror-image organ anatomy

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female

Biomarkers: ER-positive; HER2-negative

A woman in her early 60s with mirror-image organ anatomy received chemotherapy and mastectomy for left breast cancer after a specially planned venous port placement.

PubMed Central
OutcomeNot reported
Derek, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Gastric AdenocarcinomaGastric Cancer

Stage IV Gastric Adenocarcinoma: Derek's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Derek Cooney, Male, 40s | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: peritoneum

At his first follow-up in June, scans showed no evidence of disease, and he later completed his pain-management fellowship.

MD Anderson
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED