Chemotherapy: 1,904 Real Stories

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

Tina, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung CancerLung Cancer

Stage IV Lung Cancer: Tina's Patient Story

Patient Info: Tina Powell, Female | Stage IV

As of November 2025, Tina was living with Stage IV lung cancer after 27 chemotherapy rounds over 3 years and was receiving an antibody-drug conjugate in a clinical trial.

YouTube (AR search)
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
Tommy, who was diagnosed with Stage III Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Stage III MSI-High Colorectal Cancer: Tommy's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Tommy Allen, Male, 50s | Stage III

Biomarkers: MSI-high; Lynch syndrome

As of November 2025, Tommy was cancer-free 5 years after pembrolizumab, ileostomy, Whipple procedure, partial colectomy, and ileostomy closure for Stage III MSI-high colon cancer with Lynch syndrome.

MD Anderson
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Donna, who was diagnosed with Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Colorectal Cancer: Donna's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Donna Marie Caruso, Female, 70+

As of November 2025, Donna was in rectal cancer survivorship after surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, with improved quality of life through support for low anterior resection syndrome; no formal stage or NED status was stated.

Cleveland Clinic
OutcomeSurvivorship / Surveillance
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

I Was Told I Was TOO YOUNG For Breast Cancer!

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: mediastinum; lymph nodes between the lungs

As of November 2025, the patient was living with Stage IV metastatic breast cancer, described as lifelong and requiring ongoing treatment. She had also completed local treatment for a later breast lesion.

YouTube — The Patient Story
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage III Colorectal AdenocarcinomaColorectal Cancer

Teenage colorectal cancer: Stage III signet-ring adenocarcinoma and 10-year disease-free follow-up after FOLFOX

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

Biomarkers: CDX2-positive; CK7-positive; AE1-AE3-positive; signet-ring cell adenocarcinoma histology

As of November 2025, she was disease-free 10 years after laparoscopic right hemicolectomy with clear margins and 6 months of adjuvant FOLFOX for T4N2Mx signet-ring colon adenocarcinoma.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Ross, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung CancerLung Cancer

Stage IV Lung Cancer: Ross's Patient Story

Patient Info: Ross Camidge, Male | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Specific mutation identified; mutation name not reported

Metastatic Site: contralateral lung; mediastinal lymph nodes; bones

After a 2022 Stage IV diagnosis, Dr. Camidge was living with metastatic lung cancer between scans and continuing treatment; he described the disease as neither cured nor actively dying.

The Patient Story
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage III Small Cell Lung CancerOvarian Cancer

Young Woman With Rare Small Cell Ovarian Cancer and Abdominal Recurrence

Patient Info: Anonymized, female, Under 40 | Stage III

Biomarkers: loss of SMARCA4 expression; retained SMARCB1 expression

The recurrent cancer continued to progress despite further chemotherapy, and she died at home 26 months after the initial diagnosis.

PubMed Central
OutcomeIn Memory
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast AdenocarcinomaBreast Cancer

Synchronous EGFR-mutated lung adenocarcinoma and metastatic breast cancer: surgery and adjuvant therapy

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

Biomarkers: Two cancers: lung adenocarcinoma with EGFR exon 19 deletion; breast cancer ER-positive, PR-low, HER2 non-amplified.

Metastatic Site: lung

Follow-up CT on 26 December 2024 showed no recurrence, with disease-free survival estimated at 27 months to 1 April 2025 while on icotinib and letrozole maintenance.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage I Ovarian CancerOvarian Cancer

Stage I Immature Ovarian Teratoma With a Benign Teratoma in the Other Ovary

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

Biomarkers: AFP 90 ng/mL at diagnosis; CA-125 within normal range

Follow-up imaging showed no recurrence, and she remained well under regular oncologic surveillance after chemotherapy was stopped early.

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

Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Kailee's Patient Story

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

Metastatic Site: liver; lungs

Kailee was living with Stage IV colorectal cancer, caring for 2 young daughters, and continuing active treatment after receiving 4 rounds of chemotherapy during pregnancy.

The Patient Story
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
A patient, who was diagnosed with Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Colon cancer patient with insulin autoimmune syndrome after FOLFOX, bevacizumab, and omeprazole

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 70+

Biomarkers: No cancer biomarkers reported. Insulin autoimmune syndrome followed chemotherapy/omeprazole exposure.

As of November 2025, the rare insulin autoimmune syndrome episode had improved after glucose supplementation and prednisone acetate, with blood glucose returning to the normal range during postoperative colon cancer treatment.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCare Ongoing
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Small Cell Lung CancerLung Cancer

Stage IV small cell lung cancer: complete tumor response with recovery from paraneoplastic limbic encephalitis

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

Biomarkers: Small-cell lung cancer markers included TTF-1/chromogranin-A with Ki-67 90%. Paraneoplastic testing showed GABA-B receptor IgG positive.

Metastatic Site: adrenal glands, diaphragmatic lymph nodes, lungs,…

After 4 cycles of chemotherapy, PET showed complete tumor response. He was alive, clinically well, fully recovered from neurologic symptoms, and April 2025 brain MRI showed improvement of limbic encephalitis changes with evolution toward hippocampal atrophy.

PubMed Central
OutcomeResponding Well
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage III Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Triple-negative breast cancer with pathologic complete response after neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy complicated by immune toxicity

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 40s | Stage III

Biomarkers: ER-negative; PR-negative; HER2-negative

Left mastectomy on November 17 confirmed pathologic complete response, and 5-month follow-up showed no residual hepatic, dermatological, metabolic, or neurological sequelae from the treatment-related complications.

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

Synchronous primary squamous lung cancers: long disease control after multimodal therapy, then Stage IVA lung recurrence

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

Biomarkers: Squamous lung cancers with PD-L1 20% and no driver mutation detected; P40/P63 markers supported squamous type.

Metastatic Site: bilateral lung metastases at recurrence

As of November 2025, the patient had achieved 72 months of progression-free survival and remained alive at 75 months, but had developed Stage IVA recurrent pulmonary squamous cell carcinoma with bilateral lung metastases and had restarted systemic therapy.

PubMed Central
OutcomeSetback / Progression
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage III Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Recurrent breast cancer complicated by T-DXd-associated dermatomyositis and interstitial lung disease

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 40s | Stage III

Biomarkers: Initial tumor had weak ER/AR, PR-negative, HER2 0. Recurrence became ER/PR/AR-negative, HER2-low, PD-L1 CPS ~30.

The cancer progressed after adjuvant therapy and again after 6 cycles of gemcitabine/carboplatin. Trastuzumab deruxtecan was followed by dermatomyositis features and interstitial pneumonia, with symptoms worsening despite glucocorticoid treatment after continued exposure.

PubMed Central
OutcomeSetback / Progression
A patient, who was diagnosed with Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Breast cancer history with severe MSSA infective endocarditis and vascular complications

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female

Her breast cancer treatment was historical; the active episode was MSSA infective endocarditis with embolic complications, treated successfully with antibiotics, hepatic artery embolization, and aortic valve replacement, followed by asymptomatic 3-month outpatient review.

PubMed Central
OutcomeSurvivorship / Completed Treatment
Drea, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung CancerLung Cancer

Stage IV ROS1 Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Drea's Patient Story

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

Biomarkers: ROS1-positive

Metastatic Site: bilateral lungs; spine; pelvis; brain

Drea had about 3 years of good response and quality of life on her first ROS1 TKI; after new lesions appeared, a second TKI was keeping disease under control with manageable symptoms.

The Patient Story
OutcomeResponding Well
Stacy, who was diagnosed with Stage III Invasive Lobular CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Stage III Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: Stacy's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Stacy, Female | Stage III

Biomarkers: Hormone receptor-positive; HER2-negative

Stacy completed chemotherapy, mastectomy, radiation and reconstruction. She remained under regular monitoring and was taking Letrozole as part of a planned 10-year course.

Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance
OutcomeCare Ongoing / Survivorship
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Colorectal AdenocarcinomaColorectal Cancer

Stage IV KRAS-mutant colorectal cancer with bilobar liver metastases: multimodality treatment and no evidence of disease

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

Biomarkers: KRAS-mutated; BRAF wild-type; mismatch repair proficient

Metastatic Site: liver

After second liver resection, follow-up MRI at 8 weeks showed continued response at the SABR site and no recurrent disease; she was receiving adjuvant capecitabine and remained well.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Lysa, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung CancerLung Cancer

Stage IV ROS1 Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Lysa's Patient Story

Patient Info: Lysa, Female, 40s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ROS1-positive / ROS1-rearranged

Metastatic Site: spine; later new sites not specified

After more than a decade with Stage IV ROS1-positive NSCLC, Lysa was stable on a clinical-trial targeted therapy and no longer needed chemotherapy.

The Patient Story
OutcomeResponding Well
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

HER2-positive breast cancer: brain recurrence, T-DXd liver injury, and later progression

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

Biomarkers: HER2-positive; hormone receptor-negative; grade 3 infiltrative breast carcinoma

Metastatic Site: brain; thoracic lymph nodes

As of October 2025, the patient had developed brain and thoracic nodal recurrence after HER2-directed treatment, experienced T-DXd-associated liver injury, progressed after later paclitaxel/trastuzumab, and died at home in December 2024 under palliative care.

PubMed Central
OutcomeIn Memory