Chemotherapy: 1,904 Real Stories

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

A patient, who was diagnosed with Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Triple-negative node-positive breast cancer with complete pathologic response and benign nodal nevi

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 50s

Biomarkers: Triple-negative breast cancer; BRCA testing negative. Axillary melanocytic cells looked benign.

Pathology showed complete response in the breast, no residual breast carcinoma in the sampled specimen, and axillary nodal melanocytic proliferations interpreted as benign nodal nevi rather than metastatic melanoma or breast carcinoma.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Marissa, who was diagnosed with Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Breast Cancer: Marissa's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Marissa Coreno, Female, Under 40

Biomarkers: Tumor biomarkers not reported; no apparent genetic predisposition for breast cancer

As of August 2025, Marissa was 31, had no sign of cancer, and remained on estrogen-blocking therapy planned for 10 years after chemotherapy, bilateral mastectomies, reconstruction, radiation, a CDK 4/6 inhibitor pill and a bisphosphonate.

Cleveland Clinic
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Wyatt, who was diagnosed with Lung CancerLung Cancer

KRAS Lung Cancer: Wyatt's Patient Story

Patient Info: Wyatt, Male

Biomarkers: KRAS mutation mentioned indirectly; exact variant not stated in available source text

Wyatt was living with lung cancer on ongoing chemotherapy and immunotherapy, with multiple prior lines of treatment and significant side effects. As of August 2025, he had tried to access clinical trials but had not enrolled.

The Patient Story
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung CancerLung Cancer

Metastatic lung adenocarcinoma presenting with central diabetes insipidus

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

Biomarkers: Weak TTF-1-positive; weak Napsin A-positive; weak p63-positive; CK5/6-negative; molecular testing not performed because of financial constraints

Metastatic Site: brain lesions, cervical spine bone lesions

He died shortly after the second cycle of platinum-based chemotherapy for metastatic lung adenocarcinoma that presented with central diabetes insipidus and brain/bone lesions.

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

Stage IVA lung cancer with small-cell and adenocarcinoma components: mixed response before infection halted treatment

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

Biomarkers: PD-L1 <1%

Metastatic Site: bone (C2, T10, sacral vertebrae); malignant pleural…

The lung cancer showed mixed responses, with right-lung small-cell progression after chemotherapy/immunotherapy and later treatment interruption because of severe lung infection and respiratory failure.

PubMed Central
OutcomeSetback / Progression
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung AdenocarcinomaLung Cancer

Stage IV lung adenocarcinoma with Aspergillus-associated empyema: disease control after chemotherapy and antifungal therapy

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Pathogenic NF1 mutation; CEA elevated in pleural fluid; Aspergillus fumigatus cultured from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid

Metastatic Site: pleural disease/effusion (M1a)

After 6 cycles of pemetrexed/cisplatin and 6 months of antifungal therapy for Aspergillus-associated empyema, 12-month follow-up showed disease stability without recurrence.

PubMed Central
OutcomeResponding Well
Samantha, who was diagnosed with Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Colorectal Cancer: Samantha's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Samantha Fletcher, Female, Under 40

After surgery and 8 rounds of chemotherapy, Samantha completed treatment in March and scans showed no evidence of disease.

Fight Colorectal Cancer
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung CancerLung Cancer

Metastatic lung adenocarcinoma with HER2 V659E/amplification responding to trastuzumab deruxtecan

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

Biomarkers: Initial lung testing showed no EGFR/ALK/ROS1 and PD-L1 TPS 3%. Later biopsy found HER2 V659E plus HER2 amplification.

Metastatic Site: liver, bone, brain

As of September 2024, metastatic lung adenocarcinoma had a sustained partial response to trastuzumab deruxtecan after HER2 V659E mutation and HER2 amplification were identified.

PubMed Central
OutcomeResponding Well
Clara, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung CancerLung Cancer

Stage IV Lung Cancer: Clara's Patient Story

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

Biomarkers: Biomarker found but specific mutation not stated

Metastatic Site: Bone and joints; brain; liver/other organs

Clara was living with Stage IV metastatic lung cancer involving bone/joints, brain, and other organs. As of August 2025, she had received brain radiation and first-line chemotherapy plus immunotherapy, with ongoing lifelong immunotherapy planned.

The Patient Story
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung AdenocarcinomaLung Cancer

Recurrent lung adenocarcinoma with bevacizumab-associated glomerular microangiopathy

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

Biomarkers: No tumor molecular biomarkers reported. Kidney biopsy and complement/immune deposits supported bevacizumab-related kidney microangiopathy.

Metastatic Site: pleura

He was living with recurrent metastatic lung adenocarcinoma after pleural spread and had persistent renal dysfunction and severe proteinuria from bevacizumab-associated glomerular microangiopathy despite stopping bevacizumab.

PubMed Central
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
Kathy, who was diagnosed with Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Colorectal Cancer: Kathy's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Kathy Ball-Toncic, Female, 60s

As of August 2025, Kathy had been declared cancer-free again in August 2024 after treatment for breast DCIS and a later colorectal cancer, rebuilt strength with physical therapy, and completed a 162-mile Pan-Mass Challenge ride.

Dana-Farber
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Jenny, who was diagnosed with Lung CancerLung Cancer

Lung Cancer: Jenny's Patient Story

Patient Info: Jenny, Female

Jenny died from lung cancer in November 2023. As of August 2025, her husband Kyle was raising their children, continuing her advocacy around lung cancer awareness, and preserving her legacy.

The Patient Story
OutcomeIn Memory
Maria, who was diagnosed with Stage III Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Stage III Invasive Ductal Carcinoma: Maria's Patient Story

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

Maria had Stage III ductal breast cancer with limited lymph-node involvement and no distant spread on initial scans. This story segment ends as she started chemotherapy on July 13, 2023; later treatment response is not specified in this record.

The Patient Story
OutcomeCare Ongoing
A patient, who was diagnosed with Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Synchronous triple-negative breast cancer and rectal adenocarcinoma complicated by hepatitis B reactivation

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 50s

Biomarkers: Triple-negative breast cancer with pathogenic BRCA1 mutation; hepatitis B reactivation occurred during treatment.

At 3-year follow-up, she remained healthy and disease-free after treatment for synchronous triple-negative breast cancer and mid-rectal adenocarcinoma, with hepatitis B reactivation controlled on entecavir.

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

Metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer complicated by medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw

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

Biomarkers: HER2-positive breast cancer. Jaw workup focused on osteonecrosis

Metastatic Site: bone / osseous metastasis

The case focused on metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer complicated by medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw after antiresorptive therapy; dental pain improved transiently after oral-surgery interventions, but systemic cancer response was not described.

PubMed Central
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Pancreatic AdenocarcinomaPancreatic Cancer

Stage IB pancreatic adenocarcinoma with lung and pleural recurrence: long-term disease control on chemotherapy

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

Biomarkers: Metastatic pancreatic cancer in lung: CK19/MUC1/CA19-9-positive, TTF-1-negative. UGT1A1 *6 heterozygous; no actionable mutation found.

Metastatic Site: lung, pleura

As of April 2025, he remained alive on chemotherapy 6 years and 8 months after initial pancreatic surgery and 4 years and 7 months after pulmonary oligometastatic recurrence, with no new lesions and stable disease on imaging.

PubMed Central
OutcomeResponding Well
Devon, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Devon's Survivor Story

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

Devon first reached no evidence of disease in February 2024, then had a Stage IV recurrence in August 2024. After additional chemotherapy and radiation ending January 2025, her June 2025 scans, bloodwork, and tumor markers were clear or negative.

The Patient Story
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage III Non-Small Cell Lung CancerLung Cancer

Stage IIIB non-squamous NSCLC on chemoimmunotherapy: alcohol-related hypertonic hyponatremia corrected during oncology follow-up

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

Biomarkers: Tumor biomarkers not reported. Severe hyponatremia workup showed high serum osmolality and ethanol level.

He remained under oncology follow-up for Stage IIIB non-squamous NSCLC while alcohol-related hypertonic hyponatremia improved after detoxification and alcohol cessation.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCare Ongoing
Paula, who was diagnosed with Stage III Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage III Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Paula's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Paula Jones, Female, 40s | Stage III

Biomarkers: Triple-negative breast cancer; BRCA1 mutation

As of July 2025, Paula had remained cancer-free for more than 15 years after Stage IIIC triple-negative breast cancer treatment and was training to become a mammography technologist.

MD Anderson
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Dan, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Dan's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Dan Trombley, Male, Under 40 | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Liver; portal vein; duodenum

As of July 2025, after Stage IV colon cancer that had spread through much of the liver and involved the portal vein and duodenum, Dan’s cancer had not returned and he had regained strength, returned to work, and welcomed a daughter in 2023.

City of Hope
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Ian, who was diagnosed with Stage III Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Stage III Colorectal Cancer: Ian's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Ian, Male, Under 40 | Stage III

Ian had Stage III sigmoid colon cancer treated with robotic laparoscopic surgery and adjuvant FOLFOX-based chemotherapy. As of July 2025, he described negative ctDNA tests and clear scans, with his oncologist comfortable saying he had been NED since surgery on December 13, 2022.

The Patient Story
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Colorectal AdenocarcinomaColorectal Cancer

Stage IIIB ascending colon cancer with later cervical and vaginal metastases, systemic nodal progression, and death

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

Biomarkers: Primary colon cancer and vaginal/cervical metastasis both supported colorectal origin. MMR proteins were retained; HER2 0; Ki-67 high in metastasis.

Metastatic Site: cervix, vagina, rectal wall/serosa, systemic lymph…

After initial Stage IIIB ascending-colon cancer and later cervical/vaginal metastatic recurrence, CAPEOX was stopped because of cardiac toxicity; systemic lymph node metastases developed in early 2023, treatment was abandoned, and she died in April 2023.

PubMed Central
OutcomeIn Memory