Chemotherapy: 963 Real Stories
963 stories match chemotherapy. 777 of them mention surgery.
Stage III Colorectal Cancer: Amy’s Survivor Story
Amy was 34 when she was diagnosed with Stage IIIB colorectal cancer associated with Lynch syndrome. Treatment was described as a marathon in 3 legs. The first leg was 6 weeks of chemotherapy plus radiation. After a break, she underwent a 9.5-hour operation…
Read this storyStage III Colorectal Cancer: Haley’s Survivor Story
Haley P. was 37, recently postpartum, and raising a 6-month-old and a 3-year-old when symptoms she kept explaining away led to a Stage IIIC colon cancer diagnosis. During pregnancy and after delivery, she had constipation, stomach pain, shortness of breath…
Read this storyStage IV Colorectal Cancer: Carmen’s Survivor Story
Carmen Susman was active and felt healthy when urinary symptoms unexpectedly led to a Stage IV colorectal cancer diagnosis. In November 2021, he had a renal ultrasound to check for kidney stones. Instead, the test found a mass on his liver. Follow-up tests…
Read this storySmall Cell Lung Cancer: Mary’s Survivor Story
Mary Casanova learned she had small cell lung cancer in October 2017 after feeling a lump under her arm following a yoga class. At first, she feared breast cancer, and the period from late October through December was emotionally overwhelming. A second doctor…
Read this storyBRCA2 Breast Cancer: Sue’s Survivor Story
Sue Friedman was diagnosed with breast cancer at 33 despite being proactive about her health and having no known family history of breast cancer. After initial treatment, she read about hereditary cancer and BRCA1/2 testing. The warning signs fit her…
Read this storyStage II Breast Cancer: Renée’s Patient Story
Renée first had cancer at 18, when she was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. Treatment had to move too quickly for fertility preservation, and she was told it would likely cause infertility. She received intensive chemotherapy, total-body radiation, and…
Read this storyStage IV Colorectal Cancer: JJ’s Patient Story
JJ was 27 when months of stomach pain led to an initial Stage II / borderline Stage III colon cancer diagnosis. Surgery removed about 80% of his colon and about 36 inches of small intestine because of how the tumor had grown. He also received 6 rounds of…
Read this storyStage IV Colorectal Cancer: JJ’s Patient Story
JJ Singleton was 27 and had been working hard to get healthier when abdominal symptoms began around Memorial Day 2015. He felt throbbing pain, became extremely tired, had trouble eating and using the bathroom, and was losing about 5 pounds a week. By…
Read this storyTriple-Negative Breast Cancer: Lucy’s Survivor Story
Lucy E. was diagnosed with grade 3 triple-negative breast cancer 3 days after her 24th birthday. She had found a breast lump and pushed for biopsy even after being told it was likely fibrous tissue. She already knew she carried a BRCA1 mutation, which made…
Read this storyStage II Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Lucy’s Patient Story
Lucy was diagnosed with breast cancer 3 days after her 24th birthday. Her risk was already personal: her mother had been diagnosed with breast cancer twice and, after the second diagnosis, learned she carried a BRCA1 mutation. Lucy then had genetic testing…
Read this storyStage II HER2-Positive Invasive Ductal Carcinoma: Lanie’s Patient Story
Lanie Jones had already survived adrenal carcinoma as a toddler when she found a breast lump in July 2008, shortly before starting nursing school. At first, she delayed the ultrasound because she was 24 and could not imagine having cancer again. When the lump…
Read this storyStage II Breast Cancer: Annie’s Patient Story
Annie, 48, was diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer in July 2023 after finding a lump in her breast. Her doctor told her the estimated 5-year survival rate was 98%, but the diagnosis still brought worry, fear, grief, vulnerability, and resentment. She…
Read this storyStage II Breast Cancer: Sarah’s Patient Story
Sarah found a lump in her right breast along with swelling in her right armpit and was diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer. She initially felt vulnerable and powerless, although she also held onto some optimism about treatment. Her first treatment plan…
Read this storyStage IV Breast Cancer: Adriana’s Patient Story
Adriana was 39 when a lump under her left armpit made her feel that something was wrong. On October 19, 2023, she learned that she had stage 4 breast cancer. Following her doctors' recommendation, Adriana underwent a mastectomy and then intensive chemotherapy…
Read this storyStage II Breast Cancer: Amanda’s Survivor Story
Amanda was 71 when a black spot noticed during a routine check led to further investigation. A mammogram confirmed stage 2 breast cancer. The diagnosis brought fear, helplessness and worry, but she trusted her medical team and followed the recommended…
Read this storyStage II HR-Positive Breast Cancer: Becki’s Patient Story
Becki, 43, sought a second opinion after feeling that her previous doctor had not given her enough information. Mammogram, ultrasound, and biopsy confirmed Stage II triple-positive breast cancer: ER-positive, PR-positive, and HER2-positive. The diagnosis was…
Read this storyStage II Breast Cancer: Grace’s Patient Story
Grace, 67, discovered her breast cancer through a routine mammogram in July 2023. She had been going for mammograms every 2 years, and this one revealed something unexpected. The diagnosis was Stage II breast cancer. Grace felt empty, confused, disillusioned…
Read this storyStage III Colorectal Cancer: Ceejay’s Patient Story
Ceejay first noticed breathlessness, which was traced to severe anemia. Blood tests and bowel tests followed, along with symptoms that included alternating diarrhea and constipation and a feeling that the bowel did not empty completely. Further evaluation led…
Read this storyStage II Gastric Cancer: Sagan’s Patient Story
Sagan was evaluated after digestive symptoms led to blood testing and an endoscopy, where doctors found a stomach mass. MRI was also used to assess whether the cancer had spread. The eventual diagnosis was Stage II stomach cancer. Sagan already lived with a…
Read this storyBreast Cancer: Maeve’s Patient Story
Maeve felt a lump at the top of her breast and was referred from her general practitioner to another hospital for evaluation. After the diagnosis, she began eating more healthfully, increased her exercise, and stopped drinking alcohol. Following medical…
Read this storyStage I Breast Cancer: Hu’s Patient Story
Hu Jia, from Taiwan, discovered she had breast cancer in June 2023 after an unusual sequence of events. Her cat kept sniffing her, and about a month later a lump appeared in the swollen area. The diagnosis was confirmed at the hospital and was found at Stage…
Read this storyStage III Colorectal Adenocarcinoma: Colin’s Survivor Story
Colin, a truck driver living in Australia, sought medical care in August 2023 after several weeks of an upset stomach. Testing showed Stage III colon adenocarcinoma. Although he had suspected bowel cancer might be the cause, he tried to stay optimistic after…
Read this storyStage I Colorectal Cancer: Angela’s Survivor Story
Angela, who is retired and lives in Ireland, was diagnosed with a Stage I rectal carcinoid in October 2023 after noticing blood in the stool. Cancer had already affected several family members, including Angela’s sister and mother, but Angela remained…
Read this storyStage II Breast Cancer: Jamie’s Patient Story
Jamie was 41 when a company health screening changed the course of her life. She had felt mild breast pain but thought it might be related to her menstrual period. During a routine mammogram, doctors found a growth in her right breast, and follow-up testing…
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