Chemotherapy: 1,904 Real Stories

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

Cancer Stories

Brian, who was diagnosed with Stage III Small Cell Lung CancerLung Cancer

Stage III Small Cell Lung Cancer: Brian's Patient Story

Patient Info: Brian, Male | Stage III

Brian was early in treatment for Stage III limited-stage small cell lung cancer. As of February 2025, he had completed 1 round of chemotherapy, was starting concurrent radiation, and was waiting on PET scan results to assess response or spread.

The Patient Story
OutcomeCare Ongoing
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung AdenocarcinomaLung Cancer

Fatal Multiorgan Failure After Pembrolizumab-Based Treatment for Metastatic Lung Cancer

Patient Info: Anonymized, female | Stage IV

She died less than 12 hours after hospital presentation with rapidly progressive multiorgan failure one week after the first pembrolizumab-based treatment cycle; immune-related toxicity was strongly suspected, although the rapid decline limited full evaluation.

PubMed Central
OutcomeIn Memory
Denelle, who was diagnosed with Stage III Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Stage III Colorectal Cancer: Denelle's Patient Story

Patient Info: Denelle Chapman, Female | Stage III

After chemoradiation and systemic chemotherapy for Stage IIIB rectal cancer, Mayo Clinic scans showed a complete response midway through chemotherapy. As of February 2025, she was finishing treatment and entering surveillance rather than immediate surgery.

The Patient Story
OutcomeResponding Well
A patient, who was diagnosed with Lung AdenocarcinomaLung Cancer

Treating Lung Adenocarcinoma Alongside a Separate Esophageal Cancer

Patient Info: Anonymized, male, 60s

Biomarkers: PD-L1 negative; ALK negative; no mutations detected on lung-cancer testing

By July 2024, the lung lesion remained in partial response and he was alive 36 months after the synchronous cancer diagnoses, eating well and gaining weight.

PubMed Central
OutcomeResponding Well
Angela, who was diagnosed with Ovarian CancerOvarian Cancer

Ovarian Cancer: Angela's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Angela Hernandez, Under 40

By February 2025, she had been cancer-free for 6 years and remained connected to post-cancer care and support.

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

Stage III Colorectal Cancer: Skylee's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Skylee Tinker, Female, 40s | Stage III

Skylee completed surgery and 12 chemotherapy rounds and continued to cope with scan anxiety and survivor guilt; no recurrence or current scan result was reported.

Fight Colorectal Cancer
OutcomeSurvivorship / Surveillance
Wendy, who was diagnosed with Stage III Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Stage III Colorectal Cancer: Wendy's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Wendy Harpp, Female, 50s | Stage III

Wendy completed multimodal treatment in 2020 and later became an active colorectal-cancer advocate; current surveillance results and recurrence status were not reported.

Fight Colorectal Cancer
OutcomeSurvivorship / Completed Treatment
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage III Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Antonio Dionizio

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

His son reported that surgery and chemotherapy worked and that he was preparing to celebrate his 84th birthday in 2025, more than 20 years after diagnosis.

Fight Colorectal Cancer
OutcomeSurvivorship / Completed Treatment
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung AdenocarcinomaLung Cancer

Lung Adenocarcinoma With Rare Skin Metastasis to the Neck

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

Metastatic Site: neck skin

The lung cancer later spread to the neck skin, and he died during the following year after stopping further treatment.

PubMed Central
OutcomeIn Memory
Evan, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Evan's Patient Story

Patient Info: Evan White, Male, Under 40 | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: lungs

After 1 year with no evidence of disease, Evan developed colorectal recurrence and later lung metastases; he died in October 2021 after about 4 years with cancer.

Fight Colorectal Cancer
OutcomeIn Memory
Shawn, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Shawn's Patient Story

Patient Info: Shawn Michael, Male, 40s | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: liver, spleen, lung

Recovering from emergency surgery for Stage IV colorectal cancer involving the liver, spleen, and lung, with systemic chemotherapy and additional specialist treatment planned. As of February 2025, he was actively managing metastatic disease.

The Patient Story
OutcomeCare Ongoing
Shawn, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Shawn: Stage IV Colorectal Cancer

Patient Info: Shawn, Male, 40s | Stage IV

As of February 2025, Shawn had completed surgery for Stage IV colorectal cancer and was preparing to begin chemotherapy while recovering physically and emotionally.

The Patient Story
OutcomeCare Ongoing
A patient, who was diagnosed with Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Breast cancer survivor with synchronous intercostal nerve schwannomas mimicking metastasis

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, Under 40

Biomarkers: Breast cancer biomarkers not reported; schwannomas were S100-positive

After prior breast cancer treatment, later D6-D7/rib lesions were proven to be S100-positive schwannomas rather than metastases, and surgical removal relieved the patient’s rib-cage numbness and pain.

PubMed Central
OutcomeSurvivorship / Completed Treatment
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage 4 hormone receptor-positive breast cancer: remission with PARP inhibitor

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

Biomarkers: HR-positive breast cancer with HER2-low/negative recurrence, and pathogenic BRCA2 R2318* mutation.

Metastatic Site: pleura

As of January 2025, she had maintained complete response for 36 months after sequential FEC/docetaxel and olaparib for hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative/HER2-low metastatic breast cancer with BRCA2 R2318* mutation.

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

Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer With ERBB2 and TP53 Mutations

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

Biomarkers: ERBB2 exon 20 Y772-A775dup mutation; TP53 mutation; PD-L1 TPS 0%

Metastatic Site: liver, bone, both lungs

Imaging after treatment showed stable disease, and he remained in good condition while continuing maintenance pemetrexed and bevacizumab.

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

ALK-Fusion Small Cell Lung Cancer Responding to ALK-Targeted Therapy

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

Biomarkers: EML4-ALK fusion

Metastatic Site: brain

After several earlier treatments stopped controlling the cancer, ALK-targeted iruplinalkib produced a partial response and was still controlling disease after more than 8 months.

PubMed Central
OutcomeResponding Well
Tracy, who was diagnosed with Stage II Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Stage II Colorectal Cancer: Tracy's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Tracy, Female, 40s | Stage II

As of February 2025, Tracy was in post-treatment survivorship after Stage IIB colorectal cancer treated with 28 days of Xeloda chemoradiation, colostomy surgery in December 2015, and discontinued post-surgery chemotherapy.

The Patient Story
OutcomeSurvivorship / Completed Treatment
Lindy, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Lindy's Patient Story

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

Metastatic Site: Lymph nodes; liver; lungs

As of February 2025, Lindy was living with treatable but incurable Stage IV colon cancer involving lymph nodes, liver, and lungs, with good response to chemotherapy and ongoing maintenance treatment.

The Patient Story
OutcomeResponding Well
Shayla, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Shayla's Patient Story

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

Metastatic Site: Liver

As of February 2025, Shayla was in ongoing treatment for Stage IV colorectal cancer with liver metastasis after 4 rounds of chemotherapy, liver resection, and resumed chemotherapy.

The Patient Story
OutcomeCare Ongoing
Eugenia, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung CancerLung Cancer

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

Patient Info: Eugenia Horan, Female, 40s | Stage IV

Eugenia became Stage IV while critically ill in the ICU and was later told hospice might be appropriate, but she started Keytruda on August 29, 2019 and was alive 5 years later. As of February 2025, she described that treatment as the medicine that saved her.

The Patient Story
OutcomeResponding Well
Scott, who was diagnosed with Stage III Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Stage III Colorectal Cancer: Scott's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Scott, Male | Stage III

Scott completed chemotherapy and radiation for Stage III rectal cancer, later had ileostomy surgery in May 2023 after cancer cells were found on follow-up, and underwent reversal in August 2023. As of January 2025, he described himself as going strong and proud to be a survivor.

The Patient Story
OutcomeSurvivorship / Completed Treatment