Chemotherapy: 1,904 Real Stories

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

A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Small Cell Lung CancerLung Cancer

Stage 4 small cell lung cancer: response to carboplatin, etoposide, and atezolizumab

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

Biomarkers: CD56-positive; synaptophysin-positive

Metastatic Site: right hilar/mediastinal disease, left adrenal gland,…

Extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer presenting with chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction improved after 3 cycles of carboplatin, etoposide, and atezolizumab, with PET response and symptomatic improvement; longer-term durability was not reported.

PubMed Central
OutcomeResponding Well
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung CancerLung Cancer

Stage 4 lung cancer: immunotherapy plus particle therapy halts progression

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

Biomarkers: PD-L1 90%; high tumor mutational burden; PIK3CA ; TP53 mutation; MET mutation

Metastatic Site: left proximal femur

Stage IV oligometastatic NSCLC had good CT response to carboplatin, pemetrexed, and pembrolizumab, then no disease progression 6 months after PULSAR radiotherapy plus pembrolizumab; grade 2 pneumonitis improved with prednisone.

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

Triple-negative breast cancer: partial response to immunotherapy combination

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

Biomarkers: Initial tumor: ER-negative; PR-negative; HER2-negative; Ki-67 >80%

Metastatic Site: left lung, neck lymph nodes, mediastinal lymph nodes

Metastatic triple-negative breast cancer had a partial response after 9 months of pembrolizumab plus MK-4830, with reduced tumor burden, decreased lung and mediastinal metastases, and no new metastatic lesions; immunotherapy continued after prednisone controlled a grade 2 lichenoid eruption.

PubMed Central
OutcomeResponding Well
A patient, who was diagnosed with Invasive Lobular CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Triple-Negative Pleomorphic Lobular Breast Cancer in a BRCA1 Carrier

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, Under 40

Biomarkers: Triple-negative, BRCA1 pathogenic mutation

Surgery after neoadjuvant treatment showed a complete pathologic response with no cancer in the 2 sampled sentinel lymph nodes.

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

HER2-Positive Breast Cancer That Spread to the Cervix

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

Biomarkers: HER2-positive; ER and PR less than 1% in the left breast tumor

Metastatic Site: cervix, esophagus, mediastinal lymph nodes

Cervical metastasis showed a local complete response after brachytherapy, but systemic disease later progressed to the esophagus. She died after 4 months of nutritional support and palliative treatment.

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

Sophie: Stage IV Colorectal Cancer

Patient Info: Sophie, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: BRAF mutation; MSI

Metastatic Site: Liver; lymph nodes; other torso lesions

As of August 2024, Sophie had been declared cancer-free after Stage IV BRAF-mutated/MSI bowel cancer responded to nivolumab/ipilimumab-based immunotherapy, with PET imaging and liver surgery biopsy showing no cancerous cells.

The Patient Story
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Stage 4 invasive ductal carcinoma: metastatic disease with bone involvement managed successfully

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

Biomarkers: ER <1%; PR 0%; HER2 score 3+; Ki-67 60%

Metastatic Site: bone (12th thoracic vertebra/T12)

Stage IV HER2-positive breast cancer had improved T12 bone metastasis, major breast-tumor regression on trastuzumab deruxtecan, and pathologic complete response in the breast after mastectomy; durable systemic disease status was not reported.

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

Breast cancer history with painful implant capsule: no recurrence or BIA-ALCL found

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 40s

Biomarkers: Implant/capsule pathology showed necrotic tissue only; no tumor cells, CD30 signal, bacteria

The painful implant/capsule episode did not show breast cancer recurrence or BIA-ALCL on pathology; symptoms and cancer concern improved after implant removal, while oral flumatinib maintenance for acute B-lymphoblastic leukemia continued.

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

Lung squamous cell carcinoma spreading to bone and intestine

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

Biomarkers: PD-L1 positive in almost all tumor cells

Metastatic Site: bone (left femur), intestine, abdomen

Despite chemotherapy, immunotherapy and radiation, the lung cancer progressed with intestinal and extensive abdominal metastases, cachexia and gastrointestinal bleeding. Palliative care was planned, but he chose discharge and received no further treatment.

PubMed Central
OutcomeSetback / Progression
Nick, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Colorectal AdenocarcinomaColorectal Cancer

Stage IV Colorectal Adenocarcinoma: Nick's Patient Story

Patient Info: Nick Sprague, Male, 40s | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: distant lymph nodes in abdomen/near aorta and left…

As of July 2024, Nick was living with Stage IVA colon cancer and receiving Keytruda/pembrolizumab with fewer side effects than chemotherapy; no NED status had been reached.

The Patient Story
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
Att, who was diagnosed with Stage II Lung CancerLung Cancer

Stage II Lung Cancer: Att's Patient Story

Patient Info: Att Callahan, Female, 70+ | Stage II

As of July 2024, Att was receiving monthly post-surgery immunotherapy and scans every other month after clinical-trial chemoimmunotherapy and lobectomy, with doctors believing they had removed all visible cancer.

MD Anderson
OutcomeCare Ongoing
A patient, who was diagnosed with Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Rare acinic cell breast cancer treated with mastectomy

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, Under 40

Biomarkers: Triple-negative; pMMR/MSS; Ki-67 very high. TP53 and several other mutations reported; no gene fusion/rearrangement found.

Alive for 43 months with no metastasis or recurrence after surgery, 8 cycles of epirubicin/cyclophosphamide, and radiotherapy for breast acinic cell carcinoma with high-grade solid transformation.

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

Triple-positive breast cancer: complete response to targeted therapy

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

Biomarkers: Triple-positive breast cancer; SBDS variants present; no detected TP53 variant on MyeloSeq.

Metastatic Site: liver

Stage IV triple-positive breast cancer with liver metastasis achieved complete response after paclitaxel, trastuzumab, pertuzumab, and G-CSF support; complete response was maintained for 18 months after treatment initiation while on maintenance HER2-directed and endocrine therapy.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Samantha, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage IV Breast Cancer: Samantha's Patient Story

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

Biomarkers: Hormone-positive breast cancer; specific receptor details not reported

Metastatic Site: bone: rib, spine, pelvis

As of July 2024, Samantha was living with Stage IV hormone-positive breast cancer with bone metastases. Current treatment was working in most areas, but a breast tumor continued to grow and was surgically removed; ongoing treatment and 3-month scans were reported.

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

Stage IV PD-L1-negative lung adenocarcinoma: complete response with nivolumab and ipilimumab

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

Biomarkers: PD-L1-negative; no targetable molecular alterations on DNA/RNA next-generation sequencing; TP53 alteration reported at 66%

Metastatic Site: left pleural effusion; right adrenal gland;…

As of February 2024, she remained on maintenance nivolumab and ipilimumab after 14 cycles, without significant toxicity and with persistent complete response of Stage IV PD-L1-negative lung adenocarcinoma.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Jay, who was diagnosed with Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Colorectal Cancer: Jay's Patient Story

Patient Info: Jay Reese, Under 40

Biomarkers: Lynch syndrome

After a full colectomy in February 2012, Jay did not need further surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy and continued close surveillance because of Lynch syndrome.

Dana-Farber
OutcomeNot reported
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung Squamous Cell CarcinomaLung Cancer

Stage 4 lung cancer: complete response to chemo-immunotherapy combo

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

Metastatic Site: right hilar lymph nodes, mediastinal lymph nodes

Stage IVA lung squamous cell carcinoma achieved complete response at 12 months. Pembrolizumab was stopped after immune-related RS3PE and likely colitis; 8 months after glucocorticoid initiation, there was no relapse of lung cancer or RS3PE.

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

Stage IV Colorectal Adenocarcinoma: Elizabeth's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Elizabeth Wachsberg, Female | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: liver

As of July 2024, Elizabeth was 5 years cancer-free after Stage IV colon cancer with liver metastases, chemotherapy, and surgery.

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

Stage 3 lung cancer: complete response to chemo and immunotherapy

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

Biomarkers: Tumor markers were normal during mesorectal nodule workup; lung molecular biomarkers were not reported.

No radiologic NSCLC recurrence was detected during 16 months of follow-up after complete response to cisplatin/docetaxel chemoradiation plus 1 year of durvalumab; the suspicious mesorectal nodule proved to be a benign organized thrombus.

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

Stage 4 luminal A breast cancer: tumor regression on hormone therapy

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

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

Metastatic Site: skin, soft tissue, lungs

Metastatic Luminal A breast cancer involving skin/soft tissue and lungs showed regressing tumors and stable lung metastasis after 3 months of anti-hormone therapy plus capecitabine; longer-term control was not reported.

PubMed Central
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung AdenocarcinomaLung Cancer

Near-complete response to osimertinib in Stage IV lung adenocarcinoma with rare EGFR mutations

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

Biomarkers: EGFR S768I mutation, PD-L1 TPS 2%

Metastatic Site: pleura, bone, lymph nodes

After progression on vinorelbine and carboplatin, osimertinib produced a metabolic complete response by December 2023 and a near-complete radiologic response in March 2024. He remained on osimertinib with good tolerance and stable clinical condition.

PubMed Central
OutcomeResponding Well