EGFR-mutated lung cancer with later small-cell transformation

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

Biomarkers: EGFR L858R mutation; acquired EGFR T790M mutation

Metastatic Site: pleura/chest wall, ribs, brain, meninges,…

Disease progressed through multiple lines of therapy with brain and meningeal involvement. He died in September 2021, more than 9 years after his original 2012 diagnosis.

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Stage IV pulmonary mucoepidermoid carcinoma with an ALK fusion responding to targeted therapy

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

Biomarkers: EML4-ALK fusion; PD-L1 <1%

Metastatic Site: liver

By December 2023, oral ALK-targeted therapy was ongoing with a partial response, improved symptoms, weight gain, and marked shrinkage of lung and metastatic disease.

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Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Jessica's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Jessica Dazzler, Female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Biomarkers: FoundationOne testing performed; exact mutation not stated

Metastatic Site: lungs, spine, rib

As of May 2024, Jessica said it took 3 years and 4 months to reach no evidence of disease after Stage IV colorectal cancer, though she remained anxious about future scans and possible circulating cancer.

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Stage IVA lung adenocarcinoma with solitary brain metastasis: pCR after brain surgery, chemoradiation, immunotherapy, and lobectomy

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

Biomarkers: PD-L1 75%; negative for driver gene mutations and translocations

Metastatic Site: brain

As of May 2024, he had no recurrence after brain metastasis resection and radiation, carboplatin/pemetrexed/atezolizumab, robot-assisted right upper lobectomy with pathologic complete response, and 13 cycles of maintenance atezolizumab.

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Stage III Colorectal Cancer: Andrea's Survivor Story

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

As of May 2024, Andrea had completed radiation with continuous 5-FU, 8 intensive chemotherapy infusions, tumor surgery with temporary ileostomy, and ileostomy reversal; a liver-lesion scare was a false alarm and she was cancer-free.

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BRCA2-mutant metastatic breast cancer: complete response with rucaparib maintenance

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

Biomarkers: Germline BRCA2 mutation; somatic BRCA2 mutation; HER2 amplification not seen by FISH; grade III IDC

Metastatic Site: bone

She maintained a complete response for 2 years on rucaparib, letrozole, and zoledronic acid after upfront metastatic BRCA2-mutated breast cancer involving bone, axillary nodes, and right-breast nodules.

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Stage 4 breast cancer: hip reconstruction preserves mobility

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

Metastatic Site: bone (right acetabulum/pelvis: ilium, ischium,…

As of May 2024, 2 years after reconstruction for metastatic breast cancer involving the right acetabulum/pelvis, she had no recurrence of hip pain and had returned to baseline function; overall systemic cancer response was not reported.

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Stage 2 triple-negative breast cancer: pathologic complete response to chemotherapy

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

Biomarkers: Triple-negative breast cancer, with pathogenic PALB2 c.1451T>A variant found in blood/buccal/tumor testing.

As of May 2024, more than 1 year after surgery, she was well and free of cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy, mastectomy, reconstruction, and preventive adnexectomy.

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Stage II Gastric Cancer: Irasema's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Irasema Partida Chavez, Female, Under 40 | Stage II

Irasema reported no evidence of stomach cancer for about 8 years after treatment for her localized recurrence.

Stage 4 lung adenocarcinoma: complete response on immunotherapy combination

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male | Stage IV

Biomarkers: No targetable mutation found. Tissue showed TP53/ARID1A; liquid biopsy added KEAP1, and SMARCA4. PD-L1 not evaluable.

Metastatic Site: bilateral lung nodules, left adrenal gland

As of May 2024, metastatic lung adenocarcinoma had a complete radiologic response lasting more than 14 months on pembrolizumab maintenance, and a new PET-avid lung nodule was benign inflammation rather than cancer.

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Stage III Inflammatory Breast Cancer: Katrece's Patient Story

Patient Info: Katrece Nolen, Female | Stage III

More than 10 years after her diagnosis, Katrece was taking medication intended to reduce recurrence risk and remained active in advocacy for people with inflammatory breast cancer.

Stage II EGFR Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Daniel's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Daniel West, Male | Stage II

Biomarkers: EGFR alteration

At the latest report, Daniel had no evidence of active cancer; small lung nodules were being monitored without progression while he continued osimertinib.

Stage IV Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: Melissa's Patient Story

Patient Info: Melissa Adams, Female | Stage IV

Melissa’s breast cancer progressed after maintenance hormone therapy and was reassigned as Stage IV. She describes living with incurable disease while focusing on keeping the cancer at bay and staying engaged with family, church, and advocacy.

Small cell lung cancer with SIADH that progressed after an initial response to treatment

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

Metastatic Site: liver

The cancer progressed with disseminated liver metastases, and she died from liver failure in February 2021.

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Stage III colorectal cancer: remission after treatment

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

As of May 2024, Andrea described being in remission since June 2022, with no cancer seen on follow-up scans and tumor DNA tests remaining negative during close 3-month surveillance.

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Triple-negative metaplastic breast cancer with complete pathologic response to chemotherapy

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 40s

Biomarkers: ER-negative; PR-negative; HER2-negative; Ki-67 <10%; CK-positive; S100-positive; focal vimentin-positive

At 1-year follow-up, there were no signs of recurrence after doxorubicin/cyclophosphamide chemotherapy and modified radical mastectomy with complete pathologic response.

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Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Samantha's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Samantha Salway, Female, Under 40

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

As of May 2024, Samantha had delivered a healthy baby, completed chemotherapy, lumpectomy, radiation and additional chemotherapy, had no current evidence of cancer, and remained under close monitoring.

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Stage 4 lung cancer stable on durvalumab immunotherapy

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

Metastatic Site: brain, pancreas, liver

Stage IV small cell lung cancer remained stable after durvalumab, platinum chemotherapy, radiation, and 1 year of durvalumab monotherapy; severe right sternoclavicular joint arthritis resolved after infliximab, and immunotherapy was suspended for 1 year.

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Kristie Reimann

Patient Info: Kristie Reimann, 40s | Stage IV

Nine years after a Stage IV diagnosis, Kristie remained on treatment every 2 to 3 weeks and described continuing to live an active life with an ostomy.

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Stage I HR-Positive Breast Cancer: Allison's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Allison Tierney, Female | Stage I

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

As of May 2024, Allison had recently completed her cancer treatment journey and reported successful hair preservation with cold capping during Taxol chemotherapy.

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Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Kyle's Patient Story

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

Metastatic Site: Liver

As of May 2024, Kyle was actively receiving chemotherapy for Stage IV sigmoid colon cancer with liver metastasis and was awaiting reassessment for possible surgery after 5 planned chemotherapy cycles.

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Stage IV small cell lung cancer with metastases involving bone and both eye muscles

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

Metastatic Site: bone; bilateral extraocular muscles (orbits)

He died 5 months after presenting with bilateral orbital involvement while receiving palliative treatment for Stage IV small cell lung cancer.

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Rectal cancer with an isolated vaginal metastasis treated with repeat surgery

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

Metastatic Site: vagina

After resection of an isolated vaginal metastasis, she was receiving ongoing adjuvant chemotherapy with good tolerance.

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Stage III small cell lung cancer complicated by a tracheomediastinal fistula during chemoradiation

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

Four months after treatment began, there was no evident cancer recurrence, although the persistent fistula remained under consideration for repair.

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