Triple-Negative Bilateral Breast Cancer Treated With Surgery, Radiation, and Oral Chemotherapy

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage I

Biomarkers: Triple-negative breast cancer; germline BRCA1 pathogenic variant confirmed later

She completed radiotherapy and 2 years of tegafur-uracil without evidence of breast-cancer recurrence.

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Stage IIIC Ovarian Cancer Found During Preoperative Screening

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage III

Biomarkers: BRCA1 pathogenic variant on homologous recombination deficiency testing; germline BRCA1 pathogenic variant

At approximately 1 year after surgery, she was alive without evidence of recurrence while continuing olaparib and bevacizumab maintenance therapy.

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Small Cell Lung Cancer: Mary's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Mary Casanova, Female

As of March 2023, Mary described herself as healthy and in remission after chemotherapy and radiation for small cell lung cancer; stage and metastatic sites were not stated.

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Recurrent gastric cancer with bone metastases, venous thrombosis and chylothorax

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

Metastatic Site: bone

Biopsy-confirmed bone recurrence developed more than a year after surgery. He was too unwell for palliative chemotherapy and died a few months after transition to best supportive care.

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Rare breast blood-vessel cancer (angiosarcoma) in a teenage girl

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female

Biomarkers: Testing for Li-Fraumeni syndrome and POT1 mutation was inconclusive; no inherited cancer predisposition was established

She remained in remission 3 years after diagnosis and continued annual MRI surveillance of the reconstructed and opposite breasts.

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Stage IV gastric adenocarcinoma first detected through an appendiceal metastasis

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

Metastatic Site: appendix

He was referred to oncology for Stage IV gastric cancer and started capecitabine chemotherapy.

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BRCA2 Breast Cancer: Sue's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Sue Friedman, Female, Under 40

Biomarkers: BRCA2 mutation

As of February 2023, Sue Friedman was a long-term breast cancer survivor and founder of FORCE after a BRCA2-associated breast cancer and recurrence; the video is educational and does not state current active disease, NED, or metastatic status for Sue.

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Stage II Breast Cancer: Renée's Patient Story

Patient Info: Renée, Female, Under 40 | Stage II

Biomarkers: Not genetically inherited; breast cancer linked by her team to prior doxorubicin exposure and total-body radiation

As of February 2023, Renée described stable health, working treatments, good bloodwork, and ongoing long-term hormone/anti-cancer therapy; she did not consider herself cancer-free and preferred survivor/thriver language.

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Growing Masses After Chemotherapy for an Ovarian Germ Cell Tumor

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, Under 40

Biomarkers: AFP 581.2 ng/mL and CA-125 74.3 U/mL after surgery

Despite 6 chemotherapy cycles and normalization of AFP, abdominal and pelvic masses continued to grow while CA-125 and CEA increased. She sought a second opinion and underwent imaging and biopsy of an abdominal mass.

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Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: JJ's Patient Story

Patient Info: JJ, Male, Under 40 | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Microsatellite-mutated disease mentioned in clinical-trial context; exact MSI/MMR result not otherwise specified

Metastatic Site: Abdominal wall; lymph nodes; stomach/intestinal outlet…

As of January 2023, JJ was living with incurable Stage IV colon cancer on pembrolizumab/Keytruda clinical-trial infusions every 3 weeks; the trial had kept the abdominal tumor mass from spreading and had helped him live beyond the prognosis he feared, but it was not described as curative.

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I was in Disbelief When I got Colon Cancer

Patient Info: JJ Singleton, Male, Under 40 | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Lynch syndrome

Metastatic Site: Abdominal wall; lymph nodes

After surgery and 12 rounds of FOLFOX, JJ had a clean scan and colonoscopy, but about 6 weeks later cancer recurred outside the colon with spread to the abdominal wall and lymph nodes.

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Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Lucy's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Lucy E., Female, Under 40

Biomarkers: BRCA1 mutation; triple-negative breast cancer

As of January 2023, Lucy had been told she was all-clear/cancer-free after chemotherapy, had undergone double mastectomy with staged reconstruction planning, and was continuing close oncology reviews every 3-4 months.

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Stage II Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Lucy's Patient Story

Patient Info: Lucy, Female, Under 40 | Stage II

Biomarkers: BRCA1 mutation; triple-negative breast cancer

As of January 2023, Lucy had gone through fertility preservation, chemotherapy, and double mastectomy for Stage II grade 3 triple-negative breast cancer with BRCA1 mutation; no NED or recurrence status was stated.

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Stage II HER2-Positive Invasive Ductal Carcinoma: Lanie's Patient Story

Patient Info: Lanie Jones, Female, Under 40 | Stage II

Biomarkers: HER2-positive; Li-Fraumeni syndrome / TP53 mutation; BRCA-negative

As of January 2023, Lanie was living with Li-Fraumeni syndrome after 5 cancer diagnoses and was on lifelong maintenance chemotherapy while advocating for genetic testing and specialized surveillance.

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Stage II Breast Cancer: Amanda's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Amanda, Female, 70+ | Stage II

Amanda completed breast-conserving surgery, lymph-node surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. She entered survivorship and focused on living one day at a time rather than using a specific remission label.

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Stage II HR-Positive Breast Cancer: Becki's Patient Story

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

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

As of 2023, Becki was receiving ongoing treatment for Stage II triple-positive breast cancer after recently completing mastectomy and experiencing chemotherapy-related fatigue, hair loss, and chemo fog.

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Stage II Breast Cancer: Grace's Patient Story

Patient Info: Grace, Female, 60s | Stage II

Grace was still in treatment for Stage II breast cancer, including lumpectomy-based care, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and immunotherapy, and reported that treatment was working despite difficult side effects and job loss.

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Stage III Colorectal Cancer: Ceejay's Patient Story

Patient Info: Ceejay | Stage III

After treatment, Ceejay describes feeling optimistic and hopeful while planning for retirement and new hobbies.

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Stage II Gastric Cancer: Sagan's Patient Story

Patient Info: Sagan | Stage II

Sagan reported completing cancer treatment and continued taking medicines for treatment-related symptoms while focusing on recovery.

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Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Lori's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Lori | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: ovary

After a September 2024 recurrence and surgery in October, Lori said she was in remission and was being monitored with monthly blood work.

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Breast Cancer: Maeve's Patient Story

Patient Info: Maeve

Maeve had undergone lumpectomy, lymph-node surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and targeted therapy and was focused on returning to work and being present for her family.

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Stage I Breast Cancer: Hu's Patient Story

Patient Info: Hu Jia, Female | Stage I

As of 2023, Hu Jia was in treatment for Stage I breast cancer after choosing a modified plan that excluded lymphadenectomy, while anticipating future medication costs and focusing on diet, art, reflection, and emotional resilience.

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Stage III Colorectal Adenocarcinoma: Colin's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Colin | Stage III

Colin was declared cancer-free in November 2024 after surgery and 6 months of chemotherapy.

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Stage III Colorectal Adenocarcinoma: Mary's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Mary | Stage III

Declared cancer-free in August 2024 after treatment and continuing follow-up.

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