Stage IV Gastric Adenocarcinoma: Angel's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Angel | Stage IV

Angel was declared cancer-free in August 2024 and described being NED within 1 year of the Stage IV gastric cancer diagnosis.

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Stage II Breast Cancer: Annie's Patient Story

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

As of 2023, Annie was still receiving care for Stage II breast cancer after completing chemotherapy and hormonal therapy, with lumpectomy, lymphadenectomy, radiation therapy, and immunotherapy still ahead in her plan.

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Stage II Breast Cancer: Sarah's Patient Story

Patient Info: Sarah | Stage II

Sarah remains in active treatment, with the plan changed to focus on chemotherapy, and she is hopeful about completing treatment and returning to daily life.

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Stage IV Breast Cancer: Adriana's Patient Story

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

Adriana was continuing treatment for stage 4 breast cancer and hoped for a complete response. She remained focused on her children despite substantial emotional and financial strain.

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Stage IV HR-Positive Breast Cancer: Bethany's Patient Story

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

Biomarkers: ER-positive / hormone-positive

Metastatic Site: Liver; bones; lymph nodes; stomach

As of December 2022, Bethany was living with Stage IV metastatic breast cancer after recurrence to the liver, bones, lymph nodes, and stomach, and was on lifelong maintenance treatment after disease shrinkage.

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Stage IV Lung Cancer Reached Remission After Severe Nerve Damage and Neck Surgery

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: left cervical lymph nodes

Considered in complete remission after cervical lymph-node surgery, with no clinical or radiological progression 24 months after systemic treatment; alive and back at work 3 years after diagnosis.

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Recurrent Malignant Ovarian Steroid Cell Tumor Treated With Multiple Therapies

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female

Biomarkers: PIK3CA, and ATM mutations; ER negative; PR negative

She experienced repeated pelvic and lung recurrences. Platinum-based treatment produced a complete PET-CT response and olaparib maintenance provided about 1 year without progression before a 5 mm lung recurrence was surgically removed.

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After Being Diagnosed with 2 Cancers I Found "My Support Crew"

Patient Info: Loriana Hernandez-Aldama, Female

Biomarkers: CHIP marker reported after bone marrow transplant; breast cancer biomarkers not reported

As of December 2022, Loriana was described as a 2-time cancer survivor and patient advocate after AML, bone marrow transplant, and later breast cancer; no active cancer treatment or NED wording was stated.

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Stage III Ovarian Cancer During Care for Common Variable Immunodeficiency

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage III

She remained alive on maintenance bevacizumab, with no radiologic evidence of ovarian-cancer progression.

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Breast Cancer: Mary's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Mary Richichi, female, 70+

Biomarkers: hormone receptor-positive

Mary’s breast cancer was described as under control and in remission after treatment.

Dana-FarberRead more →

Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Trevor's Patient Story

Patient Info: Trevor Maxwell, Male, 40s | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Liver

As of November 2022, Trevor was nearly 5 years into Stage IV colon cancer, had undergone colon surgery, chemotherapy, liver resection and multiple surgeries, and was living with ongoing uncertainty while leading Man Up to Cancer.

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Recurrent gastric cancer with peritoneal spread and a difficult intestinal fistula

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

Metastatic Site: peritoneum

About 10 years after her original gastrectomy, recurrent gastric cancer with peritoneal spread progressed despite palliative procedures. She died 3 months after her final reoperation.

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Breast Cancer Spread to the Sinuses, Eye Sockets and Skull

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ER-positive; PR-positive

Metastatic Site: ethmoid and frontal sinuses; both orbits; multiple…

At 1-year follow-up, the sino-orbital metastases had not progressed on neuroimaging, right-eye visual acuity remained good, and chemoradiotherapy had been tolerated without complication.

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Metastatic Breast Cancer Treatment Caused Severe Circulation Problems in Her Fingers and Toes

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

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

The digital ischaemia improved after gemcitabine was stopped, without revascularisation, debridement or amputation, although a small necrotic fingertip area persisted at 3 months. Metastatic breast cancer treatment continued with further systemic lines after progression.

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Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Stephanie's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Stephanie, Female, Under 40

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

As of October 2022, Stephanie had completed treatment for triple-negative breast cancer in January 2022, follow-up tests showed she was cancer-free, and she had no evidence of cancer.

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Stage IV PIK3CA Breast Cancer: Abigail's Patient Story

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

Biomarkers: Hormone-positive breast cancer with PIK3CA mutation and germline ATM mutation; later PD-L1 somatic change reported. HER2 not stated.

Metastatic Site: Bone, including femurs, spine, and humeri; later liver

As of October 2022, Abigail was living with Stage IV hormone-positive metastatic breast cancer after years of treatment, bone-dominant disease that later involved the liver, targeted therapies, genomic testing, and advocacy around clinical trials and patient research participation.

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Breast Cancer: Sharon's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Sharon Kovach, Female, 60s

Sharon, age 63 at the time of the story, had remained in remission since completing treatment for recurrence in 2003.

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Continuing 5-FU After Severe Chest Pain During Metastatic Colon Cancer Treatment

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

Pretreatment with diltiazem allowed her to complete a 48-hour 5-FU infusion without recurrent chest pain, abnormal heart rhythm or loss of heart function.

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Stage III Testicular Cancer: Felipe's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Felipe Soltero, Male, Under 40 | Stage III

Biomarkers: alpha-fetoprotein elevated; lactate dehydrogenase elevated

After surgery and BEP chemotherapy for Stage III metastatic testicular cancer, Felipe was cancer-free for more than 1 year as of October 2022.

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Metastatic Breast Cancer Reclassified After NTRK Fusion Testing

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ETV6-NTRK3 fusion detected in tissue but not circulating tumor DNA; ER low-positive; PR-negative; HER2-negative; PD-L1-negative; germline CHEK2 variant of uncertain significance

Metastatic Site: lungs and pleura; hilar, mediastinal and retrocaval…

After tissue testing identified an ETV6-NTRK3 fusion, treatment with larotrectinib produced a rapid clinical and radiological response.

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Recurrent Malignant Phyllodes Tumor Requiring Major Chest Wall Reconstruction

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female

Two months after completing postoperative chemotherapy and radiation, she developed pneumonia and respiratory failure and died.

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Stage IIIC Primary Ovarian Leiomyosarcoma Treated With Debulking Surgery and Chemotherapy

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage III

Biomarkers: SMA positive; caldesmon positive; Ki-67 15%–20%; p53 negative

She recovered from extensive cytoreductive surgery, reported resolution of her symptoms, and began planned adjuvant Adriamycin and ifosfamide.

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Stage IV Breast Cancer: Lianne's Patient Story

Patient Info: Lianne Kraemer, female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: brain

Six years after brain metastases were diagnosed, Lianne remained in active follow-up with scans and treatment decisions every 8 weeks while living with metastatic breast cancer.

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HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: Feyama's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Feyama Ashby, Female

Biomarkers: HER2-positive

As of September 2022, Feyama had completed chemotherapy, lumpectomy with lymph-node removal, reconstruction, and 6 weeks of VMAT radiation, and was entering close monitoring for 5 years before survivorship clinic follow-up.

MD AndersonRead more →