Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Kara's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Kara Niewohner, Female, 40s

Biomarkers: BRCA2 mutation; triple-negative

No trace of breast cancer remained after the September 2021 double mastectomy, and no radiation or additional breast-cancer treatment was needed.

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Stage IV Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Julie's Patient Story

Patient Info: Julie Campbell, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: triple-negative

Julie died on April 17, 2022.

Cancer in Accessory Breast Tissue Under Both Arms in a Man

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male

Biomarkers: Left tumor: HER2-positive by gene amplification; ER-negative; PR-negative; Ki-67 70%; p53 staining 80%

After surgery removed both accessory-breast cancers, he continued with adjuvant paclitaxel, trastuzumab and radiation.

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Synchronous gastric and pancreatic adenocarcinomas in a 76-year-old woman

Patient Info: Anonymized, female, 70+

Her health declined with repeated hospitalizations and failure to thrive. She could not tolerate treatment, transitioned to palliative care, and died shortly afterward.

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Gastric Cancer: Alan's Patient Story

Patient Info: Alan Salm, Male, 50s | Stage Metastatic/Advanced

Alan died from stomach cancer on May 5, 2021, 1 month before his 53rd birthday.

Stage IV Invasive Ductal Carcinoma: Anabel's Patient Story

Patient Info: Anabel, Female | Stage IV

As of July 2022, Anabel was living with metastatic infiltrating ductal breast carcinoma after chemotherapy and radiation, using supportive care and clinical-trial participation to focus on quality of life and slowing metastasis.

Stage IV gastric cancer with liver metastases cleared after chemotherapy, nivolumab and surgery

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

Biomarkers: PD-L1-positive, HER2-negative

Metastatic Site: liver

After treatment cleared the gastric and liver lesions, all anticancer therapy was stopped. He remained relapse-free with no evidence of disease for 32 months.

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Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Recurring in Groin Lymph Nodes

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

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

Metastatic Site: right inguinal lymph node; right iliac/pelvic lymph…

Her condition deteriorated after 3 cycles of palliative capecitabine. She developed vomiting, headache and seizures concerning for brain metastases and died about 4 months after the groin metastasis was detected.

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Stage III Breast Cancer: Christal's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Christal Love, Female, Under 40 | Stage III

Biomarkers: hormone-positive; HER2-negative

After chemotherapy complications, surgery, radiation, later preventive removal of the other breast and reconstruction, Christal remained cancer-free for more than 5 years as of June 2022.

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32-year-old woman with Stage IV rectal cancer, liver and lung metastases, targeted chemotherapy, surgery, ablation, radiation, and ongoing chemotherapy

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

Biomarkers: KRAS wild-type; NRAS wild-type; BRAF wild-type

Metastatic Site: Liver | Lung | Presacral/perirectal lymph nodes

As of the story endpoint around December 2020, she was 5 years into treatment for Stage IV rectal cancer after multiple systemic regimens, bowel/liver/lung surgery, liver recurrence treatment, ablation, lung surgery, TOMO radiation, and ongoing chemotherapy.

Stage III colon cancer: surgery and treatment story

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage III

As of June 2022, she had completed colon surgery and 6 months of IV chemotherapy for Stage III colon adenocarcinoma; recurrence, remission, or NED status was not stated.

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Stage IV gastric cancer with a TP53 blood finding traced to clonal hematopoiesis

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

Metastatic Site: distant lymph nodes

At age 57, 3 years 4 months after his Stage IV diagnosis, he remained alive after multiple lines of treatment; progression had occurred before his later-line regimens.

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Stage III BRCA Ovarian Cancer: Mimi's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Mimi Gallagher, 40s | Stage III

Biomarkers: BRCA-positive

Mimi was cancer-free after surgery and 4 months of intraperitoneal chemotherapy, completed in December 2012.

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Stage IV Breast Cancer: Lise's Patient Story

Patient Info: Lise Pass, Female, 50s | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: bone

Living with metastatic breast cancer for nearly a decade, feeling well and continuing nightly oral chemotherapy after 5 years of monthly infusions.

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Ovarian Cancer Can Present Unique Challenges Around Gender

Patient Info: Anonymized, 40s

At annual follow-up, the ovarian cancer remained in remission with no recurrences since treatment ended in December 2009.

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Stage III signet-ring gastric cancer complicated by a life-threatening aortic fistula after treatment

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

After staged repair of a life-threatening aortoesophageal fistula and later esophageal reconstruction, he was living independently and remained under follow-up without tumor recurrence.

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A young man with metastatic rectal cancer and inherited BRCA1 and MLH1 mutations

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

Biomarkers: Germline BRCA1 c.4065_4068delTCAA and MLH1 c.232G>T mutations; tumor microsatellite instability-high; loss of MLH1 and PMS2 expression; elevated tumor mutational burden; loss of heterozygosity of wild-type MLH1.

Metastatic Site: liver

The rectal and liver tumors showed a partial response, no viable carcinoma was found in the resected liver lesions, and maintenance nivolumab continued without evidence of growth or recurrence.

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Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Almudena's Survivor Story

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

Metastatic Site: Peritoneum

As of May 2022, Almudena was cancer-free after surgery and 12 chemotherapy sessions, had been medically cleared as cured after 6 years, and continued genetics follow-up because her case was unusual for her age.

Stage III Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Marlena's Patient Story

Patient Info: Marlena Murphy, Female, 40s | Stage III

Biomarkers: triple-negative

Later testing found cancer cells after Marlena noticed a small bump under her right arm. She died on July 3, 2024.

Stage III Breast Cancer: Sandra's Patient Story

Patient Info: Sandra Morales, Female, 40s | Stage III

Sandra is doing well, sees her oncologist twice a year, and continues hormone-blocking therapy to reduce recurrence risk.

Colorectal Cancer: Alejandro's Patient Story

Patient Info: Alejandro Mirazo, Male

Biomarkers: Lynch syndrome

Alejandro recovered quickly from colon surgery and had started a planned 4-cycle course of chemotherapy by May 2022, with ongoing surveillance for recurrence and other Lynch syndrome-associated cancers.

Ovarian Cancer: Faye's Patient Story

Patient Info: Faye Belvin, Female

Faye was still receiving the trial combination and said the treatment was working and that she felt better than she had in the previous 2 years.

Stage IV Breast Cancer: Fleur's Patient Story

Patient Info: Fleur Profinet, Female, 40s | Stage IV

As of May 2022, Fleur was living with metastatic breast cancer; she said chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and hormone therapy had made her metastases “sleep,” while fatigue, pain, and mood changes continued.

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Stage IV KRAS Colorectal Cancer: Kris's Patient Story

Patient Info: Kris Sokolowski, Male, 40s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: KRAS mutation

Metastatic Site: Liver; sternum; spine; lymph nodes; omentum/abdominal…

As of May 2022, Kris was living with Stage IV KRAS G13D-mutant colorectal cancer. Most tumors had been stable or shrinking, but abdominal/omental disease continued to grow despite additional full-strength chemotherapy, so clinical-trial and immunotherapy options were being explored.

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