Stage IV ALK Lung Adenocarcinoma: Shirley's Patient Story

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

Biomarkers: ALK mutation

As of December 2024, Shirley was living with Stage IV ALK-positive lung adenocarcinoma and had stable disease on a fourth-generation ALK inhibitor clinical trial that began in July 2024.

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How Clinical Trials Helped Me Fight Stage 4 Cancer

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ALK-positive / ALK-rearranged

Metastatic Site: Not specified

As of December 2024, this anonymized patient described living 10.5 years with Stage IV non-small cell lung cancer and said her current clinical-trial treatment was working, with tumors shrinking.

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Doctors Assured Me It Wasn’t Cancer!

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

Biomarkers: ALK-rearranged

Metastatic Site: mediastinum, pleura

Shirley was living with Stage IV ALK-positive lung cancer on a phase 2 ALK clinical trial; scans remained stable after 2 scan sets, but the large mass persisted.

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Stage IV Lung Cancer: Natalie's Patient Story

Patient Info: Natalie, Female | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: lungs, lymph nodes

As of December 2024, Natalie had restarted chemotherapy after progression, and the current chemotherapy had stopped growth for the moment while she continued transplant evaluation.

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Lung Cancer: Pascal's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Pascal, Male, 60s

As of the September 2024 article update, Pascal had resumed sports, felt well, and had been in complete remission for 26 months after an immunotherapy clinical trial following chemotherapy and radiation failure.

Stage IV Lung Cancer: Florence's Patient Story

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

Metastatic Site: Brain

As of the September 2024 article update, Florence was living with metastatic lung cancer, traveling every 3 weeks for immunotherapy in a clinical trial, and reported less fatigue, more energy, and a return to sports and social life.

Stage IV Breast Cancer: Lourdes's Patient Story

Patient Info: Lourdes Monje, Under 40 | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: lung

Lourdes is receiving investigational treatment through a clinical trial, with manageable side effects, while continuing to work and spend time with family and friends.

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.

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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.

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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.

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RET-rearranged metastatic lung cancer responding to selpercatinib after pralsetinib

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

Biomarkers: KIF5B-RET fusion; PD-L1 negative

Metastatic Site: brain

More than 5 years after her 2018 diagnosis, selpercatinib was ongoing after 8 months with continued brain response and stable lung disease.

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Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Amy's Patient Story

Patient Info: Amy Nicole, Female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: liver; lymph nodes near kidneys/retroperitoneal lymph…

As of June 2024, Amy was living with recurrent Stage IV colon cancer and was on an immunotherapy clinical trial that improved quality of life compared with chemotherapy, though she did not describe remission or NED.

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More than five years with EGFR-mutated lung cancer and untreated brain metastases

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

Biomarkers: EGFR L858R mutation; acquired EGFR T790M mutation

Metastatic Site: brain, pleura

Zorifertinib produced partial responses in both brain and extracranial disease, with 3 years of progression-free survival and more than 4 years of intracranial control. By December 2023, she remained alive on aumolertinib with overall survival of more than 65 months, or 5+ years, from treatment start.

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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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Elsa Lankford

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

Biomarkers: Biomarker testing completed; results not reported

She remained in treatment for Stage IV colon cancer and had entered immunotherapy trial NCT05572684; reported side effects included skin rashes and increased anxiety.

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Stage IV EGFR Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Anne's Patient Story

Patient Info: Anne Laporte, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: EGFR-mutated; several additional mutations mentioned but not specified

Metastatic Site: Spine; liver; lymph nodes

As of March 2024, Anne was living with Stage IVB EGFR-mutated NSCLC on a clinical trial after progression on Tagrisso, with early signs of decreased tumor burden and major improvement in pain.

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Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Tim's Patient Story

Patient Info: Tim Monds, Male, 50s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: High PD-L1 expression

Metastatic Site: Other lung lobes / lung nodules

As of March 2024, Tim Monds was identified as a Stage IV lung cancer survivor involved in discussion of the PaCES early palliative-care project and broader lung cancer advocacy.

Stage IV BRCA Breast Cancer: Dena's Patient Story

Patient Info: Dena Ofengeim, Under 40 | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Hormone receptor-positive; BRCA mutation

Metastatic Site: spine

Dena improved rapidly after treatment, regained her mobility, returned to an active life, and remained on therapy for metastatic breast cancer.

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Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Jeff's Patient Story

Patient Info: Jeff Williams, Male, 50s | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Liver; lungs

As of December 2023, Jeff was living with recurrent Stage IV colorectal cancer, had recently developed more lung tumors, continued chemotherapy locally every 2 weeks, and returned to UT MD Anderson every 3 months for scans.

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Stage IV ALK Lung Cancer: Matt's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Matt Hiznay, Male, Under 40 | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ALK mutation / ALK-positive

Metastatic Site: Not reported

As of November 2023, Matt was a 12-year survivor with Stage IV ALK-positive lung cancer in remission, no evidence of disease, and ongoing lorlatinib treatment.

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Stage IV BRAF Colorectal Cancer: Loralee's Patient Story

Patient Info: Loralee Lovell, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: BRAF mutation; microsatellite stable

Metastatic Site: liver|lungs|lymph nodes|peritoneal lining

Loralee continued treatment for metastatic colon cancer for several years and died on May 26, 2026.

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Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Julie's Patient Story

Patient Info: Julie Flower, Female | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Liver; lungs; lymph nodes; bones

As of September 2023, Julie had longstanding Stage IV colorectal cancer but a strong clinical-trial response after about 2.5 years on trial, with possible first no-evidence-of-disease assessment expected soon but not confirmed in this record.

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Stage III MSI-High Colorectal Cancer: Kelly's Survivor Story

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

Biomarkers: dMMR; MSI-H

As of September 2023, Kelly remained in remission after 9 dostarlimab immunotherapy infusions for Stage III dMMR/MSI-H rectal cancer, avoiding the expected chemo/radiation/surgery pathway.

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Stage IV HER2-Positive Colorectal Cancer: Brian's Patient Story

Patient Info: Brian Beck, 50s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: HER2-positive

Metastatic Site: liver

Brian was receiving tucatinib plus trastuzumab on a clinical trial and was working full time 4.5 years after his Stage IV diagnosis.