Stage III Colorectal Cancer: Kelly's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Kelly Spill, Female | Stage III

As of August 2023, Kelly was in complete clinical response/NED after 9 dostarlimab treatments over about 6 months, avoiding the initially expected chemoradiation and surgery path.

The Patient StoryRead more →

Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Gene's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Gene Jones, Male, 50s | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Liver; lung

As of July 2023, Gene was an 81-year-old, 30-year Stage IV colon cancer survivor with no active colon cancer reported after chemotherapy, cryoablation/liver surgery, later liver surgery, and left-lung surgery.

MD AndersonRead more →

Stage I Ovarian Cancer: Elle's Patient Story

Patient Info: Elle Simone Scott, Female, Under 40 | Stage I

Living with recurrent ovarian cancer for more than 6 years after her September 2016 diagnosis, with an active clinical trial slowing progression at the May 2023 publication.

Dana-FarberRead more →

Stage III Ovarian Cancer: Karoline's Patient Story

Patient Info: Karoline Strauss, female | Stage III

After resuming etigilimab and nivolumab, the patient felt markedly better; by the eighth infusion, some tumors had disappeared and others were shrinking, and treatment was continuing.

MD AndersonRead more →

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

Patient Info: Abigail Myers, female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ER-positive, PR-positive, HER2-positive

Metastatic Site: bones, brain

Abigail continued living with Stage IV metastatic breast cancer after about 8 years of multiple treatment lines, including therapy for bone and brain metastases.

Dana-FarberRead more →

How I Found Out I had Colon Cancer: I Wrote Off All My Symptoms

Patient Info: Haley P., Female, Under 40 | Stage III

As of March 2023, Haley had completed surgery, CAPOX chemotherapy, and 3 years of daily recurrence-prevention trial pills, with ongoing low-touch trial follow-up and no active recurrence described.

The Patient StoryRead more →

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

Patient Info: Tiffany, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: EGFR mutation

Metastatic Site: Bone: pelvis, right femur, cervical spine

As of March 2023, Tiffany had benefited from Tagrisso plus Cyramza, but later CT findings suggested worsening disease and she had started a new early-stage clinical trial with results pending.

The Patient StoryRead more →

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.

The Patient StoryRead more →

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.

The Patient StoryRead more →

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.

The Patient StoryRead more →

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.

Dana-FarberRead more →

Stage IV Gastric Cancer: Rachel's Patient Story

Patient Info: Rachel Orth, Female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Rachel previously reported stable metastatic gastric cancer while receiving treatment on a phase I clinical trial. She died in June 2025.

Stage IV EGFR Lung Adenocarcinoma: Emily's Patient Story

Patient Info: Emily Bannister, Female, 40s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: EGFR Exon 19-positive; no other driver mutations present

Metastatic Site: Intrathoracic lymphatic spread

Emily had Stage IV EGFR Exon 19-positive lung adenocarcinoma with a strong early response to trial-based targeted therapy, and later passed away on March 14, 2023 from complications caused by Stage IV lung cancer.

Lung Cancer Research FoundationRead more →

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.

How to Advocate for Yourself If You Have Metastatic Breast Cancer

Patient Info: Lisa J. Frank, Female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: brain

Living with Stage IV breast cancer involving the brain and continuing clinical-trial treatment every 3 weeks.

Dana-FarberRead more →

Stage III Ovarian Cancer: Margaret's Patient Story

Patient Info: Margaret Winchester | Stage III

Margaret experienced recurrent small ovarian tumors, underwent cryoablation, and had recently completed another clinical trial while continuing her work.

Dana-FarberRead more →

Teacher travels 600 miles for Dana-Farber care

Patient Info: Pam Zwemer, 50s | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: bone, stomach lining

11+ years after her original breast cancer diagnosis, she was living with Stage IV disease after bone recurrence in 2008 and spread to the stomach lining in 2011, while continuing clinical-trial care and working as a teacher.

Dana-FarberRead more →

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.

Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Elizabeth's Patient Story

Patient Info: Elizabeth Cahn

Biomarkers: triple-negative

Elizabeth Cahn chose a clinical trial for triple-negative breast cancer in part to contribute to treatments that could help future patients.

Dana-FarberRead more →

Stage III Ovarian Cancer: Karen's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Karen Howley LaCamera, 50s | Stage III

The REGN4018 clinical trial put Karen’s ovarian cancer into remission, which had lasted nearly a year when the story was written, with follow-up every 6 weeks.

Dana-FarberRead more →

Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Cindi's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Cindi, Female, 60s | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Liver; abdominal lining/peritoneum

As of March 2022, Cindi had no recurrence more than 1 year after a clinical trial with nivolumab, investigational anti-tumor vaccine, chemotherapy, and surgery produced a complete pathologic response with no living cancer cells.

Cleveland ClinicRead more →

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

Patient Info: Shyreece, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ALK rearrangement / ALK-positive

Metastatic Site: Brain

As of March 2022, Shyreece was a long-term Stage IV ALK-positive lung cancer survivor with later brain metastases, ongoing treatment decisions, and advocacy focused on biomarker testing, trials, and disparities in Black lung cancer care.

The Patient StoryRead more →

Lung Cancer Patient Stories: Clinical Trials (& Patient Self-Advocacy!) | Shyreece’s Story (3 of 4)

Patient Info: Shyreece Pompey, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Actionable biomarker identified by biomarker testing; specific mutation not stated

Metastatic Site: Not reported

As of March 2022, Shyreece was living with Stage IV lung cancer after moving from an initial chemotherapy cocktail to an unnamed targeted therapy pill and later participating in a clinical trial.

The Patient StoryRead more →

Stage IV HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: Loli's Patient Story

Patient Info: Loli, Female, 60s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: HER2-positive

Metastatic Site: Liver

As of March 2022, Loli was living with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer involving the liver and receiving clinical-trial treatment with chemotherapy every 21 days.