Breast cancer recurrence involving the bladder and bones

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Initial breast cancer: ER-positive, PR-positive, HER2-negative. Bladder metastasis: ER-positive, PR-negative, HER2 1+.

Metastatic Site: bladder, bone, rectosigmoid region, anorectal region

She died in October 2016 from pulmonary haemorrhage, 47 months after metastatic disease was diagnosed.

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Breast cancer presenting with severe coordination problems and facial weakness

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 50s | Stage II

At 6 months after surgery, her neurological dysfunction had not improved but had not worsened. She still required assistance with self-care and had a poor quality of life.

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Breast implant rupture decades after bilateral breast cancer treatment

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 70+

In 2016, the excised left breast mass was a fibrous capsule measuring 8 × 6 × 4 mm and was negative for tumor. She had no postoperative complications at 7- and 30-day follow-up after implant removal.

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Breast cancer recurrence presenting with numb chin syndrome

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

Metastatic Site: sternum, left mandibular foramen

She was discharged ambulatory without lower-limb pain, although left mandibular numbness persisted, with monthly oncology follow-up planned.

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Severe patent blue dye allergy during planned breast cancer surgery

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 50s

The repeat operation proceeded without blue dyes and without another perioperative allergic reaction.

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Employees' own cancer treatment shapes how they give back

Patient Info: Jamie Bernard, female, Under 40 | Stage II

After mastectomy and chemotherapy, Jamie became active in patient and caregiver support programs at MD Anderson.

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Stage II metaplastic breast cancer in a 47-year-old man

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 40s | Stage II

Biomarkers: ER 1%; PR negative; HER2 negative; E-cadherin positive; p63 positive; genetic testing reported no abnormal mutations

Two years after surgery he was doing well, with only occasional pain at the mastectomy site and a negative recent mammogram of the left breast.

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Breast Cancer: Heather's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Heather Kokinda, Female, Under 40

As of March 2018, Heather had completed chemotherapy and double mastectomy, had a clear scan before trying to conceive again, and had given birth to another daughter in July 2017.

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Breast reconstruction after implant loss in a woman with BMI 50.8

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 50s | Stage I

At 3-month follow-up, the DIEP flap remained viable with no fat or skin necrosis and a satisfactory aesthetic result.

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Stage III BRCA2 Breast Cancer: Ashley's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Ashley, female, Under 40 | Stage III

Biomarkers: BRCA2 positive; HER2 positive

Ashley described herself as cancer-free after chemotherapy, double mastectomy and 30 rounds of radiation, with 10 months of Herceptin planned.

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Triple receptor-positive neuroendocrine breast cancer in a 32-year-old woman

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

Biomarkers: ER positive; PR positive; HER2 positive; neuron-specific enolase positive; synaptophysin positive

She was stable on follow-up and was receiving adjuvant chest-wall radiation plus systemic chemotherapy and trastuzumab-based therapy.

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Stage II Breast Cancer: Ana's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Ana, Female, 50s | Stage II

Ana reported being declared cancer-free in March 2020 and continued hormone therapy afterward, with no recurrence described in the available story.

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Breast Cancer: Tonya's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Tonya, Female

Tonya said she was in remission while continuing radiation therapy and hormone therapy.

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Metastatic Lobular Breast Cancer With Long-Term Disease Control Across Multiple Therapies

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

Biomarkers: Initial tumor: ER negative, HER2 negative, Ki67 17%. 2006 recurrence: ER 40%

Metastatic Site: pleura, liver, skin, bone

She was alive on ongoing metronomic vinorelbine with substantial disease stabilization at the most recent follow-up.

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Bilateral Breast Cancers Followed by Metastatic Disease and Long Eribulin Treatment

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

Biomarkers: Left primary: ER 90%, HER2 FISH not amplified, Ki67 25%. Right primary: ER 90%

Metastatic Site: lung, pleura, liver, bone

After pelvic bone metastases appeared in 2017, she stopped eribulin, received pelvic radiation and remained on fulvestrant treatment.

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Stage I Breast Cancer: Yanzi's Patient Story

Patient Info: Yanzi, 40s | Stage I

Years after her Stage I diagnosis, Yanzi had completed the other treatment and remained on hormone medication while coping with fear of recurrence.

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Stage III Breast Cancer: Jacquelyn's Patient Story

Patient Info: Jacquelyn | Stage III

Jacquelyn said her stage 3 breast cancer was in remission while hormone therapy medication continued after mastectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation.

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Breast cancer returning 21 years later as a solitary parotid metastasis

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

Biomarkers: Parotid metastasis ER positive; PR positive; HER2 borderline by IHC but FISH 1.82

Metastatic Site: left parotid gland

More than 5 months after the parotid metastasis was diagnosed, the tumour had slightly decreased in size and her metastatic disease remained stable on endocrine therapy.

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Stage IV Breast Cancer: Lindsey's Patient Story

Patient Info: Lindsey Ballas, Female | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Not reported

As of September 2017, Lindsey was living with Stage IV metastatic breast cancer on advanced targeted maintenance therapy every 3 weeks, with stable disease and continued work and family life.

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Stage II BRCA1 Invasive Ductal Carcinoma: Roxana's Patient Story

Patient Info: Roxana Lopez, female, Under 40 | Stage II

Biomarkers: BRCA1 positive

After chemotherapy and bilateral mastectomy, Roxana continued regular screening for breast, ovarian and pancreatic cancers and melanoma.

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Putting the Puzzle Pieces Together

Patient Info: Anonymized, Under 40

Biomarkers: Li-Fraumeni syndrome

At 36, six months after giving birth, this patient was diagnosed with hormone-sensitive breast cancer and later learned she had Li-Fraumeni syndrome, shaping her decision to avoid radiation.

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Stage III Breast Cancer: Melissa's Patient Story

Patient Info: Melissa Angiolillo, Female, Under 40 | Stage III

Completed double mastectomy, 8 rounds of chemotherapy and 25 radiation treatments over the prior 8 months.

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HER2-Positive Inflammatory Breast Cancer: Trish's Patient Story

Patient Info: Trish Vickery, female, 50s

Biomarkers: HER2-positive

At 58, Trish was living an active life after treatment, including working, traveling, exercising, and rowing.

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Breast Cancer: Marianne's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Marianne Gongos, Female, 60s

Marianne had been breast cancer-free since June 13, 2013. Her separate chronic myeloid leukemia was also in remission after she restarted its medication.

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