Palliative Care: 77 Real Stories

77 stories match palliative care. 49 of them mention chemotherapy.

Cancer Stories

Emil, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Emil's Patient Story

Patient Info: Emil Groh, Male, 50s | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Lung; liver

Emil died in hospice in spring 2013 after end-stage rectal cancer with lung and liver metastases did not respond to chemotherapy.

Krankheitserfahrungen.de
OutcomeIn Memory
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV CancerCancer, type not specified

Stage IV cancer, hospice, and family support story

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male | Stage IV

After his cancer was found in April 2009 at Stage IV, he experienced severe pain, difficulty eating, and chemotherapy side effects, then moved to hospice about 4 months into his illness for pain-clinic support and comfort-focused care.

AZ Oncology Japan
OutcomeIn Memory
A patient, who was diagnosed with Small Cell Lung CancerLung Cancer

Extensive-stage small cell lung cancer: multi-line treatment complicated by glucocorticoid-refractory immune-related cystitis

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 50s

Biomarkers: No molecular biomarkers reported for SCLC. Bladder biopsy during cystitis showed mostly CD3/CD8-positive T-cell inflammation.

As of December 2025, the cancer had progressed through multiple systemic lines, new brain metastasis had appeared, and care had shifted to palliative symptomatic treatment; immune-related cystitis had resolved after prednisone plus mycophenolate mofetil.

PubMed Central
OutcomeSetback / Progression
A patient, who was diagnosed with Small Cell Lung CancerLung Cancer

Small cell lung cancer with anti-SOX1 paraneoplastic limbic encephalitis: fatal autopsy case

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 60s

Biomarkers: SCLC with strong anti-SOX1 antibody, ProGRP elevation, neuroendocrine markers positive

As of November 2025, this fatal case ended on hospital day 115 after anti-SOX1 paraneoplastic limbic encephalitis associated with right hilar small cell lung cancer; autopsy confirmed SCLC and severe limbic nervous-system injury.

PubMed Central
OutcomeIn Memory
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung AdenocarcinomaLung Cancer

Fatal Multiorgan Failure After Pembrolizumab-Based Treatment for Metastatic Lung Cancer

Patient Info: Anonymized, female | Stage IV

She died less than 12 hours after hospital presentation with rapidly progressive multiorgan failure one week after the first pembrolizumab-based treatment cycle; immune-related toxicity was strongly suspected, although the rapid decline limited full evaluation.

PubMed Central
OutcomeIn Memory
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Metastatic Breast Cancer Returning About 20 Years After Initial Treatment

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

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

Metastatic Site: bones

About 20 years after her original breast-cancer treatment and sustained remission, bone biopsy confirmed metastatic recurrence; she became too unwell for planned cancer therapy and chose supportive care.

PubMed Central
OutcomeSetback / Progression
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Gastric AdenocarcinomaGastric Cancer

Gastric cancer recurring in the rectum about 20 months after gastrectomy

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

Metastatic Site: rectum, peritoneum

Metastatic gastric adenocarcinoma involved the rectum and pericolonic fat, with peritoneal nodules seen at surgery. He died 6 months after the rectal operation.

PubMed Central
OutcomeIn Memory
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

HER2-Positive Breast Cancer That Spread to the Cervix

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

Biomarkers: HER2-positive; ER and PR less than 1% in the left breast tumor

Metastatic Site: cervix, esophagus, mediastinal lymph nodes

Cervical metastasis showed a local complete response after brachytherapy, but systemic disease later progressed to the esophagus. She died after 4 months of nutritional support and palliative treatment.

PubMed Central
OutcomeIn Memory
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung AdenocarcinomaLung Cancer

Stage IV lung adenocarcinoma presenting as a painful thigh metastasis

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

Metastatic Site: right thigh soft tissue/muscle, bilateral iliac bones…

After 9 months of therapy, the lung lesion had a partial response and the painful thigh mass had markedly decreased, although she remained unable to walk.

PubMed Central
OutcomeResponding Well
Tim, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung CancerLung Cancer

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.

Lung Cancer Voices
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Rare soft-tissue sarcoma of the breast

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: TLE1 strongly and diffusely positive; p63, CK7

Metastatic Site: lungs

After mastectomy, the cancer was metastatic to the lungs and care was palliative.

PubMed Central
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
A patient, who was diagnosed with Educational / palliative-care content; no patient cancer caseEducational / palliative-care content; no patient cancer case

Talking openly about death and dying with Kathryn Mannix

Patient Info: Anonymized

As of January 2024, this educational episode focused on palliative care communication and open conversations about death and dying, rather than an individual patient outcome.

So Now I've Got Breast Cancer
OutcomeCare Ongoing
A patient, who was diagnosed with Gastric AdenocarcinomaGastric Cancer

HER2-Positive Metastatic Stomach Cancer Presenting With Tumor Lysis Syndrome

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male | Stage Metastatic/Advanced

Biomarkers: HER2 positive

Metastatic Site: liver

His metastatic gastric cancer progressed despite FOLFOX6 and trastuzumab. He entered hospice about 1 year later and died a few months afterward.

PubMed Central
OutcomeIn Memory
MC
Colorectal Cancer

Metastatic colorectal carcinoma associated with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis

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

Metastatic Site: liver, lymph nodes

He had widespread metastatic carcinoma with severe liver involvement and malignancy-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis. Rapid multiorgan failure led him to choose comfort care and hospice.

PubMed Central
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung CancerLung Cancer

Lung cancer first discovered through a skin metastasis

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: skin and subcutaneous tissues; soft tissue and muscle;…

His metastatic disease progressed rapidly, and he died 4.5 months after the initial dermatology referral.

PubMed Central
OutcomeIn Memory
A patient, who was diagnosed with Ovarian CancerOvarian Cancer

Metastatic Ovarian Cancer Presenting With Painful Finger Ischemia

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage Metastatic/Advanced

Biomarkers: CA-125: 90.6 kU/L after 4 cycles of chemotherapy

Metastatic Site: peritoneum|omentum

She continued chemotherapy and palliative symptom management after debulking surgery. She died from an intracranial hemorrhage 10 months after her original presentation.

PubMed Central
OutcomeIn Memory
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Male Breast Cancer Controlled for Years Through Multiple Lines of Targeted and Endocrine Therapy

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

Biomarkers: Initial tumor ER-positive, PR-positive, HER2-positive; later ER-positive, PR-negative, HER2-negative; PIK3CA mutation; germline BRCA1/2 negative

Metastatic Site: bones, pleura, liver

After a 5-year and 6-month disease-free interval, the cancer recurred in bone and later progressed to the pleura and liver. He died in January 2021, more than 13 years after his 2007 breast-cancer diagnosis.

PubMed Central
OutcomeIn Memory