Stage IV Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: Melissa's Patient Story

Patient Info: Melissa Adams, Female | Stage IV

Melissa’s breast cancer progressed after maintenance hormone therapy and was reassigned as Stage IV. She describes living with incurable disease while focusing on keeping the cancer at bay and staying engaged with family, church, and advocacy.

Stage II Gastric Cancer: Irasema's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Irasema Partida Chavez, Female, Under 40 | Stage II

Irasema reported no evidence of stomach cancer for about 8 years after treatment for her localized recurrence.

Small cell lung cancer with SIADH that progressed after an initial response to treatment

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

Metastatic Site: liver

The cancer progressed with disseminated liver metastases, and she died from liver failure in February 2021.

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Stage III colorectal cancer: remission after treatment

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

As of May 2024, Andrea described being in remission since June 2022, with no cancer seen on follow-up scans and tumor DNA tests remaining negative during close 3-month surveillance.

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Stage IV lung adenocarcinoma with brain metastases and an aortic blood clot

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

Biomarkers: KRAS ; EIF1AZ mutation; PD-L1 30%

Metastatic Site: brain

She remained in active care after whole-brain radiation, with systemic chemo-immunotherapy planned for Stage IV lung adenocarcinoma.

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Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Samantha's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Samantha Salway, Female, Under 40

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

As of May 2024, Samantha had delivered a healthy baby, completed chemotherapy, lumpectomy, radiation and additional chemotherapy, had no current evidence of cancer, and remained under close monitoring.

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Stage 4 lung cancer stable on durvalumab immunotherapy

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

Metastatic Site: brain, pancreas, liver

Stage IV small cell lung cancer remained stable after durvalumab, platinum chemotherapy, radiation, and 1 year of durvalumab monotherapy; severe right sternoclavicular joint arthritis resolved after infliximab, and immunotherapy was suspended for 1 year.

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Rectal cancer with an isolated vaginal metastasis treated with repeat surgery

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

Metastatic Site: vagina

After resection of an isolated vaginal metastasis, she was receiving ongoing adjuvant chemotherapy with good tolerance.

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Stage III small cell lung cancer complicated by a tracheomediastinal fistula during chemoradiation

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

Four months after treatment began, there was no evident cancer recurrence, although the persistent fistula remained under consideration for repair.

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MSI-High Metastatic Hormone-Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer Responding to Pembrolizumab

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

Biomarkers: ER-positive; PR-positive; HER2-negative; MSI-high; BRCA mutation-negative

Metastatic Site: bone, para-aortic lymph nodes, brain

Pembrolizumab produced marked improvement in metastatic bone and nodal disease. After 1 year it was stopped because of appetite loss; 8 months later she was symptom-free and back at work on endocrine therapy, although asymptomatic brain metastases were documented.

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Eye complication (corneal irritation) as a rare side effect of nivolumab immunotherapy

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female

One year after nivolumab was stopped, there was no progression of the lung cancer or secondary lesions, and she remained under surveillance.

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Triple-negative breast cancer and ovarian cancer treated with chemotherapy and PARP inhibitor

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

Biomarkers: Germline pathogenic BRCA2 c.6468_6469del; breast tumor triple-negative

As of April 2024, 6-week follow-up after breast and nodal radiation was unremarkable, erythema had resolved, and no breast, chest wall, respiratory, or axillary abnormality was found; longer-term control was not reported.

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Vision problems led to a breast cancer diagnosis (cancer-associated retinopathy)

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female

Biomarkers: Anti-recoverin and anti-alpha-enolase antibodies associated with cancer-associated retinopathy; tumor biomarkers not reported

Six years after her initial visual symptoms, vision remained stable and she remained cancer-free on surveillance.

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Stage III Colorectal Adenocarcinoma: Michael's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Michael Holtz, Male, 40s | Stage III

Michael reported that capecitabine with radiation, surgery, and FOLFOX worked for him; current surveillance findings and recurrence status were not provided.

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HER2-positive apocrine breast cancer: chemotherapy and Herceptin

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 60s

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

Disease-free for 2 years after treatment for HER2-positive apocrine breast cancer, with no reported lymph-node recurrence or distant metastases during surveillance.

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Invasive lobular breast cancer with isolated scalp metastasis: excision and endocrine therapy

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

Biomarkers: Original breast tumor: ER-positive; PR-positive; scalp metastasis: CK7-positive; ER-positive; GCDFP-15 partially positive

Metastatic Site: scalp/skin

As of April 2024, she had no signs of recurrence in the breast or scalp and no distant metastasis after excision of the isolated scalp metastasis while continuing anastrozole.

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Stage IV Breast Cancer: Catherine's Survivor Story

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

Metastatic Site: Brain/cerebellum region

As of April 2024, Catherine said she had been in remission for almost 3 years after a 2019 metastatic recurrence near the cerebellum, while continuing preventive treatment.

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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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Rare non-small cell lung cancer with TTF-1 and p40 coexpression and later bone recurrence

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

Biomarkers: PD-L1 TPS 60%; ALK negative; ROS1 negative

Metastatic Site: lumbar vertebrae

The cancer recurred in the lumbar vertebrae about 4 months after surgery, and he died from cancer 9 months after the operation.

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BRAF V600E lung adenocarcinoma with a response lasting more than 5 years on dabrafenib and trametinib

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

Biomarkers: BRAF ; PD-L1 TPS 100%

Metastatic Site: pleura

More than 5 years after her initial presentation, dabrafenib plus trametinib remained effective with no trend toward tumor progression.

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Stage IB squamous lung cancer: SBRT, second primary tumor, and local persistence

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 70+

Biomarkers: EGFR wild-type / no EGFR mutations detected

As of April 2024, the second left-lower-lobe primary remained without progression after SBRT, but the original right-lower-lobe tumor site had biopsy-confirmed persistent squamous cell carcinoma 4.3 years after SBRT and required salvage local therapy planning.

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Ovarian Cancer Spreads to the Breast During Platinum-Resistant Recurrence

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

Biomarkers: BRCA1/2-negative; HRD-positive; PD-L1-positive; folate receptor alpha-positive

Metastatic Site: right breast, right axillary lymph nodes, cervical…

She remained alive with stable disease about 2 years after the breast metastasis was diagnosed while receiving seventh-line mirvetuximab-soravtansine.

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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 II Colorectal Cancer: John's Survivor Story

Patient Info: John, Male, Under 40 | Stage II

As of March 2024, John had a complete response to chemotherapy and radiation for Stage II rectal cancer, with the tumor completely gone, no signs of cancer remaining, no surgery needed, and ongoing watch-and-wait monitoring.

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