Stage IV HER2-Positive Inflammatory Breast Cancer: Olivia's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Olivia Franz, Female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Biomarkers: HER2-positive

Metastatic Site: Bones; distant lymph nodes

As of October 2023, Olivia continued to show no evidence of disease on scans while receiving maintenance trastuzumab and pertuzumab every 3 weeks and zoledronic acid every 3 months for bone health.

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Exercise Trainer Helps Detect Brain Metastases in a Woman With Long-Standing Metastatic Breast Cancer

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

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

Metastatic Site: liver, bones, lymph nodes, kidney, brain

She died 5 months after the brain metastases were diagnosed, roughly 7 years after her original 2014 breast-cancer diagnosis.

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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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Severe colitis from pembrolizumab immunotherapy requiring additional treatment

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male

Infliximab stopped the bleeding and reduced bowel movements from 11–12 to about 3–4 per day within 1 week, allowing discharge. Continued follow-up was needed for the colitis, hepatitis B reactivation risk and lung cancer.

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BRCA2-Mutated Metastatic Lung Adenocarcinoma Controlled for 30 Months With Olaparib

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

Biomarkers: PD-L1-negative; BRCA2 mutation; ATM mutation; EGFR-negative; ALK-negative

Metastatic Site: brain

Olaparib provided about 30 months of disease control, and PET imaging remained overall stable when a separate new breast primary was found in February 2023.

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New Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Develops During Olaparib Treatment for a Separate Lung Cancer

Patient Info: Anonymized, female, 60s

Biomarkers: Triple-negative; germline BRCA2 mutation; BRCA2 reversion mutation

A woman receiving olaparib for BRCA2-mutated metastatic lung cancer developed a separate 14 mm triple-negative breast cancer with a BRCA2 reversion mutation.

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Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: Leigh's Patient Story

Patient Info: Leigh, Female

Leigh died in June 2022 from complications of ovarian cancer. Her lobular breast cancer experience led her to co-found the Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance and build a lasting patient-advocacy legacy.

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Stage IV Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: April's Patient Story

Patient Info: April Donaldson, Female, 40s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Triple-negative breast cancer; BRCA1 positive

Metastatic Site: Lungs

As of September 2023, April was living with Stage IV metastatic triple-negative breast cancer in the lungs; scans were stable in February but showed growth again in July, and PARP inhibitor therapy was being planned.

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Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Danielle's Patient Story

Patient Info: Danielle Archer, Female, 40s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: No genetic markers reported

Metastatic Site: Liver; lungs

As of August 2023, Danielle was living with Stage IV metastatic colon cancer involving liver and lung lesions that were stable on ongoing treatment and 3-month surveillance scans.

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Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Susan's Patient Story

Patient Info: Susan, Female, 70+

Biomarkers: BRCA negative; earlier breast cancer described as triple-negative; later breast cancer estrogen-positive and progesterone-positive; HER2 not reported

As of August 2023, Susan was living after multiple breast cancer diagnoses, including a later estrogen-positive/progesterone-positive non-metastatic breast cancer treated with bilateral mastectomy and ongoing 5-year estrogen-blocker therapy.

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Kelly's Stage 3 Breast Cancer Story: “I’m Still Here & THRIVING!"

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

Biomarkers: Initial triple-negative breast cancer; after surgery

As of August 2023, Kelly was 5 years from her Stage IIIC triple-negative breast cancer diagnosis with no recurrence reported.

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HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: Susan's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Susan, Female, 70+

Biomarkers: 2021 breast cancer described as estrogen-positive and progesterone-positive; HER2 not reported. First breast cancer biomarker status not reported.

As of August 2023, Susan was living in survivorship after a first breast cancer treated with lumpectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation and a later separate breast cancer treated with bilateral mastectomy.

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Rectal Cancer Treated With Radiation, FOLFOX and Surgery in a Woman With a Separate Breast Cancer

Patient Info: Anonymized, female, 60s

Surgery showed only minimal residual rectal adenocarcinoma with clear margins, and later follow-up described both of her cancers as appearing in remission.

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Lung cancer immunotherapy causing sudden heart inflammation and type 1 diabetes

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage III

Her acute symptoms resolved, cardiac function returned to her baseline ejection fraction of 32% at 1 month and durvalumab remained permanently discontinued while oncology, endocrine and cardiac follow-up continued.

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Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Jason's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Jason Randall; Amy Hart, Male; Female | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Jason: tailbone recurrence/site described; Amy: not…

As of August 2023, Jason was almost 5 years into Stage IV colorectal cancer survivorship and living with a permanent colostomy after recurrence treatment; Amy was several years into Stage IIIB colorectal survivorship and living an active life with an ostomy.

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Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Michelle's Patient Story

Patient Info: Michelle Cappel, Female, 40s | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Leg/femoral nerve area

As of July 2023, Michelle was living with recurrent Stage IV colorectal cancer after prior NED, leg/femoral-nerve recurrence, radiation, surgery with clear margins, and ongoing surveillance.

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Stage II HR-Positive Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: Megan's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Megan Claire Chase, Female | Stage II

Biomarkers: ER-positive; PR-positive; HER2 not reported

As of July 2023, Megan-Claire was in survivorship after Stage II invasive lobular breast cancer, with clear early scans but significant long-term effects, surgical menopause, chronic pain, fatigue, chemo brain, and inability to tolerate recurrence-prevention medications.

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Stage II Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: Megan-Claire's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Megan-Claire, Female, Under 40 | Stage II

As of July 2023, Megan-Claire had completed chemotherapy, breast-conserving surgery with reconstruction/reduction, and 33 radiation rounds, and was living with long-term effects including neuropathy, scarring, fatigue, and radiation trauma; no recurrence or NED status was stated.

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Rectal cancer managed with active surveillance in a patient with inflammatory bowel disease

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female

No local recurrence or systemic disease was detected throughout surveillance, and she remained disease-free 9 years after rectal-cancer treatment.

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Stage III Inflammatory Breast Cancer: Nikki's Patient Story

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

Biomarkers: Hormone-positive

As of July 2023, Nikki had completed 7 chemotherapy rounds for Stage III inflammatory hormone-positive breast cancer, had no sign of distant spread on PET scans, and was preparing for single mastectomy, radiation, and long-term hormone therapy.

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Stage III HER2-Positive Inflammatory Breast Cancer: Nikki's Patient Story

Patient Info: Nikki, Female | Stage III

Biomarkers: HER2-positive; hormone receptor-positive

After 7 chemotherapy rounds, imaging showed no visible disease, but the team expected possible microscopic cancer. A single mastectomy, radiation and long-term hormone therapy were still planned, so she was not classified as cancer-free.

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Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: Lucinda's Patient Story

Patient Info: Lucinda Rudolph, Female, 60s

As of June 2023, Lucinda was living well after treatment for locally advanced recurrent invasive lobular breast cancer, taking exemestane, receiving supportive care for neuropathy, and returning to MD Anderson every 6 months for checkups.

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Reconstructive surgery technique fixes tissue death after mastectomy

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female

Biomarkers: Hormone receptor-positive in both breast cancers

The reconstructive wound was completely healed at 2 months, and she continued tamoxifen with ongoing follow-up.

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Stage II Invasive Ductal Carcinoma: Cynthia's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Cynthia, Female | Stage II

As of June 2023, Cynthia described herself as cancer-free and about 4 years out from treatment, while continuing normal follow-up and managing survivorship effects including nerve pain, stiffness, and severe fragrance-related skin allergy after radiation.

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