Supportive Care: 342 Real Stories

342 stories match supportive care. 208 of them mention chemotherapy.

Cancer Stories

Martha, who was diagnosed with Stage II Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage II Breast Cancer: Martha's Patient Story

Patient Info: Martha | Stage II

Martha underwent multimodal treatment for stage II breast cancer and remained focused on living, supporting others, and seeing her son build a fulfilling life.

Our Cancer Stories
OutcomeNot reported
Theresa, who was diagnosed with Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Breast Cancer: Theresa's Patient Story

Patient Info: Theresa Reynolds, Female, 70+

As of October 2021, Theresa had gone through mastectomy and radiation for breast cancer with coordinated support from her care team; stage, subtype and recurrence status were not reported.

Cleveland Clinic
OutcomeCare Ongoing
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Triple-negative breast cancer first discovered through a duodenal metastasis

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

Biomarkers: ER-negative; PR-negative; HER2-negative; CK7-positive; GATA3-positive; vimentin-positive; CDX2-negative; CK20-negative., triple negative

Metastatic Site: duodenum

She died two days after choosing comfort-focused care, following rapid decline from metastatic triple-negative breast cancer with duodenal involvement and small-bowel obstruction.

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

Facial paralysis from progression of EGFR-positive metastatic lung cancer improved with osimertinib

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

Biomarkers: EGFR exon 21 p.Leu858Arg mutation.

Metastatic Site: brain; leptomeninges and facial nerves

Osimertinib rapidly resolved the bilateral facial weakness and reduced the brain lesions, but after 15 months seizures recurred and three smaller brain metastases had increased in size.

PubMed Central
OutcomeSetback / Progression
A patient, who was diagnosed with Invasive Lobular CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Breast cancer returned in the stomach and peritoneum after three years in remission

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 60s | Stage Metastatic/Advanced

Biomarkers: Initial breast tumor: ER 95%, PR 5%, HER2-negative, Nottingham grade 2. Metastatic peritoneal tumor: ER 80%

Metastatic Site: stomach; peritoneum

After metastatic breast cancer was confirmed in the stomach and peritoneum, she chose palliative care and inpatient hospice and died a few weeks later.

PubMed Central
OutcomeIn Memory
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage III Lung CancerLung Cancer

Strong Response to Pembrolizumab-Based Therapy for Pleomorphic Lung Cancer

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

Biomarkers: EGFR-negative; ALK-negative; ROS1-negative; PD-L1 TPS 90%-100%.

A marked response followed four combination cycles, and maintenance pembrolizumab remained ongoing seven months after treatment began.

PubMed Central
OutcomeResponding Well
SH
Lung Cancer

Severe headache during chemotherapy for small-cell lung cancer

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 50s

After the regimen change, he completed five chemotherapy cycles, remained free of severe headache, and had improvement in chest pain, cough, and breathing.

PubMed Central
OutcomeResponding Well
Montessa, who was diagnosed with Small Cell Lung CancerLung Cancer

Cancer Survivor Story: Navigating Life with Lung Cancer (3/3)

Patient Info: Montessa Lee, Female, Under 40

As of March 2021, Montessa was a small cell lung cancer survivor and patient advocate after chemotherapy, radiation, and brain radiation; no cancer-free/NED claim or metastatic site was stated.

The Patient Story
OutcomeSurvivorship / Completed Treatment
Montessa, who was diagnosed with Small Cell Lung CancerLung Cancer

Cancer Survivor Story: How I Got Through Chemo & Radiation (2/3)

Patient Info: Montessa Lee, Female, Under 40

As of March 2021, Montessa had gone through chemotherapy, radiation, and brain radiation for small cell lung cancer and was speaking as a survivor/advocate; no NED claim was stated.

The Patient Story
OutcomeSurvivorship / Completed Treatment
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Severe immune thrombocytopenia during treatment for metastatic colon cancer

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

Biomarkers: KRAS-mutated; microsatellite stable; BRAF-wild type.

Metastatic Site: bilateral ovaries; pelvis; peritoneum; mesenteric…

After multiple metastatic recurrences and treatment changes, she died from progressive colon cancer; oxaliplatin had been permanently stopped after antibody-confirmed immune thrombocytopenia.

PubMed Central
OutcomeIn Memory
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Colorectal AdenocarcinomaColorectal Cancer

Bilateral adrenal bleeding during bevacizumab treatment for metastatic colon cancer

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

Biomarkers: RAS-mutant; BRAF-wild type; microsatellite stable.

Metastatic Site: peritoneum; liver; lung

Despite multiple systemic and local treatments, his metastatic colon cancer progressed in the liver and peritoneum, and he died from disease progression in November 2018.

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

Likely lung carcinoma presenting as bilateral adrenal metastases

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

Metastatic Site: bilateral adrenal glands

Three months after bilateral adrenalectomy, he remained under regular oncology surveillance, was receiving steroid replacement, and had not required adjuvant chemotherapy.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCare Ongoing
A patient, who was diagnosed with Lung AdenocarcinomaLung Cancer

Low-dose intrapleural therapy relieved a complex malignant pleural effusion

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, Under 40 | Stage Metastatic/Advanced

Biomarkers: EGFR mutation-negative; ALK alteration-negative; ROS1 alteration-negative.

Metastatic Site: pleura; adrenal gland; bone

The lung cancer had progressed after initial chemotherapy, but rescue treatment of the infected loculated pleural effusion drained 2,000 mL, resolved the collection, and improved her breathing and fever.

PubMed Central
OutcomeSetback / Progression
A patient, who was diagnosed with Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

A difficult breast-reconstruction infection after breast cancer treatment

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 40s

After wide debridement and prolonged antibiotic treatment, the breast and abdominal wounds healed, imaging showed resolution of the subcutaneous infection, and no infection recurrence was seen over three years.

PubMed Central
OutcomeNot reported
A patient, who was diagnosed with Non-Small Cell Lung CancerLung Cancer

Lung cancer remission after pembrolizumab despite severe inflammatory arthritis

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 50s | Stage Metastatic/Advanced

Biomarkers: PD-L1-positive.

Metastatic Site: brain (temporal and parietal lobes)

The lung adenocarcinoma remained in complete remission 28 months after diagnosis, while the treatment-related arthritis also reached sustained remission and he returned to work and exercise.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Small Cell Lung CancerLung Cancer

Extensive-stage small cell lung cancer with acquired haemophilia

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 60s

Biomarkers: Synaptophysin weakly positive; Ki-67 greater than 90%.

Her small cell lung cancer remained stable on imaging one month before her death, which followed aseptic meningitis after intravenous immunoglobulin treatment for autoimmune myasthenia gravis.

PubMed Central
OutcomeIn Memory
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage I Colorectal AdenocarcinomaColorectal Cancer

Perforated appendicitis after surgery for stage I rectal cancer

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 70+ | Stage I

He recovered well after appendicectomy, was doing well at the four-week review, and remained under intensive rectal-cancer follow-up with community stoma and wound-care support.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCare Ongoing
Marlene, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage IV Breast Cancer: Marlene's Patient Story

Patient Info: Marlene | Stage IV

By November 2023, Marlene said the stage IV breast cancer had advanced and she was no longer receiving treatment.

Our Cancer Stories
OutcomeSetback / Progression