Lung Cancer Brain Metastases Initially Mistaken for Neurocysticercosis

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: brain

Neurologic disease progressed despite whole-brain radiation, and she died four months after the metastatic lung-cancer diagnosis.

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Ureter-to-Colon Fistula After Surgery for Sigmoid Cancer

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 60s

He recovered from repair of the postoperative ureterocolic fistula and returned to work six months after the original cancer operation, although he remained very tired.

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Metastatic Breast Cancer Presenting With Severe Pulmonary Hypertension

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

Biomarkers: ER-positive; PR-positive.

Metastatic Site: bone; bone marrow

At seven months, she was doing well with a marked response on PET imaging, normalized right-heart pressures, and ongoing systemic treatment with palbociclib.

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Metastatic Rectal Cancer Complicated by Salmonella-Related Bowel Perforation

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

Metastatic Site: liver; lungs

Postoperative infection and wound complications delayed palliative chemotherapy, and he died from metastatic rectal cancer one year later.

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Long-Term Nivolumab Response With Thyroid and Adrenal Side Effects

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

Nivolumab remained ongoing at course 82, tumor burden had fallen to one-fifth of baseline, and no disease progression was documented.

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Device Closure of a Persistent Air Leak After Lung Cancer Surgery

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 60s

Thoracoscopic exploration found no recurrent cancer, and the fistula remained successfully closed with the patient asymptomatic at 12 months.

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Nivolumab-Related Myocarditis and Heart Block in Metastatic Lung Cancer

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

Metastatic Site: left adrenal gland

He stabilized after high-dose steroids and pacemaker implantation after nivolumab was permanently stopped.

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Nocardia Infection Mimicked Breast Cancer Lung Metastases

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

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

The lung nodules resolved with antibiotics and proved infectious rather than metastatic; she remained in good health at the last follow-up in January 2019.

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Osimertinib Improved Spinal Cord Metastases in Long-Standing Lung Cancer

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

Biomarkers: Initial surgical specimen: no detected EGFR mutation and ALK-negative. Later pleural-fluid tumor: acquired EGFR T790M mutation with no other detected EGFR mutation.

Metastatic Site: cervical and mediastinal lymph nodes; bone; brain;…

Osimertinib improved neurologic function and kept the lung cancer stable for 14 months; he later died from bacterial pneumonia.

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A Nerve Block Relieved Severe Back Pain From Breast Cancer Bone Metastasis

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

Metastatic Site: bone (T4–T5 vertebrae)

The nerve block reduced her pain score from 8/10 to below 2, avoided rescue analgesia for 24 hours, and was repeated when severe metastatic pain returned.

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Repeat Nerve Blocks Controlled Severe Pain From Multiple Vertebral Metastases

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

Metastatic Site: bone (T3–T7 vertebrae)

The nerve block reduced her pain score from 9/10 to below 2, avoided rescue analgesia for 24 hours, and was repeated when metastatic pain returned.

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Pembrolizumab Produced a Complete Response but Multiple Immune Side Effects

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 70+

Biomarkers: PD-L1 expression 100%. Seronegative for acetylcholine-receptor and listed paraneoplastic antibodies during myasthenia-gravis evaluation.

Imaging showed a complete oncologic response that persisted for at least six months after pembrolizumab stopped, while the immune complications resolved after intensive treatment.

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Rapidly Progressive Stage IV Lung Adenocarcinoma With a Miliary Imaging Pattern

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

Biomarkers: TTF-1-positive; p40-negative; chromogranin-negative; synaptophysin-negative; EGFR-negative; ALK-negative; ROS1-negative; PD-L1 expression 5%–10%.

The cancer progressed rapidly, and he died approximately four months after diagnosis while being transported to inpatient hospice.

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Stage I Breast Cancer: Jennifer's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Jennifer Buckland, Female, 40s | Stage I

As of November 2018, Jennifer was cancer-free after Stage I breast cancer treatment that included 12 weekly taxane chemotherapy treatments and cooling-cap support that helped prevent hair loss.

Cleveland ClinicRead more →

Final lung cancer blog entry: respiratory failure, palliative sedation, and family tribute

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male

The patient died on 3 April after living with lung cancer diagnosed in February 2014; his family described respiratory failure, ICU care, and his decision to use palliative sedation under his living will.

Advanced metastatic lung cancer with bone metastases, pneumonia, and worsening pain

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Bone

By March 2017, he described worsening metastatic lung cancer with bone lesions, recent pneumonia, severe pain, and concern that AZD9291 might no longer be effective.

Stage II Breast Cancer: Natalia's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Natalia | Stage II

Natalia was declared cancer-free on February 21, 2024, and continued regular follow-up while taking letrozole.

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Lung cancer follow-up complicated by pneumonia after pneumococcal vaccination

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male

On 13 December 2016, the patient was home after pneumonia and hospitalization, still on antibiotics and oxygen, while awaiting the final CT interpretation for lung cancer status.

Lung cancer follow-up with worsening fatigue, cough, chest pain, and CT wait

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male

On 2 April 2016, the patient was waiting for CT results after worsening fatigue, cough, and chest pain, with oncology review scheduled for 12 April.

Lung cancer on afatinib after liquid biopsy showed T790M resistance no longer detected

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male

Biomarkers: resistance to erlotinib no longer detected in latest liquid-biopsy blood sample

On 21 February 2016, the patient was continuing afatinib/Giotrif after liquid-biopsy monitoring no longer detected T790M resistance, while managing diarrhea, nausea, mucositis, and skin/eye irritation.

Lung cancer with acquired T790M resistance: erlotinib switched to afatinib while AZD9291/TAGRISSO trial was considered

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male | Stage Metastatic/Advanced

Biomarkers: Acquired resistance detected; other resistance findings also mentioned

As of January 2016, he had reached 2 years of survival but had confirmed acquired resistance including T790M, worsening symptoms, and a treatment change from erlotinib to afatinib while a TAGRISSO/AZD9291 trial was being considered.

Lung cancer progression on Tarceva with urgent T790M resistance testing planned

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male | Stage Metastatic/Advanced

Biomarkers: resistance suspected; bronchoscopy planned to test for it

As of January 2016, CT showed clear progression while he was taking Tarceva/erlotinib, so urgent bronchoscopy was planned to look for T790M resistance and guide the next treatment option.

Lung cancer follow-up: returning to golf while living with an ongoing tumor

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male

As of September 2015, he was more than 1.5 years from diagnosis, the tumor was still present, treatment side effects varied by day, and he was waiting for the next control CT while trying to return to normal activities such as golf.

Lung cancer on erlotinib with side effects and CT results pending

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male

As of March 2015, he was continuing erlotinib/Tarceva, dealing with side effects and anxiety while waiting for CT results, and receiving support from readers and other patients.