Surgery: 2,208 Real Stories

2,208 stories match surgery. 1,436 of them mention chemotherapy.

Cancer Stories

Duncan, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung CancerLung Cancer

Stage IV ALK Lung Cancer: Duncan's Patient Story

Patient Info: Duncan Edmonstone, Male, 50s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ALK-positive / ALK+ mutation

Metastatic Site: Brain

Living 6 years after Stage IV ALK-positive lung cancer with brain metastasis, doing well on ongoing alectinib targeted therapy with minimal side effects.

The Christie NHS
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
Hong, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Hong's Patient Story

Patient Info: Hong Wentong, Male | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Liver

Responded well to interventional therapy plus radioactive seed implantation for Stage IV sigmoid colon cancer with liver metastasis, with liver tumor shrinkage, better disease control, and 3 kg weight gain.

Modern Cancer Hospital Guangzhou (Colorectal)
OutcomeResponding Well
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

How Learning To Ask For Help Can Make Life With MBC Easier

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

Biomarkers: Not explicitly reported; HER2-targeted treatment with Herceptin and Tykerb reported

Metastatic Site: Brain; liver

Living with Stage IV metastatic breast cancer involving brain and liver; latest scans showed no evidence of disease, and she reported spending most of her Stage IV life in NED status.

breastcancer.org
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Genevieve, who was diagnosed with Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Breast Cancer: Genevieve's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Genevieve, Female, 40s

Biomarkers: 1987 tumor not hormone-receptive; 2017 tumor hormone-receptive. 2022 full marker panel not stated.

After breast cancer episodes beginning in 1987, another tumor in 2017, and cancer found again in 2022, PET scans every 3-4 months were clear and she described herself as in remission again as of May 2025.

breastcancer.org
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Dwan, who was diagnosed with Stage II Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Stage II Invasive Ductal Carcinoma: Dwan's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Dwan Thomas, Female | Stage II

Biomarkers: HER2-negative; estrogen-positive

Dwan completed treatment for Stage II HER2-negative, estrogen-positive invasive ductal carcinoma in 2017 and later became active in MD Anderson advocacy and fundraising efforts.

MD Anderson
OutcomeSurvivorship / Completed Treatment
Valerie, who was diagnosed with Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Valerie's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Valerie Hamilton, Female, 50s | Stage Metastatic/Advanced

Biomarkers: Triple-negative breast cancer; ER-negative; PR-negative; HER2-negative

Valerie completed chemotherapy, lumpectomy and radiation for locally advanced triple-negative breast cancer and preserved her breast/body image; no explicit NED or cancer-free status was provided.

Memorial Sloan Kettering
OutcomeSurvivorship / Surveillance
Rachel, who was diagnosed with Stage II Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage II BRCA2 Breast Cancer: Rachel's Patient Story

Patient Info: Rachel Zitofsky, Female, Under 40 | Stage II

Biomarkers: BRCA2 mutation

Rachel was doing well 4.5 years after Stage II breast cancer diagnosis and continued tamoxifen; her BRCA2 result also led her sister to expanded testing and preventive care.

Memorial Sloan Kettering
OutcomeCare Ongoing
Jill, who was diagnosed with Stage I Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Stage I Invasive Ductal Carcinoma: Jill's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Jill, Female | Stage I

Biomarkers: Gene profile used to help avoid chemotherapy; specific biomarkers not reported

Jill completed lumpectomy, sentinel node biopsy and 4 weeks of hypofractionated radiation for Stage I invasive ductal carcinoma, avoided chemotherapy, and moved into recovery; no explicit NED/cancer-free status was provided.

Memorial Sloan Kettering
OutcomeSurvivorship / Surveillance
Danny, who was diagnosed with Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Colorectal Cancer: Danny's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Danny Soto, Male | Stage Metastatic/Advanced

Biomarkers: Lynch syndrome

Danny became cancer-free with no evidence of disease after extensive surgery and intraoperative radiation for complex colon cancer, and returned to work as a firefighter with follow-up visits every 6 months.

Memorial Sloan Kettering
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Becky, who was diagnosed with Stage III Lung AdenocarcinomaLung Cancer

Stage III Lung Adenocarcinoma: Becky's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Becky Manning, Female, 40s | Stage III

After surgery, chemotherapy and 8 months of nivolumab on a clinical trial, Becky was no longer on active treatment, had no evidence of disease, felt well, and returned to MSK every 6 months for follow-up.

Memorial Sloan Kettering
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Eutha, who was diagnosed with Stage II Invasive Lobular CarcinomaBreast Cancer

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

Patient Info: Eutha, Female | Stage II

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

Eutha completed clinical-trial immunotherapy, right mastectomy with lymph-node removal, chemotherapy, radiation and reconstruction for Stage II ER-positive, PR-positive, HER2-positive breast cancer, and returned to work and community life; no explicit NED/cancer-free status was provided.

Memorial Sloan Kettering
OutcomeSurvivorship / Surveillance
Rosanna, who was diagnosed with Stage I Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage I Breast Cancer: Rosanna's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Rosanna Silber, Female, Under 40 | Stage I

Rosanna had no evidence of cancer after treatment for Stage I breast cancer and later cervical cancer, with ongoing checkups every 6 months for cervical cancer and annually for breast cancer.

Memorial Sloan Kettering
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Amy, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage IV Breast Cancer: Amy's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Amy Mannarino, Female, 50s | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Brain

After brain metastasis surgery and 3 radiation sessions, Amy was doing well with no evidence of disease; the source specifically distinguishes NED from being cured or cancer-free in the setting of metastatic disease.

Memorial Sloan Kettering
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Elizabeth, who was diagnosed with Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Colorectal Cancer: Elizabeth's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Elizabeth, Female

After chemotherapy, radiation, sphincter-preserving surgery and temporary ostomy reversal, Elizabeth had no evidence of disease after 5 years of careful follow-up, with good GI function and quality of life.

Memorial Sloan Kettering
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Nicole, who was diagnosed with Stage II Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage II Breast Cancer: Nicole's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Nicole Grogan, Female, 40s | Stage II

Nicole completed surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and the exercise trial, and had no evidence of disease at her July 2019 appointment.

Memorial Sloan Kettering
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Jim, who was diagnosed with Breast CancerBreast Cancer

HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: Jim's Patient Story

Patient Info: Jim Keegan, Male, 70+

Biomarkers: HER2-positive; BRCA1/BRCA2 negative

Jim completed surgery, chemotherapy and 1 year of Herceptin for early-stage HER2-positive male breast cancer, then continued tamoxifen and yearly MSK surveillance while advocating for male breast cancer awareness.

Memorial Sloan Kettering
OutcomeCare Ongoing
Michelle, who was diagnosed with Stage I Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage I Breast Cancer: Michelle's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Michelle Kang, Female, Under 40 | Stage I

Biomarkers: Hormone-positive breast cancer; no suspicious inherited genetic mutation reported

Michelle was 6 years cancer-free after Stage 1B hormone-positive breast cancer while continuing hormone therapy, Zometa, Signatera blood testing, reconstruction follow-up, and survivorship monitoring.

City of Hope
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Bryn, who was diagnosed with Ovarian CancerOvarian Cancer

Ovarian Cancer: Bryn's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Bryn Cloud, Female

Biomarkers: Unnamed somatic tumor-cell mutation identified; no hereditary cancer mutation found

Bryn became a survivor after surgery that removed a 10-pound dysgerminoma tumor, fertility preservation, genomic testing, and 4 rounds of intensive chemotherapy.

City of Hope
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Cookie, who was diagnosed with Stage III Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage III Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Cookie's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Cookie Joe, female | Stage III

Biomarkers: triple-negative

More than 5 years after her April 2021 diagnosis, she remains cancer-free (since December 2022) and continues breast-cancer advocacy, fundraising, and blood-donation efforts.

MD Anderson
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Jennifer, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage IV HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: Jennifer's Patient Story

Patient Info: Jennifer Feinberg, Female, 40s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: HER2-positive

Metastatic Site: brain

8+ years after her initial breast cancer diagnosis, she was living with metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer with brain metastases and receiving trastuzumab as her tenth line of treatment.

Dana-Farber
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
A patient, who was diagnosed with Lung AdenocarcinomaLung Cancer

Lung cancer surgery complicated by a delayed tracheal tear

Patient Info: Anonymized, male, 70+

He died 37 days after lung-cancer surgery following a prolonged postoperative course complicated by bleeding, a tracheal tear and progressive respiratory and hemodynamic deterioration.

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

HER2-positive breast cancer complicated by severe anemia during chemotherapy

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

Biomarkers: ER-negative; PR-negative; HER2-positive; germline BRCA1 likely pathogenic mutation

At 4.5-year follow-up, she remained free of breast-cancer recurrence and had no recurrence of the severe treatment-related anemia.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Elizabeth, who was diagnosed with Stage II Ovarian CancerOvarian Cancer

Stage II Ovarian Cancer: Elizabeth's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Elizabeth Jardinella, Female, Under 40 | Stage II

Cancer-free for about 2 years, with surveillance scans continuing to show no evidence of disease while she takes maintenance letrozole.

MD Anderson
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED