Surgery: 2,208 Real Stories

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

Jim, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

My STAGE 4 Colon Cancer was Revealed by a Routine Blood Test! (NO SYMPTOMS!)

Patient Info: Jim, Male, 40s | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Liver; lungs

Stage IV colon cancer with liver and lung metastases responded strongly to FOLFIRINOX-based chemotherapy, with tumor reduction over 70%, no detectable lung cancer on testing, and ongoing maintenance chemotherapy for remaining liver disease.

The Patient Story
OutcomeResponding Well
Hope, who was diagnosed with Ovarian CancerOvarian Cancer

Ovarian Cancer: Hope's Patient Story

Patient Info: Hope Aguilar, female

More than 14 years after her December 2011 diagnosis, Hope is a survivor and advocate after initial treatment and a later ovarian-cancer recurrence.

National Ovarian Cancer Coalition
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer complicated by severe low magnesium

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

Biomarkers: HER2-positive

Metastatic Site: bone|lungs|liver|brain

She died during a hospitalization for advanced metastatic breast cancer and severe treatment-related hypomagnesemia, with her final care focused on comfort.

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

Synchronous Stage IA lung adenocarcinoma and grade 4 glioblastoma: lung nodule regressed during brain-cancer therapy

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

Biomarkers: Lung molecular biomarkers not reported; glioblastoma biomarker details not summarized in library fields

The Stage IA lung adenocarcinoma was monitored without lung-directed therapy and decreased from 18 mm to 9 mm while CNS-directed glioblastoma treatment continued; she remained alive with no lung cancer progression.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCare Ongoing
Marina, who was diagnosed with Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Marina's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Marina, Female, Under 40

Biomarkers: BRCA1 mutation; triple-negative breast cancer

Triple-negative breast cancer survivor with a BRCA1 mutation who completed treatment after an initial diagnosis and a second diagnosis at the 5-year mark; no formal stage or metastatic disease was stated in the available source text.

The Patient Story
OutcomeSurvivorship / Completed Treatment
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage III Lung AdenocarcinomaLung Cancer

Stage IIIA lung adenocarcinoma: major pathological response after neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy, complicated by DILI/TEN

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

Biomarkers: No lung molecular biomarkers reported

At 23 months after thoracoscopic left upper lobectomy, he was clinically stable with no evidence of tumor recurrence; severe postoperative DILI/TEN had improved after stopping the offending drug and intensive supportive treatment.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Meagan, who was diagnosed with Stage III Colorectal AdenocarcinomaColorectal Cancer

Stage III Colorectal Adenocarcinoma: Meagan's Survivor Story

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

In remission after surgery and 6 months of FOLFOX for high-risk Stage IIIC sigmoid colon adenocarcinoma, with ongoing 6-month scan monitoring and survivorship challenges including scanxiety and neuropathy.

The Patient Story
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Lung AdenocarcinomaLung Cancer

Recurrent lung adenocarcinoma with isolated pancreatic metastasis: Whipple resection after discordant tumor-origin testing

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 70+ | Stage Metastatic/Advanced

Biomarkers: Pancreatic lesion showed KRAS

Metastatic Site: mediastinal lymph node; pancreas

After prior lung surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy, and later chemoradiation for mediastinal nodal recurrence, an isolated pancreatic lesion was resected by Whipple procedure; post-Whipple recurrence status was not yet reported.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCare Ongoing
Kalei, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Kalei's Patient Story

Patient Info: Kalei, Female | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Lungs

Living with Stage IV rectal cancer after lung metastases were treated surgically; later imaging raised concern for possible recurrence in the lung and rectal area, but lymph-node biopsy was clear and further workup was ongoing.

The Patient Story
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
David, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: David's Survivor Story

Patient Info: David, Male, Under 40 | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Liver; lymph nodes near the heart

As of March 2026, David showed no evidence of cancer after Stage IV colorectal cancer with liver and near-heart lymph node metastases, following chemotherapy, tumor and lymph-node surgery, liver-directed radiation, radioembolization, and liver transplant.

Cleveland Clinic
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Joe, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Joe's Patient Story

Patient Info: Joe, Male | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Specific biomarkers not reported

Metastatic Site: Liver; lymph nodes; lungs

Stage IV colon cancer initially reached no evidence of disease after FOLFOX plus panitumumab, but later recurred in the liver and lymph nodes, progressed to the lungs, and did not respond to later FOLFOX rechallenge or FOLFIRI before he started an immunotherapy clinical trial.

The Patient Story
OutcomeSetback / Progression
Roxanne, who was diagnosed with Stage III Lung CancerLung Cancer

Stage III EGFR Lung Cancer: Roxanne's Patient Story

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

Biomarkers: EGFR mutation

Roxanne had Stage III EGFR-mutated lung cancer after surgery found mediastinal lymph-node involvement. As of March 2026, she was living with the long-term effects of surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and ongoing EGFR-targeted therapy, while also managing the emotional and financial burden of cancer as a single parent.

The Patient Story
OutcomeCare Ongoing
Alyssa, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Alyssa's Patient Story

Patient Info: Alyssa Kelly, Female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Liver; lung

More than 4 years after pregnancy-associated Stage IV colorectal cancer, Alyssa was alive with her son, but after more than 1 year off chemotherapy she had several lung tumors, restarted chemotherapy, and was looking into clinical trials.

City of Hope
OutcomeSetback / Progression
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Invasive Lobular CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Metastatic invasive lobular breast cancer with stomach, ovarian, peritoneal, rectal, and jejunal spread

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

Biomarkers: Primary tumor and gastric metastasis were ER/PR positive and HER2 negative; GATA3 supported breast origin in the metastasis.

Metastatic Site: stomach; ovaries; peritoneum; rectum; jejunum

During 2025, she remained under active oncologic management for metastatic invasive lobular breast cancer with gastrointestinal, ovarian, peritoneal, rectal, and jejunal involvement.

PubMed Central
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
A patient, who was diagnosed with Lung Squamous Cell CarcinomaLung Cancer

Stage IA2 squamous lung cancer: lung-sparing segmentectomy after COPD optimization

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 70+

Biomarkers: Squamous lung cancer markers present; PD-L1 TPS 10%, EGFR IHC present

At 18 months after lung-sparing VATS segmentectomy, he had good quality of life, no dyspnea or chronic cough, and surveillance imaging showed no recurrence.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

ER-positive/HER2-positive breast cancer with rare paranasal sinus and skull metastasis

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

Biomarkers: Primary and paranasal sinus metastasis were ER positive, PR negative, HER2 positive; GATA3 supported breast origin in metastasis.

Metastatic Site: left frontal sinus; ethmoid air cells; posterior…

The paranasal sinus/skull metastasis did not respond to palliative radiotherapy; her condition deteriorated and she died 2 years after her initial presentation to the treating facility.

PubMed Central
OutcomeIn Memory