Surgery: 1,095 Real Stories
1,095 stories match surgery. 777 of them mention chemotherapy.
Stage II Breast Cancer: Hwee’s Patient Story
Hwee Lin, 66, sought help after a sharp pain in her breast persisted and did not go away. Her general practitioner referred her to a local hospital for further evaluation, where she was diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer. The diagnosis filled her with fear…
Read this storyStage II Breast Cancer: Marisol’s Survivor Story
Marisol found several large lumps in her right breast and was diagnosed with stage II breast cancer. The diagnosis left her frightened, nervous, worried, and powerless. Following her doctor’s recommendation, she chose a plan that included mastectomy…
Read this storyStage I Breast Cancer: Tia’s Survivor Story
Tia’s breast cancer was discovered unexpectedly during a routine health examination more than 3 years before she shared her story. A mobile mammogram found a tumor even though she had no symptoms, and she was diagnosed with Stage I breast cancer. Tia sought a…
Read this storyStage II Gastric Cancer: Miguel’s Patient Story
Miguel, from the United States, saw a doctor after repeated digestive problems, a persistent stomach ache and unexplained weight loss. An endoscopy found an ulcer, and the evaluation led to a diagnosis of Stage II stomach cancer. Treatment started with…
Read this storyStage 0 Breast Cancer: Fiona’s Patient Story
Fiona had no symptoms when a company-sponsored health check unexpectedly found stage 0 breast cancer. She had considered herself young and healthy, so the diagnosis was a shock despite being told that the cancer had been detected very early. Her doctors…
Read this storyStage IV Breast Cancer: Rachael’s Patient Story
Rachael found a breast lump during a routine self-check and was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer in 2021. She also noticed changes in the size and shape of the breast and irritation or dimpling of the skin. The diagnosis left her numb, resentful…
Read this storyStage III Colorectal Cancer: Anna’s Survivor Story
Anna’s colorectal cancer was found through routine bowel screening even though there were no symptoms. A colonoscopy identified a tumor, and the diagnosis was Stage III colorectal cancer. The news was especially difficult because Anna had already lost a…
Read this storyStage II Breast Cancer: Cherie’s Survivor Story
Cherie was 57 when she felt a hard lump in her breast. After receiving a stage 2 breast cancer diagnosis, she sought a second opinion from a more experienced doctor. She also researched her condition and found an estimated 85% 5-year survival rate for people…
Read this storyBreast Cancer: Martha’s Survivor Story
Martha’s breast cancer was found during a regular examination after she experienced pain extending from her breast to her back, swelling, and a change in breast size. Her family history included a sister with breast cancer and a mother with liver cancer…
Read this storyStage I Breast Cancer: Tina’s Patient Story
Tina sought medical care after noticing discharge from her nipple and was diagnosed with Stage I breast cancer. The diagnosis brought fear, helplessness, worry, and grief. Her doctors recommended a lumpectomy, and she agreed to the surgery. Chemotherapy was…
Read this storyStage III Colorectal Cancer: Hilmi’s Patient Story
Hilmi was diagnosed with Stage III colorectal cancer after a company health screening returned a positive FIT result and colonoscopy found several polyps and a tumor in his colon. He underwent a partial colectomy and has been living with a stoma. Chemotherapy…
Read this storyStage II Breast Cancer: Ingrid’s Patient Story
Ingrid’s breast cancer was found during follow-up after an annual gynecology visit, when mammography showed a breast mass. An oncologist performed a biopsy and confirmed stage 2 breast cancer. She underwent a mastectomy, lymphadenectomy, chemotherapy, and…
Read this storyStage II Breast Cancer: Shamala’s Survivor Story
Shamala found a small lump near her right breast and sought medical attention because it felt out of place. Testing led to a diagnosis of Stage II breast cancer. The diagnosis brought fear, sadness and a strong sense of helplessness, but she focused on what…
Read this storyStage III Breast Cancer: Kelly’s Patient Story
Kelly was 41 when she shared her Stage III breast cancer experience. She had first noticed redness spreading across her right breast and was diagnosed in her mid-30s, around 2021. Her doctor discussed an estimated 5-year survival rate of 80%. The diagnosis…
Read this storyStage I Breast Cancer: Melissa’s Patient Story
Melissa, from Australia, initially thought pain and twinges around her ribs might be fractures. Her general practitioner ordered a chest X-ray and also suggested her first mammogram and breast ultrasound. The testing found stage 1 breast cancer in 2021. The…
Read this storyBreast Cancer: Vivienne’s Survivor Story
Vivienne noticed that something was wrong with her breast in February 2021, when it became engorged and her nipple inverted. She sought medical care, and the evaluation eventually led to a breast cancer diagnosis. The news left her frightened, worried…
Read this storyStage II Breast Cancer: Erika’s Patient Story
Erika, 47, scheduled a mammogram because both her mother and grandmother had breast cancer. Doctors found a mass in her right breast, and she was diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer. The discovery made her angry, and the diagnosis left her numb and…
Read this storyStage II HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: Kelsey’s Survivor Story
Kelsey was 45 when she noticed a lump in her left breast. Her family doctor referred her to the hospital for a mammogram, and she was diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer in 2021. Her record included HER2-positive disease, and trastuzumab was named because…
Read this storyStage II Gastric Cancer: Andy’s Patient Story
Andy had a family history of stomach cancer in a grandfather and uncle. A family doctor recommended genetic testing and an endoscopy, and the evaluation led to a diagnosis of Stage II gastric cancer. The diagnosis brought sadness, grief, and a sense of…
Read this storyStage III Breast Cancer: Aurora’s Patient Story
Aurora, 41, was pregnant in 2021 when half of her breast became hard. She was diagnosed with Stage III breast cancer, a frightening and overwhelming experience that left her worried and powerless. She changed her diet after diagnosis and began eating…
Read this storyStage I Breast Cancer: Stella’s Patient Story
Stella sought evaluation after developing redness and flaky skin on her breast, especially because two maternal aunts had breast cancer. A mammogram led to a diagnosis of Stage I breast cancer. Fear, anxiety and worry were prominent at first, and she…
Read this storyStage III Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: Barb’s Survivor Story
Barb’s invasive lobular breast cancer was found after a routine mammogram in November 2016. She had no symptoms and no family history of cancer, so she did not expect the call-back to become serious. Second-look imaging led to ultrasound and biopsy, which…
Read this storyOvarian Cancer: Lauren’s Survivor Story
Lauren Wells was 25 when several days of hearing music and seagulls, feeling sticky skin, and becoming unable to speak normally led coworkers to seek urgent help. She was first admitted to a psychiatric unit, but repeated seizures prompted intensive care and…
Read this storyBreast Cancer: Tamara’s Survivor Story
Tamara Bumpus discovered a lump in her right breast in 2016 while undergoing testing before an elective procedure. A mammogram found the lump, and biopsy confirmed breast cancer. Genetic testing then revealed just how deep breast cancer ran through her…
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