Surgery: 1,095 Real Stories
1,095 stories match surgery. 777 of them mention chemotherapy.
Stage III BRCA1 Ovarian Cancer: Patty’s Patient Story
Patty Klein was in her late 40s when severe pain in her side led to imaging and a diagnosis of Stage III ovarian cancer. The pain came from fluid building up in her abdomen. After diagnosis, she learned that she carried a BRCA1 mutation, which was also found…
Read this storyLung Cancer: Joyce’s Survivor Story
Joyce Chisar was 55 and training hard for a marathon when hip pain forced her to walk at mile 20. A few weeks later, she could run only about 100 feet before becoming short of breath and feeling uncomfortably full. A separate workup for severe abdominal…
Read this storyStage IV Breast Cancer: Janet’s Survivor Story
Janet Klein expected breast cancer might eventually affect her because both her mother and sister had been diagnosed. Careful mammogram surveillance helped catch her first breast cancer at Stage 1, before it had spread. There was no lymph-node involvement…
Read this storyStage III Colorectal Cancer: Suzanne’s Patient Story
Suzanne Kulliver’s first cancer diagnosis followed an unexpected chain of events in 2015. After losing about 35 pounds through an intensive fitness program, she noticed that her hair was thinning. A visit to her doctor showed that she was anemic, and concern…
Read this storyStage I Invasive Ductal Carcinoma: Suzanne’s Patient Story
Suzanne Kulliver had only just completed treatment for colon cancer when a routine annual mammogram in December 2015 led to another major diagnosis. Her doctor requested an ultrasound and biopsy, and Suzanne learned that she had breast cancer. The tumor was…
Read this storyTriple-Negative Breast Cancer: Mariann’s Survivor Story
Mariann Lotenero was treated for triple-negative breast cancer with a double mastectomy at a California hospital. Afterward, she was deeply grateful to be alive and said she did not have cancer anymore, but survivorship brought a different problem. Her…
Read this storyStage III Ovarian Cancer: Angela’s Survivor Story
An MD Anderson employee was 32 when a routine well-woman exam led to the discovery of a 7-inch mass on her left ovary in 2018. She had noticed some bloating but had attributed it to a recent course of antibiotics. Ultrasound and MRI initially raised the…
Read this storyBreast Cancer: Brittney’s Survivor Story
Brittney Rinella was 26 and planning her wedding when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. After discussing options with Cleveland Clinic oncologist Dr. Halle Moore and the rest of her care team, Brittney chose a double mastectomy followed by chemotherapy…
Read this storyBreast Cancer: Marilyn’s Survivor Story
Marilyn Alejandro-Rodriguez was approaching 40 when her primary care doctor reminded her to schedule her first screening mammogram. She felt healthy and had no breast symptoms. The baseline mammogram showed a subtle area behind the right nipple. Marilyn was…
Read this storyStage II Breast Cancer: Margaret’s Survivor Story
Margaret was diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer in December 2015 after changes in her left breast were easy to explain away at first. In late 2014, she noticed that her nipple was inverting and that the breast seemed to be shrinking. She was training for…
Read this storyStage II Invasive Ductal Carcinoma: Margaret’s Survivor Story
Margaret’s fuller treatment story starts with the same breast changes she first noticed in late 2014: an inverted nipple and shrinking appearance in the left breast. A standard mammogram did not clearly show cancer, but a later 3D mammogram found the tumor…
Read this storyGastric Cancer: Connie’s Survivor Story
Connie Campbell had an upper endoscopy after an 8-day hospital stay for a perforated bowel and years of acid reflux. The examination found a cancerous polyp in her stomach, which was removed during the procedure. Pathology could not determine whether cancer…
Read this storySmall Cell Lung Cancer: Tabby’s Survivor Story
At age 26, Tabby Soignier developed bloating, pain and headaches while trying to get in shape for her brother's wedding. An ultrasound eventually showed a 15 cm tumor wrapped around her right ovary. She underwent urgent surgery to remove the tumor and ovary…
Read this storyHER2-Positive Breast Cancer: Jane’s Survivor Story
Jane Dennington was living in Haiti with her husband, Bud, doing missionary work when she noticed a growing lump in her breast. Local X-ray equipment malfunctioned, and she was told everything looked fine, but Jane knew the lump was getting bigger. She…
Read this storyStage III Gastric Cancer: Holly’s Patient Story
Holly Clegg was a cookbook author and culinary expert who had spent years helping people eat well during cancer treatment. On August 8, 2018, after only 5 days of symptoms, she was diagnosed with stomach cancer despite having no known risk factors. She…
Read this storyGastric Cancer: Brian’s Survivor Story
Brian learned he had stomach cancer in June 2019 after a severe episode of food poisoning led to a hospital visit. The diagnosis came unexpectedly, and Brian described feeling sad but accepting the news. Treatment consisted of a partial gastrectomy to remove…
Read this storyStage II Breast Cancer: Ana’s Survivor Story
Ana was 47 when she noticed a lump in her left breast while showering. Part of the nipple also pulled inward and retracted again when she tried to move it. When referral through her health insurer was taking too long, she sought help from a nonprofit…
Read this storyStage II Breast Cancer: Eliza’s Patient Story
A routine mammogram identified a suspicious finding that led to Eliza's diagnosis of stage 2 breast cancer. She initially felt helpless, overwhelmed, frightened, and worried about what lay ahead. Her doctors recommended a lumpectomy, radiation therapy, and…
Read this storyStage III Breast Cancer: Carole’s Survivor Story
Carole, 63, is a breast cancer survivor from the United Kingdom. She was diagnosed with Stage III breast cancer in 2019 after noticing dimpled skin and a small lump around her breast. She did not have other symptoms, so those visible breast changes were what…
Read this storyStage II HR-Positive Breast Cancer: Cath’s Survivor Story
Cath, 63, was diagnosed with Stage II luminal A breast cancer in May 2019 after a routine 2-yearly mammogram led to more imaging and a biopsy. She had no symptoms, and the cancer was described as ER-positive, PR-positive, and HER2-negative. At first she felt…
Read this storyStage II Colorectal Adenocarcinoma: Anne-Marie’s Survivor Story
Anne-Marie was diagnosed with Stage II colon adenocarcinoma in June 2019 after a bowel screening program detected the cancer. The diagnosis came after about 12 months of earlier concerns that had been attributed to other causes. A strong family history of…
Read this storyStage III Breast Cancer: Kathryn’s Survivor Story
Kathryn first noticed swelling between her breasts, changes in breast shape, and irritation in 2019. After seeking medical advice, she was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. The diagnosis left her frightened, overwhelmed, isolated, and worried about what…
Read this storyStage 0 Breast Cancer: Kelly’s Survivor Story
Kelly was 38 when a routine company mammogram led to her Stage 0 breast cancer diagnosis in 2019. A technologist noticed something concerning and advised follow-up testing. Kelly then sought a second opinion with a more experienced doctor before the diagnosis…
Read this storyStage III Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Mary’s Survivor Story
Mary, a retired woman living in Ireland, was diagnosed with stage 3 triple-negative breast cancer in September 2019. She sought medical help after feeling unusual soreness and discomfort during floor exercises in a yoga class. The diagnosis was especially…
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