Surgery: 2,208 Real Stories

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

Cancer Stories

A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung AdenocarcinomaLung Cancer

Stage 4 lung cancer: complete resection after splenectomy

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

Biomarkers: TTF-1-positive; Synaptophysin-positive; CD56-positive

Metastatic Site: spleen

No evidence of recurrence 1 year after open splenectomy/partial diaphragm resection and later R0 resection of the primary lung tumor for Stage IVB lung cancer with splenic metastasis; systemic therapy was refused.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Kristie, who was diagnosed with Invasive Lobular CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: Kristie's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Kristie, Female

As of August 2024, Kristie was focused on survivorship and advocacy after extensive ILC treatment that included 20 weeks of chemotherapy, 25 radiation treatments, 2 years on Verzenio, estrogen blockers, and 5 surgeries.

Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance
OutcomeSurvivorship / Completed Treatment
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung CancerLung Cancer

Primary Lung Cancer That Spread to Both Breasts and the Adrenal Gland

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

Biomarkers: PD-L1 negative; EGFR, ALK, ROS1, RET, MET exon 14, NTRK and BRAF wild type

Metastatic Site: both breasts, subcutaneous tissue, adrenal gland

After the lung origin was established, she was in good general condition and asymptomatic while first-line systemic therapy was being planned.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCare Ongoing
Paula, who was diagnosed with Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Colorectal Cancer: Paula's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Paula Chambers Raney, Female

Biomarkers: Lynch syndrome negative; broad hereditary panel with no genetic markers reported

As of August 2024, Paula was a 9-year colorectal cancer survivor with no recurrence reported after surgery.

The Patient Story
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Krista, who was diagnosed with Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Breast Cancer: Krista's Patient Story

Patient Info: Krista Brown, Female

Biomarkers: Pathogenic ATM mutation; hormone receptor-positive; HER2-negative; Oncotype DX score 1/100

As of August 2024, Krista had completed mastectomy/reconstruction surgery and was continuing adjuvant tamoxifen with low reported recurrence risk.

The Patient Story
OutcomeCare Ongoing
A patient, who was diagnosed with Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Triple-Negative Breast Cancer in a Family With a Rare MT1E Variant

Patient Info: Anonymized, female, 50s

Biomarkers: Triple-negative; BRCA1/2 no pathogenic variants; MT1E c. variant identified in this family

A 56-year-old woman with a strong family history of breast cancer was treated surgically for triple-negative breast cancer while genetic testing identified a rare MT1E variant in the family.

PubMed Central
OutcomeNot reported
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Triple-negative breast cancer: partial response to immunotherapy combination

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

Biomarkers: Initial tumor: ER-negative; PR-negative; HER2-negative; Ki-67 >80%

Metastatic Site: left lung, neck lymph nodes, mediastinal lymph nodes

Metastatic triple-negative breast cancer had a partial response after 9 months of pembrolizumab plus MK-4830, with reduced tumor burden, decreased lung and mediastinal metastases, and no new metastatic lesions; immunotherapy continued after prednisone controlled a grade 2 lichenoid eruption.

PubMed Central
OutcomeResponding Well
A patient, who was diagnosed with Invasive Lobular CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Triple-Negative Pleomorphic Lobular Breast Cancer in a BRCA1 Carrier

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, Under 40

Biomarkers: Triple-negative, BRCA1 pathogenic mutation

Surgery after neoadjuvant treatment showed a complete pathologic response with no cancer in the 2 sampled sentinel lymph nodes.

PubMed Central
OutcomeResponding Well
A patient, who was diagnosed with Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Right-Sided Ductal Carcinoma in Situ Before a Second Breast Cancer

Patient Info: Anonymized, female, 60s

Biomarkers: ER-positive; PR-positive; HER2 1+

A woman treated for right-sided ductal carcinoma in situ in 2018 later developed a separate invasive cancer in the opposite breast.

PubMed Central
OutcomeNot reported
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

HER2-Positive Breast Cancer That Spread to the Cervix

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

Biomarkers: HER2-positive; ER and PR less than 1% in the left breast tumor

Metastatic Site: cervix, esophagus, mediastinal lymph nodes

Cervical metastasis showed a local complete response after brachytherapy, but systemic disease later progressed to the esophagus. She died after 4 months of nutritional support and palliative treatment.

PubMed Central
OutcomeIn Memory
Sophie, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Sophie: Stage IV Colorectal Cancer

Patient Info: Sophie, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: BRAF mutation; MSI

Metastatic Site: Liver; lymph nodes; other torso lesions

As of August 2024, Sophie had been declared cancer-free after Stage IV BRAF-mutated/MSI bowel cancer responded to nivolumab/ipilimumab-based immunotherapy, with PET imaging and liver surgery biopsy showing no cancerous cells.

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

Stage 1 lung adenocarcinoma: NED after surgery alone

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

Biomarkers: MET exon 14 skipping; PIK3CA p.; KRAS exon 2 p./D

Both independent early-stage lung adenocarcinomas were resected without lymph-node metastasis; follow-up showed normalized oncologic markers, negative lung-cancer autoantibodies, improved HRCT findings, and no recurrence for 1 year.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Erica, who was diagnosed with Stage 0 Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Stage 0 DCIS breast cancer: disease-free after treatment

Patient Info: Erica, Female | Stage 0

Biomarkers: BRCA-negative

As of August 2024, Erica described herself as cancer-free after Stage 0 DCIS treated with double mastectomy and reconstruction, with peace of mind about recurrence risk.

The Patient Story
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage III Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Stage 3 infiltrating ductal carcinoma treated with radical mastectomy

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

Biomarkers: Breast cancer was ER/PR positive, HER2 negative

The patient recovered fully after right radical mastectomy and complete axillary dissection for Stage III male breast infiltrating ductal carcinoma; adjuvant therapy and recurrence follow-up were not reported in the extracted case text.

PubMed Central
OutcomeSurvivorship / Completed Treatment
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Stage 4 invasive ductal carcinoma: metastatic disease with bone involvement managed successfully

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

Biomarkers: ER <1%; PR 0%; HER2 score 3+; Ki-67 60%

Metastatic Site: bone (12th thoracic vertebra/T12)

Stage IV HER2-positive breast cancer had improved T12 bone metastasis, major breast-tumor regression on trastuzumab deruxtecan, and pathologic complete response in the breast after mastectomy; durable systemic disease status was not reported.

PubMed Central
OutcomeResponding Well
A patient, who was diagnosed with Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Breast cancer history with painful implant capsule: no recurrence or BIA-ALCL found

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 40s

Biomarkers: Implant/capsule pathology showed necrotic tissue only; no tumor cells, CD30 signal, bacteria

The painful implant/capsule episode did not show breast cancer recurrence or BIA-ALCL on pathology; symptoms and cancer concern improved after implant removal, while oral flumatinib maintenance for acute B-lymphoblastic leukemia continued.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCare Ongoing
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung Squamous Cell CarcinomaLung Cancer

Lung squamous cell carcinoma spreading to bone and intestine

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

Biomarkers: PD-L1 positive in almost all tumor cells

Metastatic Site: bone (left femur), intestine, abdomen

Despite chemotherapy, immunotherapy and radiation, the lung cancer progressed with intestinal and extensive abdominal metastases, cachexia and gastrointestinal bleeding. Palliative care was planned, but he chose discharge and received no further treatment.

PubMed Central
OutcomeSetback / Progression
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage III Lung AdenocarcinomaLung Cancer

Stage IIIA ALK-positive lung adenocarcinoma: pathologic complete response to lorlatinib

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, Under 40 | Stage III

Biomarkers: EML4-ALK fusion; ALK-positive; Napsin A-positive; cytokeratin-positive; TTF-1-positive

He remained disease-free 10 months after surgery while continuing planned adjuvant lorlatinib after neoadjuvant lorlatinib produced partial radiographic response and pathologic complete response.

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

Stage IV Colorectal Adenocarcinoma: Nick's Patient Story

Patient Info: Nick Sprague, Male, 40s | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: distant lymph nodes in abdomen/near aorta and left…

As of July 2024, Nick was living with Stage IVA colon cancer and receiving Keytruda/pembrolizumab with fewer side effects than chemotherapy; no NED status had been reached.

The Patient Story
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
Att, who was diagnosed with Stage II Lung CancerLung Cancer

Stage II Lung Cancer: Att's Patient Story

Patient Info: Att Callahan, Female, 70+ | Stage II

As of July 2024, Att was receiving monthly post-surgery immunotherapy and scans every other month after clinical-trial chemoimmunotherapy and lobectomy, with doctors believing they had removed all visible cancer.

MD Anderson
OutcomeCare Ongoing