Surgery: 2,208 Real Stories

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

Christine, who was diagnosed with Stage II Lung CancerLung Cancer

Stage II HR-Positive Lung Cancer: Christine's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Christine, Female | Stage II

Biomarkers: Lung cancer biomarkers not reported; prior breast cancer described as ER-positive, PR-positive, HER2-positive / triple-positive

Reached complete remission from both Stage III triple-positive breast cancer and a separate Stage IIA primary lung cancer after about 1 year, including breast cancer chemotherapy/radiation and lower lung resection.

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

Lung cancer recurrence in the thyroid, initially mistaken for thyroid cancer

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male | Stage IV

Biomarkers: EGFR exon 19 deletion; TTF-1-positive; Napsin A-positive; PAX8-negative; thyroglobulin staining limited to tumour cells adjacent to normal thyroid tissue

Metastatic Site: thyroid; cervical lymph nodes

After starting osimertinib for EGFR exon 19-deleted recurrent lung adenocarcinoma, he was disease free 5 months after thyroid surgery.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Christine, who was diagnosed with Stage III Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage III HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: Christine's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Christine Elliott, Female, Under 40 | Stage III

Biomarkers: Estrogen receptor-positive; HER2 and progesterone receptor status not reported

As of May 2023, Christine was about 3 years from diagnosis and in survivorship after chemotherapy, lumpectomy, and radiation. She reported lasting physical and emotional effects but did not state a formal NED status.

YouTube — The Patient Story
OutcomeSurvivorship / Completed Treatment
Amanda, who was diagnosed with Stage II Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Stage II Colorectal Cancer: Amanda's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Amanda, Female, Under 40 | Stage II

Biomarkers: Genetic mutations involving colon, kidney, and skin cancer risk were reported; specific genes were not named

As of May 2023, Amanda had completed surgery and chemotherapy for Stage IIA sigmoid colon cancer and was in close surveillance, with CT scans every 6 months, bloodwork every 3 months, colonoscopy follow-up, and normal cancer-marker bloodwork.

The Patient Story
OutcomeSurvivorship / Completed Treatment
Elle, who was diagnosed with Stage I Ovarian CancerOvarian Cancer

Stage I Ovarian Cancer: Elle's Patient Story

Patient Info: Elle Simone Scott, Female, Under 40 | Stage I

Living with recurrent ovarian cancer for more than 6 years after her September 2016 diagnosis, with an active clinical trial slowing progression at the May 2023 publication.

Dana-Farber
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung CancerLung Cancer

HER2-positive metastatic lung cancer treated with trastuzumab deruxtecan (Enhertu)

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ERBB2/HER2 copy-number gain of at least 20 copies; TP53 C242fs; CDK12 copy-number gain; tumour mutational burden 3.2 mutations/Mb

Metastatic Site: lungs / multiple pulmonary nodules

Trastuzumab deruxtecan reduced the pulmonary nodules by more than 50% at 3 months and produced a documented response lasting 13.8 months.

PubMed Central
OutcomeResponding Well
Valerie, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage IV Breast Cancer: Valerie's Patient Story

Patient Info: Valerie Frank, Female, 40s | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: bone, lung, liver

Living with Stage IV breast cancer after recurrence in the bones, lungs and liver in January 2022, with oncology and palliative care support.

Dana-Farber
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage I Lung CancerLung Cancer

Rare lung sarcoma causing repeated collapsed lungs

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage I

Biomarkers: SS18-SSX2 fusion; CD99-positive; epithelial membrane antigen-positive; TLE1-positive; BCL-2-positive

She remained well under surveillance, with no evidence of disease on imaging at 3 years after definitive lobectomy.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Ovarian AdenocarcinomaOvarian Cancer

Stage IV Ovarian Cancer Complicated by Anti-Yo Cerebellar Degeneration

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: CA-125: 1767 kU/L; anti-Yo antibodies positive in serum and cerebrospinal fluid

Her anti-Yo paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration progressed despite methylprednisolone and plasma exchange. Care became palliative, and she died 2 months after hospital admission.

PubMed Central
OutcomeIn Memory
Karoline, who was diagnosed with Stage III Ovarian CancerOvarian Cancer

Stage III Ovarian Cancer: Karoline's Patient Story

Patient Info: Karoline Strauss, female | Stage III

After resuming etigilimab and nivolumab, the patient felt markedly better; by the eighth infusion, some tumors had disappeared and others were shrinking, and treatment was continuing.

MD Anderson
OutcomeResponding Well
Abigail, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage IV HR-Positive Breast Cancer: Abigail's Patient Story

Patient Info: Abigail Myers, female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ER-positive, PR-positive, HER2-positive

Metastatic Site: bones, brain

Abigail continued living with Stage IV metastatic breast cancer after about 8 years of multiple treatment lines, including therapy for bone and brain metastases.

Dana-Farber
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Stage IV colorectal cancer: remission after treatment

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

As of April 2023, the story identified remission after Stage IV colorectal cancer treatment and described ongoing physical and emotional effects of living with a colostomy.

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

Chemotherapy complication: methotrexate absorbed into the bloodstream after spinal injection

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ER-positive; PR-positive; HER2-negative; Oncotype DX Recurrence Score 20

Metastatic Site: leptomeninges / central nervous system; brain

Five months after leptomeningeal carcinomatosis was recognised, she developed a new 2 cm brain lesion and neurological decline. Her family chose supportive care, and she died 10 days after transfer to inpatient hospice.

PubMed Central
OutcomeIn Memory
Tara, who was diagnosed with Stage II Invasive Lobular CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Stage II Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: Tara's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Tara, Female, 50s | Stage II

Biomarkers: Estrogen-based breast cancer

As of April 2023, Tara was in survivorship after bilateral mastectomy with tissue expanders for Stage II ILC, with clear margins, clear lymph nodes, right-breast LCIS, and no chemotherapy because of cardiac risk.

Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance
OutcomeSurvivorship / Completed Treatment
A patient, who was diagnosed with Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Young colon cancer patient: surgery and fertility uncertainty

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, Under 40

As of April 2023, the story described surgery and uncertainty about future fertility; it did not confirm remission, recurrence, or long-term disease status.

Fight Colorectal Cancer
OutcomeCare Ongoing
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Gastric AdenocarcinomaGastric Cancer

Adrenal metastasis from gastric cancer causing adrenal insufficiency

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

Biomarkers: HER2-negative, PD-L1-negative

Metastatic Site: right adrenal gland

More than 17 months after the metastatic relapse, he was clinically well with no radiological or biochemical signs of active cancer apart from the residual right adrenal lesion.

PubMed Central
OutcomeStable Disease
Amy, who was diagnosed with Stage III Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Stage III Colorectal Cancer: Amy's Survivor Story

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

Biomarkers: Lynch syndrome

As of April 2023, Amy had no evidence of disease after Stage IIIB Lynch syndrome-associated colorectal cancer treatment, with clear scans/tumor-residue testing and ongoing Lynch syndrome surveillance.

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

Rare small cell lung cancer subtype removed by surgery

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male

Biomarkers: Cytokeratin-negative; focal TTF-1-positive; Napsin A-negative; electron microscopy showed neurosecretory granules; EWSR1 and SS18 rearrangement testing negative

Follow-up scans found no residual, recurrent or metastatic lung cancer, and he was doing well.

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

Stage III MSI-High Colorectal Cancer: Amy's Patient Story

Patient Info: Amy Hart, Female, Under 40 | Stage III

Biomarkers: Lynch syndrome; tumor described as Lynch-related but not MSI-high

As of March 2023, Amy’s story described Stage IIIB colorectal/rectal cancer diagnosis, Lynch syndrome confirmation, rapid start of daily radiation, and major surgery planning; no completed-treatment, recurrence, NED, or cancer-free status was stated.

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

Breast Cancer: Debbie's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Debbie Bliss, Female

As of March 2023, Debbie Bliss was living in survivorship after thymus cancer and breast cancer, had accepted her post-mastectomy body, and remained active in her knitwear-design career.

So Now I've Got Breast Cancer
OutcomeSurvivorship / Completed Treatment
Haley, who was diagnosed with Stage III Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

How I Found Out I had Colon Cancer: I Wrote Off All My Symptoms

Patient Info: Haley P., Female, Under 40 | Stage III

As of March 2023, Haley had completed surgery, CAPOX chemotherapy, and 3 years of daily recurrence-prevention trial pills, with ongoing low-touch trial follow-up and no active recurrence described.

The Patient Story
OutcomeSurvivorship / Completed Treatment