Systemic Therapy: 13 Real Stories
13 stories match systemic therapy. 8 of them mention surgery.
Stage IV Lung Cancer Patient Story
An anonymized 35-year-old was living with Stage IV lung cancer 6 years after the cancer had spread to the liver, brain and bone. The illness had required repeated treatment, and the patient was receiving a 10th line of therapy. The specific medicines and…
Read this storyLung Cancer: Xavier’s Patient Story
In spring 2022, Xavier Sanders was placed on Air Force reserve duty after repeatedly testing positive for COVID-19. Further evaluation found a spot in his lung, and a follow-up 3 months later showed that it had doubled in size. Biopsy confirmed cancer, and a…
Read this storyStage IV HR-Positive Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: Ann’s Patient Story
Ann was diagnosed in February 2017 with two large ER-positive, HER2-negative invasive lobular cancers in her right breast. The tumors had not been felt and had not appeared on mammograms, and cancer was found in 17 lymph nodes. She underwent right mastectomy…
Read this storyColorectal Cancer: Margarete’s Patient Story
Margarete Reichle was 78 when colorectal cancer was discovered only recently. She first noticed blood in her stool, pain, and dramatic weight loss. Because she was taking blood-thinning medication, she initially thought the bleeding might be related to that…
Read this storyStage IV Breast Cancer Patient Story
A woman was diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer and had surgery, but the adrenal metastasis could not be removed and remained in place. She went through one standard treatment after another. At times, bowel obstruction led to several hospitalizations…
Read this storyStage IV HR-Positive Breast Cancer: Robbie’s Patient Story
Robbie first faced breast cancer in early 2012 with Stage 0 DCIS. She then received a second, more serious diagnosis in mid-2013: Stage II estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer on the left side, with a very large tumor. Treatment included major surgery…
Read this storyStage IV EGFR Lung Cancer: Dann’s Patient Story
Dann Wonser was 49 in 2006 when an X-ray for possible broken ribs unexpectedly revealed Stage IV lung cancer. Biomarker testing showed EGFR and T790M mutations. He lived with lung cancer for 18 years before passing away on June 30, 2024. Across those years…
Read this storyStage IV Lung Cancer: Hakim’s Patient Story
Hakim Rusli developed cough, sputum, and difficulty breathing in early 2011 and went for evaluation in Malaysia. PET-CT testing led to a lung cancer diagnosis. A histology such as non-small cell lung cancer and biomarker results were not shared. Hakim first…
Read this storyStage IV Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Erin’s Patient Story
Erin first noticed an ache near her left breast and armpit, then later saw dimpling in the skin. A mammogram was clear, but she pointed the ultrasound team to the exact area, and a biopsy led to breast cancer care. Surgery found that what had looked like a 9…
Read this storyStage IV Lung Cancer: Regula’s Patient Story
Regula was 63 when she was diagnosed with metastatic lung cancer. The first warning signs came while running: breathing problems, a slower pace, and a light pressure in her chest. Because the symptoms initially seemed heart-related, she went to the emergency…
Read this storyStage IV Breast Cancer: Iris’s Patient Story
Iris Lopez-Mendez first faced breast cancer in 2010 after feeling a lump in her right breast. Mammogram and biopsy confirmed Stage IIA breast cancer, and she was treated with lumpectomy, radiation, and chemotherapy. For years afterward, she kept up with…
Read this storyStage IV Breast Cancer: Britney’s Patient Story
Britney Beadle was 18 and still in high school when she found a breast lump in February 2015. An ultrasound and mammogram were arranged, but she was told 18-year-olds do not get breast cancer. A few months later, the lump had grown and her nipple inverted…
Read this storyStage IV Breast Cancer: Natalia’s Patient Story
Natalia Padron’s breast cancer was found after she noticed that something looked different in her breasts and sought routine breast imaging. The report was highly suspicious, and she was referred to a surgeon. She had a family history of breast cancer through…
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