Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Michelle's Patient Story

Patient Info: Michelle Cappel, Female, 40s | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Leg/femoral nerve area

As of July 2023, Michelle was living with recurrent Stage IV colorectal cancer after prior NED, leg/femoral-nerve recurrence, radiation, surgery with clear margins, and ongoing surveillance.

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MET-mutated lung cancer: testing savolitinib before surgery — Case 1

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 70+

Biomarkers: MET exon 14 skipping mutation

The tumour shrank by 82%; surgery found 5% viable residual tumour and no involved lymph nodes, with postoperative stage ypT2aN0M0. He continued savolitinib without serious adverse effects.

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MET-mutated lung cancer: testing savolitinib before surgery — Case 2

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 60s

Biomarkers: MET exon 14 skipping mutation; PD-L1 expression 75%

Savolitinib produced approximately 72% tumour shrinkage. Surgery found 30% viable residual tumour, negative lymph nodes and ypT1bN0M0 disease; she recovered without complications and continued savolitinib.

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MET-mutated lung cancer: testing savolitinib before surgery

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

Biomarkers: MET exon 14 skipping, TP53 and BRAF mutations; PD-L1 expression 5%

Metastatic Site: pleura; mediastinal lymph node

Savolitinib produced a partial radiological response, but surgery confirmed persistent pleural and mediastinal nodal metastases with ypStage IVA disease. He recovered and continued adjuvant savolitinib.

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My Stage 4 Colorectal Cancer Story: How I Never Lost Hope

Patient Info: Jason Randall, Male | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Liver; lungs; bone/sacrum

As of June 2023, Jason had a negative Signatera test, CT scans showing 9 months with no evidence of disease, and about 2.5 years off chemotherapy after Stage IV colorectal cancer treatment and lung ablation.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Afatinib-related kidney injury during treatment for EGFR-positive metastatic lung cancer

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

Biomarkers: EGFR-positive.

Metastatic Site: pleura

He continued maintenance bevacizumab and atezolizumab after four combination courses for metastatic disease while his renal function remained impaired but stable.

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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.

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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.

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Breast cancer that spread to the thymus gland

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Oestrogen receptor-positive; progesterone receptor-positive; HER2-negative

Metastatic Site: thymus

She had a good response after 4 cycles of abemaciclib, anastrozole and goserelin and continued endocrine treatment with surveillance of the opposite breast.

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Stage IV EGFR Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Tiffany's Patient Story

Patient Info: Tiffany, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: EGFR mutation

Metastatic Site: Bone: pelvis, right femur, cervical spine

As of March 2023, Tiffany had benefited from Tagrisso plus Cyramza, but later CT findings suggested worsening disease and she had started a new early-stage clinical trial with results pending.

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Stage IIIC Ovarian Cancer Found During Preoperative Screening

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage III

Biomarkers: BRCA1 pathogenic variant on homologous recombination deficiency testing; germline BRCA1 pathogenic variant

At approximately 1 year after surgery, she was alive without evidence of recurrence while continuing olaparib and bevacizumab maintenance therapy.

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HER2-positive breast cancer on hemodialysis: partial response to T-DM1 then no metabolically active disease

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

Biomarkers: Hormone receptor-positive; HER2/neu-positive; E-cadherin-positive; Ki-67 55-60%; luminal B type

As of March 2023, after 12 total cycles of T-DM1 and modified radical mastectomy, PET-CT showed no metabolically active disease, and she continued endocrine therapy and dialysis.

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Lung cancer first discovered through a rare nerve disorder (anti-CV2 antibody syndrome)

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male

His lower-limb strength improved within 2 weeks, and he could walk 60 m with a rollator at discharge. On alectinib, the lung cancer remained stable with no metastases identified, and repeat nerve-conduction studies also improved.

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Stage IV BRCA Invasive Ductal Carcinoma: Langley's Patient Story

Patient Info: Langley Perer, female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Biomarkers: inherited BRCA mutation

Metastatic Site: brain, bones, leptomeninges

After 1 year on a PARP inhibitor, Langley’s metastatic breast cancer remained in check without progression and some lesions had begun to shrink.

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Stage II HER2-Positive Invasive Ductal Carcinoma: Lanie's Patient Story

Patient Info: Lanie Jones, Female, Under 40 | Stage II

Biomarkers: HER2-positive; Li-Fraumeni syndrome / TP53 mutation; BRCA-negative

As of January 2023, Lanie was living with Li-Fraumeni syndrome after 5 cancer diagnoses and was on lifelong maintenance chemotherapy while advocating for genetic testing and specialized surveillance.

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Stage IV Breast Cancer: Anna's Patient Story

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

As of 2023, Anna was living with Stage IV breast cancer and receiving treatment that included lumpectomy surgery, hormone therapy, and targeted therapy as her plan.

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Stage II Breast Cancer: Anne's Patient Story

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

As of 2023, Anne was receiving/continuing care for Stage II breast cancer after lumpectomy, paclitaxel chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and a targeted-therapy plan reduced to 9 rounds by insurance coverage.

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Stage II Breast Cancer: Rose's Patient Story

Patient Info: Rose | Stage II

Rose remains on radiotherapy, hormone therapy and targeted therapy while continuing to live with concerns about recurrence and metastasis.

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Stage I Breast Cancer: Hu's Patient Story

Patient Info: Hu Jia, Female | Stage I

As of 2023, Hu Jia was in treatment for Stage I breast cancer after choosing a modified plan that excluded lymphadenectomy, while anticipating future medication costs and focusing on diet, art, reflection, and emotional resilience.

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Stage II Breast Cancer: Jamie's Patient Story

Patient Info: Jamie, Female, 40s | Stage II

Jamie was newly diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer in 2023 and had not yet started treatment; her plan included mastectomy, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and targeted therapy.

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Breast Cancer: Maeve's Patient Story

Patient Info: Maeve

Maeve had undergone lumpectomy, lymph-node surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and targeted therapy and was focused on returning to work and being present for her family.

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