Recurrent Malignant Ovarian Steroid Cell Tumor Treated With Multiple Therapies

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female

Biomarkers: PIK3CA, and ATM mutations; ER negative; PR negative

She experienced repeated pelvic and lung recurrences. Platinum-based treatment produced a complete PET-CT response and olaparib maintenance provided about 1 year without progression before a 5 mm lung recurrence was surgically removed.

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Stage III Ovarian Cancer During Care for Common Variable Immunodeficiency

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage III

She remained alive on maintenance bevacizumab, with no radiologic evidence of ovarian-cancer progression.

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Stage IV ALK Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Dan's Patient Story

Patient Info: Dan, Male, Under 40 | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ALK-positive / ALK-rearranged

As of November 2022, Dan was living with Stage IV ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer on Alectinib, with stable scans since spring 2020 and ongoing monitoring.

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Metastatic Breast Cancer Treatment Caused Severe Circulation Problems in Her Fingers and Toes

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: HER2-positive; ER-negative; PR-negative

The digital ischaemia improved after gemcitabine was stopped, without revascularisation, debridement or amputation, although a small necrotic fingertip area persisted at 3 months. Metastatic breast cancer treatment continued with further systemic lines after progression.

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Stage IV PIK3CA Breast Cancer: Abigail's Patient Story

Patient Info: Abigail, Female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Hormone-positive breast cancer with PIK3CA mutation and germline ATM mutation; later PD-L1 somatic change reported. HER2 not stated.

Metastatic Site: Bone, including femurs, spine, and humeri; later liver

As of October 2022, Abigail was living with Stage IV hormone-positive metastatic breast cancer after years of treatment, bone-dominant disease that later involved the liver, targeted therapies, genomic testing, and advocacy around clinical trials and patient research participation.

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Stage IV ALK Lung Cancer: Bekah's Patient Story

Patient Info: Bekah Cunningham, Female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ALK-positive

Metastatic Site: breast

Maintenance scans remained clear 6 years after starting alectinib, and she continued to live an active life with Stage IV lung cancer.

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Metastatic Breast Cancer Reclassified After NTRK Fusion Testing

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ETV6-NTRK3 fusion detected in tissue but not circulating tumor DNA; ER low-positive; PR-negative; HER2-negative; PD-L1-negative; germline CHEK2 variant of uncertain significance

Metastatic Site: lungs and pleura; hilar, mediastinal and retrocaval…

After tissue testing identified an ETV6-NTRK3 fusion, treatment with larotrectinib produced a rapid clinical and radiological response.

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Stage IV Breast Cancer: Lianne's Patient Story

Patient Info: Lianne Kraemer, female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: brain

Six years after brain metastases were diagnosed, Lianne remained in active follow-up with scans and treatment decisions every 8 weeks while living with metastatic breast cancer.

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Cancer in Accessory Breast Tissue Under Both Arms in a Man

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male

Biomarkers: Left tumor: HER2-positive by gene amplification; ER-negative; PR-negative; Ki-67 70%; p53 staining 80%

After surgery removed both accessory-breast cancers, he continued with adjuvant paclitaxel, trastuzumab and radiation.

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Stage IV EGFR Lung Adenocarcinoma: Emily's Patient Story

Patient Info: Emily Bannister, Female, 40s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: EGFR Exon 19-positive; no other driver mutations present

Metastatic Site: Intrathoracic lymphatic spread

Emily had Stage IV EGFR Exon 19-positive lung adenocarcinoma with a strong early response to trial-based targeted therapy, and later passed away on March 14, 2023 from complications caused by Stage IV lung cancer.

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Living with Stage 4 Lung Cancer (Plus Radiation & My Follow Up!) | Amy’s Story (3 of 3)

Patient Info: Amy, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: MET amplification

Metastatic Site: Bone/femur and hips; adrenal gland

As of July 2022, Amy was 3.5 years after Stage IV squamous cell lung cancer diagnosis, not NED but stable for about 3 years on Crizotinib with ongoing imaging and local treatment to lung/adrenal sites.

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Stage IV MET Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Amy's Patient Story

Patient Info: Amy, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: MET amplification

Metastatic Site: Bone/femur; lymph nodes; shoulder; adrenal glands;…

As of July 2022, Amy had a rapid and strong response to Crizotinib after MET amplification was found, with pain and lumps improving within about 2 weeks after Keytruda had failed.

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Pausing Alectinib During Pregnancy After a Complete Lung Cancer Response

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

She remained in complete remission 32 months after diagnosis after pausing alectinib during pregnancy and restarting it after delivery; her child had normal physical and psychomotor development.

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32-year-old woman with Stage IV rectal cancer, liver and lung metastases, targeted chemotherapy, surgery, ablation, radiation, and ongoing chemotherapy

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

Biomarkers: KRAS wild-type; NRAS wild-type; BRAF wild-type

Metastatic Site: Liver | Lung | Presacral/perirectal lymph nodes

As of the story endpoint around December 2020, she was 5 years into treatment for Stage IV rectal cancer after multiple systemic regimens, bowel/liver/lung surgery, liver recurrence treatment, ablation, lung surgery, TOMO radiation, and ongoing chemotherapy.

Stage IV gastric cancer with a TP53 blood finding traced to clonal hematopoiesis

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

Metastatic Site: distant lymph nodes

At age 57, 3 years 4 months after his Stage IV diagnosis, he remained alive after multiple lines of treatment; progression had occurred before his later-line regimens.

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Ovarian Cancer: Faye's Patient Story

Patient Info: Faye Belvin, Female

Faye was still receiving the trial combination and said the treatment was working and that she felt better than she had in the previous 2 years.

Stage IV Breast Cancer: Fleur's Patient Story

Patient Info: Fleur Profinet, Female, 40s | Stage IV

As of May 2022, Fleur was living with metastatic breast cancer; she said chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and hormone therapy had made her metastases “sleep,” while fatigue, pain, and mood changes continued.

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EGFR Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Karen's Patient Story

Patient Info: Karen Knetter, Female

Biomarkers: EGFR mutation

Karen lived 4 years after diagnosis with EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung adenocarcinoma and passed away on September 7, 2024.

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Recurrent Ovarian Cancer and Olaparib-Related Skin Toxicity

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage Metastatic/Advanced

Metastatic Site: peritoneum|liver

The latest chemotherapy was effective, and she was alive without signs of another recurrence at the last documented follow-up.

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Stage III Ovarian Cancer: Karen's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Karen Howley LaCamera, 50s | Stage III

The REGN4018 clinical trial put Karen’s ovarian cancer into remission, which had lasted nearly a year when the story was written, with follow-up every 6 weeks.

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Stage II HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: María's Survivor Story

Patient Info: María Ángeles, Female | Stage II

Biomarkers: HER2-positive

As of March 2022, María Ángeles was 4 years from diagnosis after completing 14 chemotherapy sessions, mastectomy with immediate reconstruction, 21 radiation sessions, and trastuzumab for Stage II HER2-positive breast cancer.

Stage IV ALK Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Shyreece's Patient Story

Patient Info: Shyreece, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ALK rearrangement / ALK-positive

Metastatic Site: Brain

As of March 2022, Shyreece was a long-term Stage IV ALK-positive lung cancer survivor with later brain metastases, ongoing treatment decisions, and advocacy focused on biomarker testing, trials, and disparities in Black lung cancer care.

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Lung Cancer Patient Stories: Clinical Trials (& Patient Self-Advocacy!) | Shyreece’s Story (3 of 4)

Patient Info: Shyreece Pompey, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Actionable biomarker identified by biomarker testing; specific mutation not stated

Metastatic Site: Not reported

As of March 2022, Shyreece was living with Stage IV lung cancer after moving from an initial chemotherapy cocktail to an unnamed targeted therapy pill and later participating in a clinical trial.

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HER2-positive metastatic gastric cancer responding to trastuzumab deruxtecan rechallenge

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

Biomarkers: HER2-positive

Metastatic Site: liver

After trastuzumab deruxtecan was restarted, his symptoms improved after the first cycle and imaging showed tumor shrinkage after 3 cycles. He was still receiving treatment without progression at the latest follow-up.

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