Targeted Therapy: 720 Real Stories

720 stories match targeted therapy. 488 of them mention chemotherapy.

Genevieve, who was diagnosed with Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Breast Cancer: Genevieve's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Genevieve, Female, 40s

Biomarkers: 1987 tumor not hormone-receptive; 2017 tumor hormone-receptive. 2022 full marker panel not stated.

After breast cancer episodes beginning in 1987, another tumor in 2017, and cancer found again in 2022, PET scans every 3-4 months were clear and she described herself as in remission again as of May 2025.

breastcancer.org
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Cher, who was diagnosed with Stage III Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage III Breast Cancer: Cher's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Cher, Female | Stage III

Biomarkers: Hormone-positive; HER2-negative; Oncotype DX score 0

No evidence of disease after treatment for Stage IIIB breast cancer, with ongoing adjuvant Verzenio, long-term hormone blockers, and planned preventive mastectomy/DIEP flap reconstruction.

breastcancer.org
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Helen, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Stage IV rectal cancer: no evidence of disease after treatment

Patient Info: Helen D, Female | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Liver; lymph nodes

Scans showed no evidence of disease after treatment for Stage IV rectal cancer with liver and lymph-node involvement, including chemotherapy, targeted therapy, HAI pump therapy, and liver resection.

Colorectal Cancer Alliance
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Jim, who was diagnosed with Breast CancerBreast Cancer

HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: Jim's Patient Story

Patient Info: Jim Keegan, Male, 70+

Biomarkers: HER2-positive; BRCA1/BRCA2 negative

Jim completed surgery, chemotherapy and 1 year of Herceptin for early-stage HER2-positive male breast cancer, then continued tamoxifen and yearly MSK surveillance while advocating for male breast cancer awareness.

Memorial Sloan Kettering
OutcomeCare Ongoing
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Colorectal AdenocarcinomaColorectal Cancer

Stage IV colon cancer with a lung infection mimicking new metastases

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

Biomarkers: KRAS wild-type; NRAS wild-type; BRAF wild-type; microsatellite stable; HER2-positive

Metastatic Site: liver

The colon primary and liver metastases achieved a partial response and were later assessed as stable with continued shrinkage. New lung nodules regressed with fluconazole, supporting pulmonary cryptococcosis rather than new cancer spread.

PubMed Central
OutcomeStable Disease
Jennifer, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage IV HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: Jennifer's Patient Story

Patient Info: Jennifer Feinberg, Female, 40s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: HER2-positive

Metastatic Site: brain

8+ years after her initial breast cancer diagnosis, she was living with metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer with brain metastases and receiving trastuzumab as her tenth line of treatment.

Dana-Farber
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage III Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

HER2-positive breast cancer complicated by severe anemia during chemotherapy

Patient Info: Anonymized, female, 40s | Stage III

Biomarkers: ER-negative; PR-negative; HER2-positive; germline BRCA1 likely pathogenic mutation

At 4.5-year follow-up, she remained free of breast-cancer recurrence and had no recurrence of the severe treatment-related anemia.

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

Durable complete remission after brain metastases from gastric cancer

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

Biomarkers: HER2-low, PD-L1 CPS 5

Metastatic Site: brain

By July 2024 the brain lesions had completely resolved, and complete remission remained sustained through October 2025, with more than 38 months off anticancer treatment.

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

More than 5 years living with metastatic lung adenocarcinoma after stepwise molecular testing

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

Biomarkers: HER2 amplification, EGFR L858R mutation, PD-L1 <1%

Metastatic Site: brain, lung

As of April 2026, she remained on gefitinib with no active tumor lesions after complete regression of lung metastases, more than 5 years (66 months) after her original diagnosis.

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

EGFR-mutated Stage IV squamous lung cancer treated with osimertinib

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

Biomarkers: EGFR L858R mutation; PD-L1 TPS 5%

Metastatic Site: pleura, bone

Osimertinib produced an early partial response, but new vertebral bone metastases appeared after 12 weeks. He declined cytotoxic chemotherapy and continued osimertinib.

PubMed Central
OutcomeSetback / Progression
Lorie, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung CancerLung Cancer

Stage IV Lung Cancer: Lorie's Patient Story

Patient Info: Lorie Young | Stage IV

Biomarkers: NTRK1 fusion

After a couple of months on TL-118, Lorie’s CT scan showed a strong response, while longer-term disease control remained uncertain.

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

Stage IV HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: Tiffany's Patient Story

Patient Info: Tiffany Andrews, Female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Biomarkers: HER2-positive; ER-negative at recurrence

Metastatic Site: lungs|brain

Tiffany is living with metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer and continues treatment through a clinical trial after progression in the lungs and brain.

MD Anderson
OutcomeCare Ongoing
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage II Breast CancerBreast Cancer

HER2-Positive Breast Cancer Treatment Followed by Multiple Myeloma

Patient Info: Anonymized, female, 50s | Stage II

Biomarkers: ER-negative; PR-negative; HER2 3+; Ki-67 70%

Postoperative imaging showed no breast cancer recurrence or distant metastasis, and the breast cancer was described as stable when a separate multiple myeloma diagnosis was made.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage II Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Breast cancer treatment changed after severe colitis

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

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

In April 2025, follow-up evaluation showed no evidence of breast cancer recurrence.

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

Breast cancer spread into a separate kidney cancer

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

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

Metastatic Site: bone|kidney

The kidney surgery unexpectedly confirmed a new breast-cancer metastasis, changing her breast cancer status to systemic progression. A new systemic treatment was planned.

PubMed Central
OutcomeSetback / Progression
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung CancerLung Cancer

MET-Positive Lung Cancer Found After Eye Pain and Forehead Swelling

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male | Stage IV

Biomarkers: MET exon 14 skipping mutation

Metastatic Site: Right orbit; frontal skull/bone; left iliac bone

After 2 months of tepotinib, the primary lung lesion decreased from about 53 × 33 mm to 36 × 24 mm, metastatic sites were stable and the patient continued treatment without significant adverse events.

PubMed Central
OutcomeStable Disease / Ongoing Therapy
Alison, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage IV HR-Positive Breast Cancer: Alison's Survivor Story

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

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

Metastatic Site: Cervical/neck lymph nodes

Alison reported complete remission since August 2017 while continuing intermittent maintenance chemotherapy, most recently 1 month of treatment followed by 2 months off.

The Patient Story
OutcomeLiving With Cancer / Remission
Stefanie, who was diagnosed with Stage III Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Stage III HR-Positive Invasive Ductal Carcinoma: Stefanie's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Stefanie, Female | Stage III

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

Stefanie completed chemotherapy, breast-conserving surgery, prolonged Herceptin and 30 radiation treatments, then moved into survivorship while still adjusting to the lasting effects of treatment.

The Patient Story
OutcomeTreatment Completed / Survivorship
Shari, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Stage IV HR-Positive Invasive Ductal Carcinoma: Shari's Patient Story

Patient Info: Shari S., Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ER-positive, PR-positive and HER2-positive; no inherited cancer mutation was identified

Metastatic Site: Brain; other initial metastatic sites were not named

Systemic imaging after chemotherapy showed no active disease, but brain metastases later required stereotactic radiation. Shari remained stage 4, continued Herceptin every 3 weeks and underwent brain MRI every 3–4 months.

The Patient Story
OutcomeLiving With Cancer / Ongoing Therapy
Anne, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung CancerLung Cancer

Stage IV EGFR Lung Cancer: Anne's Patient Story

Patient Info: Anne, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: EGFR-positive

Metastatic Site: spine; hips; lymph nodes; liver

Anne maintained a good quality of life for about 1 year on an oral EGFR-targeted medicine and later entered a clinical trial while continuing lung-cancer advocacy.

The Patient Story
OutcomeLiving With Cancer / Clinical Trial
Jeff, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung CancerLung Cancer

Stage IV ALK Lung Cancer: Jeff's Patient Story

Patient Info: Jeff Meckstroth, Male | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ALK-positive driver mutation

Metastatic Site: Brain

More than 6 years after an initial prognosis of about 6 months, Jeff was alive, preparing to retire and continuing biomarker-guided care; the brain metastases had disappeared within a few months of the therapy change.

The Patient Story
OutcomeLiving With Cancer / Ongoing Therapy
Lucy, who was diagnosed with Stage II Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage II Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Lucy's Survivor Story

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

Biomarkers: Germline BRCA1 mutation; triple-negative breast cancer

Surgical pathology was all clear on June 17 after a strong chemotherapy response. Lucy described herself as cancer-free and continued oncology reviews every 3–4 months while planning delayed reconstruction.

The Patient Story
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED, Surveillance