Targeted Therapy: 720 Real Stories

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

A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung AdenocarcinomaLung Cancer

Stage IV EGFR-mutated lung cancer responds after targeted therapy intolerance

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

Biomarkers: EGFR L858R mutation; PIK3CA E545K mutation; acquired ROS1 rearrangement

Metastatic Site: pleura|pericardium|bone|lungs

Chemotherapy produced a partial response that remained sustained for 7 months at the latest follow-up.

PubMed Central
OutcomeResponding Well
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Colorectal AdenocarcinomaColorectal Cancer

Rectal cancer that spread through the lungs: complete remission after BRAF-targeted therapy

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

Biomarkers: BRAF mutation; HER2-negative; microsatellite stable; no detectable KRAS or NRAS mutations

Metastatic Site: lungs (pulmonary lymphangitic carcinomatosis);…

After progression with recurrent lung metastases and a new pericardial effusion, she chose hospice care and died in February 2025, 19 months after diagnosis.

PubMed Central
OutcomeIn Memory
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Invasive Ductal CarcinomaBreast Cancer

Metastatic triple-negative breast cancer with orbital and bone metastases responding to nab-paclitaxel plus everolimus

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

Biomarkers: Primary breast cancer was ER-low, PR/HER2 negative. Orbital metastasis was triple-negative with AKT1 exon 4 mutation.

Metastatic Site: right orbit/orbital mass; bone

At 6-month follow-up, systemic disease was stable, ocular symptoms had significantly improved, orbital metastases were stable on MRI, and the response was described as RECIST partial response/progression-free interval while treatment continued.

PubMed Central
OutcomeResponding Well
Caitlin, who was diagnosed with Stage II Ovarian Squamous Cell CarcinomaOvarian Cancer

Stage II Ovarian Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Caitlin's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Caitlin Koehler, female, Under 40 | Stage II

Biomarkers: PD-L1: high expression

After surgery for recurrence, Caitlin remained on maintenance therapy and her follow-up scans showed no evidence of disease.

MD Anderson
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Jake, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung CancerLung Cancer

Stage IV ALK Lung Cancer: Jake's Patient Story

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

Biomarkers: ALK-positive mutation

Metastatic Site: brain; lung; ankle bone

As of May 2026, Jake was 28 and had lived more than 13 years with Stage IV ALK-positive lung cancer, with ongoing treatment history including targeted therapy, surgeries, radiation, clinical-trial therapy, and recent chemotherapy.

The Patient Story
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Ovarian AdenocarcinomaOvarian Cancer

Stage IV Ovarian Cancer First Found Through an Umbilical Metastasis

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

Biomarkers: WT1-positive; CK7-positive; CA-125 321 U/mL at diagnosis

Metastatic Site: umbilicus

After 9 months of bevacizumab maintenance, her clinical and imaging findings remained stable.

PubMed Central
OutcomeStable Disease
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage III Ovarian CancerOvarian Cancer

Durable response after multiple treatments for ovarian clear cell cancer

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

Biomarkers: HRD-positive; BRCA-negative; ARID1A mutation; PD-L1 CPS 30

She achieved a complete response, completed maintenance immunotherapy in May 2024, and continued anlotinib with normal follow-up imaging and tumor markers.

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

Stage IV BRCA Breast Cancer: Maralee's Survivor Story

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

Biomarkers: BRCA mutation

Metastatic Site: Brain

As of May 2026, Maralee had no evidence of active disease after prior Stage IV breast cancer with brain metastasis, had stopped the PARP inhibitor after 2 years, remained without brain recurrence long enough to pursue pregnancy, and gave birth to a second daughter.

Cleveland Clinic
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Colorectal AdenocarcinomaColorectal Cancer

Stage IV RET-fusion transverse colon cancer: partial response to selpercatinib after capecitabine progression

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

Biomarkers: Colon cancer had RET fusion, KRAS copy-number gain, low TMB, and no KRAS/NRAS/BRAF hotspot mutations.

Metastatic Site: liver

As of May 2026, she remained on reduced-dose selpercatinib with tolerable toxicity, substantial partial response in liver metastases and the primary tumor, and progression-free survival exceeding 14 months.

PubMed Central
OutcomeResponding Well
Kartik, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung CancerLung Cancer

Stage IV ALK Lung Cancer: Kartik's Patient Story

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

Biomarkers: EML4/ALK mutation

Kartik was diagnosed with Stage IV ALK-rearranged lung cancer at age 28, continued working for several years through a targeted clinical trial, and died in 2015 at age 34.

GO2 Foundation
OutcomeIn Memory
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Gastric AdenocarcinomaGastric Cancer

Gastric cancer treatment during hemodialysis after liver recurrence

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

Biomarkers: HER2-negative

Metastatic Site: liver|peritoneum

The cancer progressed in the peritoneum despite treatment, and systemic therapy was stopped in August 2024 before transfer to hospice in October 2024.

PubMed Central
OutcomeSetback / Progression
Helen, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Helen's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Helen, Female, 40s | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Liver; pelvis

No active tumors / no evidence of disease after liver-directed treatment, liver surgery/ablation, colon resection, and hysterectomy, though she personally described herself as living with cancer and still planned cleanup treatment.

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

Stage IVA EGFR-mutated lung adenocarcinoma: stable disease on first-line osimertinib

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

Biomarkers: EGFR exon 19 deletion; baseline EGFR exon 20 T790M mutation; ALK IHC negative; PD-L1 TPS 30%; TTF-1-positive

Metastatic Site: pleura; malignant pleural-pericardial adhesions

As of April 2026, she had stable disease for more than 9 months on first-line osimertinib, with no progressive disease, no recurrent pleural effusion, ECOG improvement from 2 to 0, and no treatment-related adverse events.

PubMed Central
OutcomeResponding Well
Michelle, who was diagnosed with Stage II Lung CancerLung Cancer

Stage II Lung Cancer: Michelle's Patient Story

Patient Info: Michelle, Female | Stage II

Receiving ongoing adjuvant treatment after lung cancer first thought to be Stage I was upgraded to Stage IIB because 3 of 18 lymph nodes were positive.

The Patient Story
OutcomeCare Ongoing
Erica, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Breast CancerBreast Cancer

Stage IV Breast Cancer: Erica's Patient Story

Patient Info: Erica, Female, 40s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Hormone-positive; HER2-negative

Metastatic Site: Bone — ribs, sternum, spine, femur/right hip, shoulder…

Living with stable Stage IV hormone-positive, HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer involving multiple bones, currently managed with monthly hormone-suppressant injections and monitoring.

The Patient Story
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
Kelsey, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung CancerLung Cancer

Stage IV EGFR Lung Cancer: Kelsey's Patient Story

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

Biomarkers: EGFR mutation; later ALK mutation after progression

Metastatic Site: Bone — pelvis and spine/L5

Living with Stage IV lung cancer on a clinical trial after progression, with current treatment described as working and quality of life improved.

The Patient Story
OutcomeResponding Well
Daniel, who was diagnosed with Stage II Non-Small Cell Lung CancerLung Cancer

Stage II EGFR Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Daniel's Patient Story

Patient Info: Daniel West, Male, 50s | Stage II

Biomarkers: EGFR positive

As of April 2026, Daniel had shown no evidence of active disease for more than 2 years, while remaining on daily osimertinib through June 2026 and receiving checkups and scans every 3 months for stable monitored lung nodules.

MD Anderson
OutcomeCare Ongoing
Jim, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

My STAGE 4 Colon Cancer was Revealed by a Routine Blood Test! (NO SYMPTOMS!)

Patient Info: Jim, Male, 40s | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Liver; lungs

Stage IV colon cancer with liver and lung metastases responded strongly to FOLFIRINOX-based chemotherapy, with tumor reduction over 70%, no detectable lung cancer on testing, and ongoing maintenance chemotherapy for remaining liver disease.

The Patient Story
OutcomeResponding Well
Megan, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung CancerLung Cancer

Stage IV ALK Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Megan's Survivor Story

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

Biomarkers: ALK-positive

Metastatic Site: Spine; chest lymph nodes; stomach lymph nodes

Stage IV ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer responded dramatically to daily targeted therapy, with latest scans described as no evidence of disease while she continues long-term targeted therapy.

The Patient Story
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Joe, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Joe's Patient Story

Patient Info: Joe, Male | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Specific biomarkers not reported

Metastatic Site: Liver; lymph nodes; lungs

Stage IV colon cancer initially reached no evidence of disease after FOLFOX plus panitumumab, but later recurred in the liver and lymph nodes, progressed to the lungs, and did not respond to later FOLFOX rechallenge or FOLFIRI before he started an immunotherapy clinical trial.

The Patient Story
OutcomeSetback / Progression
Alyssa, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Colorectal CancerColorectal Cancer

Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Alyssa's Patient Story

Patient Info: Alyssa Kelly, Female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: Liver; lung

More than 4 years after pregnancy-associated Stage IV colorectal cancer, Alyssa was alive with her son, but after more than 1 year off chemotherapy she had several lung tumors, restarted chemotherapy, and was looking into clinical trials.

City of Hope
OutcomeSetback / Progression
Roxanne, who was diagnosed with Stage III Lung CancerLung Cancer

Stage III EGFR Lung Cancer: Roxanne's Patient Story

Patient Info: Roxanne, Female, 40s | Stage III

Biomarkers: EGFR mutation

Roxanne had Stage III EGFR-mutated lung cancer after surgery found mediastinal lymph-node involvement. As of March 2026, she was living with the long-term effects of surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and ongoing EGFR-targeted therapy, while also managing the emotional and financial burden of cancer as a single parent.

The Patient Story
OutcomeCare Ongoing