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How Alicia Pushed for Answers When Her Ocular Melanoma Spread to Her Liver
Alicia M., Ocular Melanoma, Stage 4 (Metastatic) Symptoms: Peripheral vision loss, loss of balance resulting in falling, unexplained 15-pound weight loss Treatments: Radiation therapy (gold plaque brachytherapy), chemotherapy (melphalan), upcoming dual immunotherapy
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Amanda’s Rare Genetic Condition, Li-Fraumeni Syndrome, Led to Breast Cancer and Osteosarcoma Back to Back
Amanda R., Breast Cancer (Ductal Carcinoma In Situ or DCIS) and Osteosarcoma, TP53 (Li-Fraumeni Syndrome) Symptoms: breast cancer: breast lump, nipple discharge, nipple sore and chafing; osteosarcoma: jaw pain, swollen cheek Treatments: breast cancer: surgery (double mastectomy), chemotherapy; osteosarcoma: chemotherapy, surgery (maxillectomy: jaw surgery with skin graft and prosthetic plate)
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Marisa’s Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis and BRCA2 Discovery
Marisa S., Colorectal Cancer, Stage 1, BRCA2, ATM (variant of unknown significance) Symptoms: Intense stomach pain, bloating, presence of blood in stool Treatments: Surgeries (polyp removal, precancerous tissue removal, nipple-sparing double mastectomy with tissue expanders, exchange to implants, revision surgery with fat grafting, salpingectomy)
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At 23, Summer’s Osteosarcoma Started as Knee Pain That Wouldn’t Go Away
Summer K., Recurrent Osteosarcoma, Stage 4 (Metastatic) Symptoms: Primary Cancer: Soreness and inflammation of the right knee; Recurrence: Appearance of nodules and tumor in lung, and lump on side Treatments: Primary Cancer: Chemotherapy, surgeries (limb-salvage surgery (proximal tibia replacement with gastrocnemius flap), proximal tibia arthroplasty); Recurrence: surgeries (video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) wedge lung resection, subcutaneous…
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Diagnosed with Myxoid Liposarcoma After Doctors Called Her Lump a Lipoma
Kat G., Low-Grade Myxoid Liposarcoma Symptoms: Night sweats, appearance of a painless, golf ball-sized lump on inner right thigh Treatments: Radiation therapy including through a clinical trial, surgery (upcoming limb salvage surgery)
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After a Year of Unanswered Symptoms, Marcie Learned She Had Stage 3 Adrenal Cancer
Marcie B., Adrenal Cancer (Adrenocortical Carcinoma), Stage 3 Symptoms: Abdominal pain, chronic low-grade fever, diarrhea, vomiting, generally feeling unwell Treatments: Surgeries (adrenalectomy, partial pancreatectomy), radiation therapy, chemotherapy (mitotane)
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Amber’s Stage 4 Colon Cancer Symptoms: How She Pushed Past “You’re Too Young” to Get Answers
Amber K., Colon Cancer, Stage 4 (Metastatic) Symptoms: Blood in stool, abdominal discomfort, changes in bowel habits, weight loss, dizziness, blurry vision Treatments: Chemotherapy, immunotherapy, surgeries (colectomy, lymphadenectomy)
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Managing Neuropathy and Chemotherapy for Stage 3B Colon Cancer
Mario P., Colon Cancer, Stage 3B Symptoms: Fatigue, stomach cramps at night, vomiting Treatments: Surgeries (partial colectomy, appendectomy), chemotherapy
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Jade Thought She Had Appendicitis; When She Found Out It Was Stage 4 Appendix Cancer, Her World Changed Forever
Jade F., Appendix Cancer (Appendix Adenocarcinoma with Mucinous Features), Stage 4 (Metastatic) Symptoms: Constant pain on the right side, constipation, bloatedness, exhaustion Treatments: Surgeries (appendectomy, hemicolectomy, hepatectomy, cytoreductive surgery or CRS), chemotherapy (hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy or HIPEC, FOLFOX)
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The Lump She Dismissed for Months Turned Out to Be Stage 3C Melanoma
Marie R., Melanoma, Stage 3C (Metastatic) Symptoms: Unexplained fatigue, vision loss in the right eye (similar to uveitis, a form of inflammation affecting the middle layer of the eye), nerve issues, severe joint pain, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) flares, difficulty maintaining pregnancy, growing subcutaneous lump on elbow, difficulty drawing blood from affected arm Treatments: Surgeries…
