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Living with an Inoperable Brain Tumor, Jane has Found Ways to Be Happy
Jane R., Low-Grade Brain Tumor Symptoms: Memory fog, irritability, itchiness, trouble sleeping Treatment: Active surveillance with scans every three months
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A Lump Jess Found on Her Neck Turned Out to Be Thyroid Cancer
Jess H., Papillary Thyroid Cancer Symptoms: Lump on the neck, elevated heart rate, unintentional weight loss, shortness of breath Treatments: Surgery (total thyroidectomy with removal of 59 lymph nodes), nuclear medicine (radioactive iodine therapy)
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How a Repeat PSA Test Caught Mike’s Prostate Cancer Before It Was Too Late
Mike Jones, Prostate Cancer, Gleason 9 Symptoms: None; found through PSA testing Treatments: Surgery (radical prostatectomy), hormone therapy, radiation therapy (scheduled)
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Camila’s Stage 4 Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Was Misdiagnosed for a Year
Camila B, Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC), Stage 4 (Oligometastatic), KRAS G12V, PD-L1 Symptoms: Coughing up blood, mild fatigue Treatments: Surgeries (tumor resection, lobectomy), chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation therapy (stereotactic body radiotherapy), targeted therapy
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Chelsea’s Bump on Her Temple During Pregnancy Turned Out to Be Leiomyosarcoma
Chelsea S., Leiomyosarcoma, Stage 4 (Metastatic) Symptoms: Painless bump on the temple with a stinging sensation, a small lump near the pelvis Treatments: Surgeries (excisional biopsy, wide excision surgery, excision of pelvic recurrence), chemotherapy (doxorubicin and trabectedin)
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A Darker Mole on Her Face: How a Skin Check and Self-Advocacy Caught Cheryl’s Stage 1 Melanoma
Cheryl M., Melanoma, Stage 1 & Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Stage 0 Symptom: Preexisting mole that appeared darker than other moles, with shadowing visible around it Treatments: Surgery (wide excision surgery with sentinel lymph node biopsy), cryosurgery, chemotherapy (topical cream)
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“Always Have Hope”: Tiffany’s Stage 4 EGFR-Positive Lung Cancer Experience
Tiffany F., Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC), Stage 4 (Metastatic), EGFR+, T790M Symptoms: Immense fatigue, over 70 pounds of unintentional weight loss, migraines and ocular migraine, vision changes, seizure Treatments: Surgery (craniotomy), radiation therapy (CyberKnife), targeted therapy (erlotinib, osimertinib)
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Diagnosed with Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer at 21, Brandon Refused to Wait for Answers
Brandon P., Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer (NMIBC), High-Grade Symptoms: Intermittent blood in the urine, blood clots in the urine Treatments: Surgeries (transurethral resection of bladder tumor or TURBT, re-TURBT with blue light cystoscopy), immunotherapy (BCG)
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Stage 4 Colorectal Cancer and a Second Chance at Life: Caroline’s Story of Hope
Caroline M., Colorectal Cancer, Stage 4 (Metastatic), BMPR1A, SMAD4 & Juvenile Polyposis Syndrome (JPS), Symptoms: Shoulder pain, rapid weight loss, abdominal cramping and pain, jaundice Treatments: Chemotherapy, surgeries (colon tumor removal, multi‑stage liver surgeries including hepatectomy, liver transplant), clinical trial (HAI pump/floxuridine)
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Sian’s Neuroendocrine Carcinoma Diagnosis Was Followed by HER2+ Breast Cancer and a Recurrence
Sian M., Neuroendocrine Carcinoma (Stage 4) & Breast Cancer, HER2+ (Stage 1A) Symptoms: Neuroendocrine carcinoma: Loss of smell, persistent congestion; Breast cancer: None; detected via routine mammogram Treatments: Neuroendocrine carcinoma: Surgeries (tumor removal, endoscopic skull base surgery with dura and tissue repair), chemotherapy (cisplatin and etoposide), radiation therapy; Breast cancer: Surgeries (lymph node and tumor…
