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“It’s Just Constipation” Turned Out to Be Stage 2 Small Bowel Cancer
John R., Small Bowel Cancer, Stage 2 (High-Risk), SMAD4 Mutation Symptoms: Severe abdominal pain, especially after eating, vomiting, significant weight loss (about 40 pounds), inability to tolerate solid food, requiring a liquid-only diet Treatments: Surgeries (small bowel resection, lymphadenectomy), chemotherapy (CAPOX)
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Living Scan to Scan with Follicular Lymphoma: Laura’s Experience with Watchful Waiting
Laura C., Follicular Lymphoma, Stage 4 (Metastatic), Grade 1 to 2; Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma Symptoms: Incidental finding after hysterectomy (follicular lymphoma), thyroid nodule detected on imaging (papillary thyroid carcinoma) Treatments: Immunotherapy (rituximab and lenalidomide or R² regimen), surgery (thyroidectomy)
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Rebuilding After Pediatric Cancer: Anxiety, Isolation, and Finding Purpose Through Storytelling
Ali Wolf, Parent of Pediatric Liver Cancer Patient “What helped most was time and learning to live with and fight my demons as I rebuilt my life.”
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Parenthood, Persistence, and Rare Cancer: Ali’s Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma Experience
Ali C., Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma Symptom: Small lump under the jaw Treatments: Surgery, radiation therapy
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Acute Myelomonocytic Leukemia (AMML): Russ’s Clinical Trial Story
Russ D., Acute Myelomonocytic Leukemia (AMML), with NPM1 Mutation Symptoms:Flu‑like symptoms, profound fatigue, blood pressure drop, shortness of breath Treatments:Chemotherapy, clinical trial (menin inhibitor)
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Finding Peace in Hospice: Alyssa’s Stage 4 Stomach Cancer Experience
Alyssa B., Stomach Cancer, Stage 4 (Metastatic) (Hospice Update) Symptoms: Fatigue, elevated resting heart rate, heartburn, difficulty swallowing, weight lossTreatments: Chemotherapy, immunotherapy, surgeries (total gastrectomy; partial esophagus removal; bilateral oophorectomy and fallopian tube removal), clinical trial
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Finding Light Through Advocacy in Stage 3 Synovial Sarcoma: Sorcha’s Experience
Sorcha B., Synovial Sarcoma, Stage 3 Symptoms: Right upper quadrant pain, changes in the right breast, temporary vision loss in the right eye, nausea, vomiting Treatments: Chemotherapy, cytoprotective therapy (mesna), surgery (lobectomy of the middle lobe of the right lung and associated ribs and soft tissue)
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Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma at 29: How Ashley Navigated Motherhood and DLBCL
Ashley P., Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL), Stage 4 Symptoms: Feeling like holding breath when bending down or picking up objects from the floor, waking abruptly at night feeling “off,” one episode of fainting (syncope), presence of a large mass in the breast Treatments: Chemotherapy, bridge therapy of chemotherapy and radiation, CAR T-cell therapy
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Navigating Brain Cancer While Pregnant: Caroline’s Grade 4 Glioblastoma Story
Caroline W., Glioblastoma, Grade 4 Symptom: Loss of the ability to speak and write Treatments: Surgery (craniotomy), chemotherapy, radiation, wearable electric field therapy for glioblastoma
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Building a CLL Game Plan
Building a CLL Game Plan Strategies for Treatment, Trials, and Team Building Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) care is getting more personalized than ever. CLL patient advocate Jeff Folloder and expert hematologist-oncologist Dr. Nicole Lamanna (Columbia University Irving Medical Center) explain how today’s innovative targeted therapies, time-limited treatment options, and emerging clinical trials can help patients craft a…
