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“Never Give Up, Never Surrender”: How Cora Finds Hope After Six Colorectal Cancer Relapses
Cora V., Colorectal Cancer, Stage 4 (Metastatic) Symptoms: Fatigue, unintentional weight loss, blood and mucus in stool Treatments: Chemotherapy, chemoradiation, surgeries (temporary ileostomy and reversal, liver surgeries and ablation)
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Stage 4 Bowel Cancer to No Evidence of Disease: Nina’s Honest Experience
Nina H., Bowel Cancer, Stage 4 (Metastatic) Symptoms: Longstanding IBS-like symptoms,> skin flare-ups, blood and mucus in stool, dark stool Treatments: Surgeries (bowel surgery, removal of both ovaries, partial bladder resection, liver surgery with removal of two liver sections), chemotherapy
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Ruchira’s Stage 4 ALK+ Lung Cancer Experience, Biomarker Testing, and Breaking the Stigma
Ruchira A., Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, ALK+, Stage 4 (Metastatic) Symptoms: Mild intermittent cough while talking, low-grade fever, severe nonstop cough, coughing up blood, collapsed left lung Treatments: Surgery (lobectomy), targeted therapy
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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)
