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Brice Was Too Weak to Hold His Daughter; He Was Diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma at 31
Brice D., Multiple Myeloma Symptoms: Worsening fatigue and weakness, bone pain, lower back pain, inexplicable weight loss, poor appetite, shortness of breath, severe anemia Treatments: Chemotherapy (D-VRd, KRd, melphalan), autologous stem cell transplant, immunotherapy (lenalidomide)
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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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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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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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Every Symptom Had an Explanation: One Young Mom’s Burkitt Lymphoma Experience
Jessica S., Burkitt Lymphoma, Stage 4 Symptoms: Extreme fatigue, back pain (sacroiliac joint area), severe tooth pain, growing lump in the jaw, multiple lumps on the head (that initially appeared as hematomas), difficulty walking, inability to lift the baby, severe pain preventing sleep Treatment: Chemotherapy
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My Breast Cancer Diagnosis at 15 Weeks Pregnant as a Surrogate: Shelby’s Extraordinary Story
Shelby M., Breast Cancer, Stage 2B, HER2+ Symptom: Palpable breast lump Treatments: Surgery (bilateral mastectomy), chemotherapy (doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, paclitaxel), targeted therapy (planned post-delivery)
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From Active Duty to Lifelong Cancer Patient: Rachel on Living with Recurrent, Incurable Lymphoma
Rachel H., Nodular Lymphocyte-Predominant Hodgkin Lymphoma (NLPHL) Symptom: Large, palpable lymph nodes Treatments: Radiation therapy, monoclonal antibody (rituximab), surgery (upcoming)
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Meg’s Stage 4 Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Story: I Said Yes to Bispecific Antibodies
Meg L., Follicular Lymphoma, Stage 4 Symptoms: Lower back pain, general feeling of unwellness Treatments: Clinical trial (bispecific antibody and immunotherapy)
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From Misdiagnosed Hemorrhoids to Stage 3B Rectal Cancer
Laura B., Rectal Cancer, Stage 3B Symptoms: Rectal bleeding, one instance of pencil-thin stool, fatigue, bowel urgency Treatments: Radiation therapy, chemotherapy, surgery (rectum and colon resection, temporary ileostomy, ileostomy reversal)
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Young Mom, Big Diagnosis: Shannon’s Story of Stage 4 EGFR+ Lung Cancer, and Her Life on Targeted Therapy
Shannon M., NSCLC, Stage 4 (Metastatic), EGFR+, TP53 Symptoms: Persistent neck pain, lingering cough Treatments: Radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy
