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Katrina Villareal
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I was My Best Advocate: David’s Stage 4 Colon Cancer Experience
Helen D., Colon Cancer, Stage 4 (Metastatic) Symptoms: Pelvic pressure and pain, burning with urination, bloating, constipation for a short period, low energy or fatigue, discomfort sitting, night sweats Treatments: Chemotherapy (FOLFOX, FOLFIRI, hepatic artery infusion pump therapy), targeted therapy (panitumumab), surgeries (liver resection and ablations, colon resection, full hysterectomy)
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Katrina Villareal
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‘It Saved My Life’: Helen’s Stage 4 Colon Cancer and the Chemo Pump You May Not Have Heard Of
Helen D., Colon Cancer, Stage 4 (Metastatic) Symptoms: Pelvic pressure and pain, burning with urination, bloating, constipation for a short period, low energy or fatigue, discomfort sitting, night sweats Treatments: Chemotherapy (FOLFOX, FOLFIRI, hepatic artery infusion pump therapy), targeted therapy (panitumumab), surgeries (liver resection and ablations, colon resection, full hysterectomy)
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Adrenalectomy, Axitinib, Belzutifan, Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma, Hypoxia-inducible factor-2 alpha inhibitor, Immunotherapy, Keytruda (pembrolizumab), Kidney Cancer, Metastatic, Nephrectomy, Patient Stories, Radical nephrectomy, Renal Cell Carcinoma, Surgery, Targeted Therapy, Treatments, Tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI)
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Chris Sanchez
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From Hip Pain to Metastatic Breast Cancer: How Mom and Teacher Erica Shows Up for ALL of Her Kids
Erica H., Breast Cancer, Stage 4 (Metastatic) Symptoms: Stage 1: appearance of lump in left breast; Stage 4: severe pain in hip, ribs, spine, and shoulder blade Treatments: Surgeries (double mastectomy, reconstruction), chemotherapy, cold caps, radiation therapy, hormone therapy (aromatase inhibitor, letrozole), targeted therapy (CDK4/6 inhibitor, ribociclib), integrative care
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Chris Sanchez
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Tongue Cancer at 37: Brittany’s Misdiagnosis, Major Surgery, and Finding Her Voice Again
Brittany Z., Tongue Cancer (Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Tongue and Lymph Nodes), Stage 4 (Metastatic) Symptoms: Painful tongue rash, loss of mobility, severe ear pain Treatments: Surgeries (partial glossectomy, lymphadenectomy, tonsillectomy, tracheostomy, feeding tube placement, tongue reconstruction), radiation therapy, chemotherapy (cisplatin)
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Chris Sanchez
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Rebuilding Her Identity: Alicia’s Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Cancer (pNET) Experience
Alicia S., Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumor (pNET), Stage 4, Grade 3 Symptoms: Abdominal pain, nausea, swelling, extreme fatigue, hormone-related changes, severe acne, flushing Treatments: Chemotherapy (CAPTEM and FOLFOX), surgeries (distal pancreatectomy, splenectomy), radiation therapy (Y-90 radioembolization), hormone therapy (lanreotide), bland embolization
Bland embolization, CAPTEM (capecitabine and temozolomide), Chemoembolization, Chemotherapy, Distal pancreatectomy, FOLFOX (folinic acid, fluorouracil, oxaliplatin), Hormone Therapies, Lanreotide, Metastatic, Pancreatectomy, Pancreatic Cancer, Patient Stories, Radiation Therapy, Splenectomy, Surgery, Treatments, Y-90 radioembolization -

Chris Sanchez
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Kelsey’s Stage 4 EGFR+ and ALK+ Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Story
Kelsey D., Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, EGFR+, ALK+, Stage 4 (Metastatic) Symptoms: Severe back pain, falling due to collapsed spinal vertebrae Treatments: Radiation therapy, targeted therapy (tyrosine kinase inhibitor, osimertinib), surgery (spinal fusion surgery), chemotherapy (through a clinical trial)
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Chris Sanchez
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Hope and Self‑Advocacy: Holly’s Stage 4 Endometrial Cancer Experience
Holly J., Endometrial Cancer, Stage 4 (Metastatic) Symptoms: Severe fatigue, depression, decreased appetite, feeling full quickly, abnormal bleeding, severe pelvic pain, persistent skin infection Treatments: Chemotherapy, surgery (hysterectomy)
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Chris Sanchez
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Metastatic Thyroid Cancer in College: Grace’s Story of Self‑Advocacy and Softball
Grace B., Thyroid Cancer (Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma), Metastatic Symptoms: Significant and unexplained weight gain, persistent fatigue, brain fog, bloating Treatments: Surgery (subtotal thyroidectomy with central neck dissection), watch and wait/active surveillance

