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“I’m Going to Beat This”: Rich’s Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer Experience
Rich N., Pancreatic Cancer, Stage 4 (Metastatic) Symptoms: Week-long stomach pain and constipation Treatments: Chemotherapy (FOLFIRINOX), targeted radiation therapy
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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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“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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I Have Stage 4 Melanoma: Chris on Faith, Scanxiety, and New Treatments
Chris K., Melanoma, Stage 4 (Metastatic) Symptom: Swollen lymph nodes in the neck Treatments: Surgeries (lymphadenectomy, wide local excision, reconstruction), Immunotherapy (neoadjuvant immunotherapy – ipilimumab and nivolumab, PD-1/LAG-3 combination – nivolumab and relatlimab-rmbw through a clinical trial)
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Finding Her Voice: Anjee’s Path Through Metastatic Kidney Cancer
Anjee A., Kidney Cancer (Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma with Rhabdoid Features), Stage 4 (Metastatic) Symptom: Appearance of blood in urine Treatments: Surgeries (radical nephrectomy, adrenalectomy), immunotherapy (pembrolizumab), TKI inhibitor (axitinib), HIF-2α inhibitor (belzutifan)
Adrenalectomy, axitinib (Inlyta), belzutifan (Welireg), Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma, Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-2 Alpha (HIF2α) Inhibitor, Immunotherapy, Kidney Cancer, Metastatic Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma, Nephrectomy, Patient Stories, pembrolizumab (Keytruda), Radical nephrectomy, Renal Cell Carcinoma, Surgery, Targeted Therapy, Treatments, Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor (TKI) -
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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), HR+, HER2- Symptoms: Appearance of lump in left breast, 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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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)
Chemotherapy, cisplatin (Platinol), Feeding tube placement, Head and Neck Cancer, Lymphadenectomy, Metastatic Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Tongue, Partial glossectomy, Patient Stories, Radiation Therapy, Reconstruction, Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Tongue, Surgery, Tongue Cancer, Tonsillectomy, Tracheostomy, Treatments -
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Rebuilding Her Identity: Alicia’s Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Cancer (pNET) Experience
Alicia S., Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumor (pNET), Stage 4 (Metastatic), 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 (Somatuline Depot), Metastatic Neuroendocrine Cancer, Pancreatectomy, Pancreatic Cancer, Patient Stories, Radiation Therapy, Splenectomy, Surgery, Treatments, Y-90 radioembolization -
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Kelsey’s Stage 4 EGFR+ and ALK+ Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Story
Kelsey D., Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, Stage 4 (Metastatic), EGFR exon 19 deletion, ALK+ 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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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)
