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A Cancer Biologist’s Own Body Became Her Hardest Case: Endometrial Cancer (Endometrial Stromal Sarcoma)
Jen S., Endometrial Cancer (Endometrial Stromal Sarcoma), Stage 4B (Metastatic) Symptoms: Abnormal uterine bleeding, coccyx or tailbone pain Treatments: Surgeries (bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy with hysterectomy, omentectomy, laparotomy with partial bowel resection), chemotherapy (gemcitabine, docetaxel), targeted therapy (tyrosine kinase inhibitor through a clinical trial), immunotherapy
BSO hysterectomy (bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy with hysterectomy), Chemotherapy, docetaxel (Taxotere), Endometrial Cancer, Endometrial Stromal Sarcoma, gemcitabine (Gemzar), Immunotherapy, Laparotomy, Metastatic Endometrial Stromal Sarcoma, Omentectomy, Patient Stories, Surgery, Targeted Therapy, Treatments, Tumor resection, Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor (TKI), Uterine -
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Kimberly Was Exhausted and Severely Anemic; It Was Stage 4 Colon Cancer
Kimberly R., Colon Cancer, Stage 4 (Metastatic) Symptoms: Severe anemia, extreme fatigue, poor sleep, exercise intolerance, pica (ice craving), abdominal pain, back pain, rectal bleeding Treatments: Iron infusions, chemotherapy (FOLFIRINOX, fluorouracil), targeted therapy (bevacizumab), surgery (right hemicolectomy)
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Allison’s 15 Years of Caregiving Through Fanconi Anemia and Multiple Cancers
Allison B., Spouse of Sean B., Fanconi Anemia (FA) and Skin, Tongue, Bladder, Esophageal, Throat, and Liver Cancer Patient “[Caregivers] are part of the story too; this is going to impact every part of your life and your well-being. Recognize that and name that from the beginning.”
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Steve Thought His Fatigue Was Just Age; It Was Stage 4 EGFR+ Lung Cancer
Steven H., Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, Stage 4 (Metastatic), EGFR exon 19 deletion Symptoms: Fatigue, shortness of breath, dry cough, deep shoulder pain, pleural effusion (fluid buildup around the lung), coughing up pink-tinged fluid Treatments: Thoracentesis, targeted therapy (osimertinib), chemotherapy (carboplatin, pemetrexed), bone-strengthening injection (for spinal lesions), calcium supplementation
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Six Months of Explaining Away a Cough That Turned Out to Be Stage 4 ALK-Positive Lung Cancer
Nay T., Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC), Stage 4B (Metastatic), ALK+ Symptoms: Persistent cough, loss of voice that never returned, loss of 30 lbs in six weeks without dieting, chest pain and difficulty breathing at night, waking up in the middle of the night with deep chest pain and feeling like drowning, coughing up blood…
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A Sharp Pain Before a Family Trip Led to Kathy’s Stage 4 ALK-Positive Lung Cancer Diagnosis
Kathy B., Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC), Stage 4 (Metastatic), ALK+ Symptoms: Jaw pain, back pain, pain in sacrum, unexplained cough, loss of voice Treatment: Targeted therapy (lorlatinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor)
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“I Have a Good Quality of Life for a Stage 4 Cancer Patient”: Summer Farmen’s ALK-Positive Lung Cancer Story
Summer Farmen, Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC), Stage 4 (Metastatic), ALK+ Symptoms: Persistent cough that was initially treated as pneumonia, collapsed right lung, pleural effusion Treatment: Targeted therapy
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Camila’s Stage 4 Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Was Misdiagnosed for a Year
Camila B, Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC), Stage 4 (Oligometastatic), KRAS G12V, PD-L1 Symptoms: Coughing up blood, mild fatigue Treatments: Surgeries (tumor resection, lobectomy), chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation therapy (stereotactic body radiotherapy), targeted therapy
Chemotherapy, Immunotherapy, KRAS-Positive NSCLC, Lobectomy, Lung Cancer, Metastatic KRAS-Positive NSCLC, Metastatic Lung Cancer, Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, Patient Stories, Radiation Therapy, Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT), Surgery, Targeted Therapy, Treatments, Tumor resection -
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“Always Have Hope”: Tiffany’s Stage 4 EGFR-Positive Lung Cancer Experience
Tiffany F., Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC), Stage 4 (Metastatic), EGFR+, T790M Symptoms: Immense fatigue, over 70 pounds of unintentional weight loss, migraines and ocular migraine, vision changes, seizure Treatments: Surgery (craniotomy), radiation therapy (CyberKnife), targeted therapy (erlotinib, osimertinib)
Craniotomy, CyberKnife, EGFR-Positive NSCLC, erlotinib (Tarceva), Lung Cancer, Metastatic EGFR-Positive NSCLC, Metastatic Lung Cancer, Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, osimertinib (Tagrisso), Patient Stories, Radiation Therapy, Surgery, Targeted Therapy, Treatments, Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor (TKI) -
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From Pneumonia to Stage 4 ALK-Positive Lung Cancer: How Jennifer Learned to Push Back and Speak Up
Jessica W., Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC), Stage 4 (Metastatic), ALK+ Symptoms: Left-sided rib pain, fatigue with the need for daytime naps, interruptive and persistent cough Treatments: Radiation therapy (targeted radiation), targeted therapy (alectinib, lorlatinib), monoclonal antibody (bevacizumab), biphosphonate (zoledronic acid), chemotherapy (upcoming)
