Live from Stage 4: MBC News for Us, by Us

Victoria Goldberg
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Could a cure for breast cancer be closer than you think? Welcome to "Live from Stage 4" — a bold, hopeful podcast where people living with metastatic breast cancer, clinicians, and researchers take center stage. We share real stories, decode the science, and spotlight the ideas and breakthroughs that matter — for patients, caregivers, and anyone who believes progress is possible. This podcast is for us, by us, and all about us.

  1. 1 Sept

    Symptoms Spotlight: Chemo-Induced Nausea and Vomiting (CINV) with Abigail Johnston and Melanie Sisk

    Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting (CINV): Managing a Common Side Effect Nausea and vomiting are common side effects of chemotherapy, but the strategies that work for everyday nausea often fall short. In this episode, Abigail Johnston shares her personal experience navigating CINV and discusses practical approaches to managing this challenging symptom. Topics covered include: Why traditional nausea remedies may not work for chemotherapy-induced symptomsCommon medications used to prevent CINV (Zofran, Emend, and others)The importance of tracking nausea patterns throughout your treatment cycleMulti-intervention strategies for managing delayed nauseaHow to recognize intractable nausea and when to seek medical helpThe role of diet, movement, and other supportive measuresResources and expert webinars on CINV managementWhether you're currently experiencing CINV or want to prepare for treatment ahead, this episode provides practical insights and encouragement from someone who's been there. Learn more: Visit the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) website for their webinar series on managing chemotherapy side effects. Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed the episode, subscribe and leave a review — it really helps. Follow us on social media @livefromstage4 and visit our website at www.livefromstage4.org for show notes and links.  Your support helps us continue to share important stories and advocate for those living with metastatic breast cancer. Until next time, take care and keep pushing for progress.

    Symptoms Spotlight: Chemo-Induced Nausea and Vomiting (CINV) with Abigail Johnston and Melanie Sisk

  2. 25 Aug

    Developing Story: What Biomarkers Tell Us with Dr. Neil Vasan

    Biomarkers are transforming how we understand and treat breast cancer, but what do they actually mean? In this episode, we break down the three layers of biomarker testing: DNA biomarkers that reveal genetic mutations like BRCA1 and BRCA2, RNA biomarkers that show which genes are actively expressed in your tumor, and protein biomarkers like HER2 and PD-L1 that tell us what's actually happening at the cellular level. Understanding the difference matters. Your DNA might carry a mutation, but RNA tells you if it's active. And when your oncologist talks about PD-L1 status or immunotherapy response, they're measuring something very specific about your tumor's protein profile. We also explore emerging research in liquid biopsy — a decentralized platform that's making it easier to monitor tumors through simple blood tests, enrolling women from across the country in real-time studies. Whether you're newly diagnosed, in treatment, or supporting someone through this journey, knowing what your biomarker results actually mean can help you have sharper conversations with your care team and better understand your treatment options. Developing Story brings you the latest in breast cancer science, explained clea Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed the episode, subscribe and leave a review — it really helps. Follow us on social media @livefromstage4 and visit our website at www.livefromstage4.org for show notes and links.  Your support helps us continue to share important stories and advocate for those living with metastatic breast cancer. Until next time, take care and keep pushing for progress.

    Developing Story: What Biomarkers Tell Us with Dr. Neil Vasan

  3. 18 Aug

    Symptoms Spotlight: Ascites with Abigail Johnston and Melanie Sisk

    In this Symptoms Spotlight episode, Abigail Johnston and Melanie Sisk are joined by Dr. Jill Tirabassi to talk about ascites, the buildup of fluid in the abdominal cavity that can occur with metastatic breast cancer and liver disease. Dr. Jill shares both her medical expertise and her personal experience, explaining what ascites is, why it happens, and how it shows up on scans. The conversation covers symptoms to watch for, including abdominal pressure and pain, abdominal distension, shortness of breath, back pain, leg swelling, and itching. Dr. Jill describes her own paracentesis, a procedure to drain the fluid, and how life changing the relief was, along with other options like diuretics, dietary changes, and drainage ports that can be managed at home. The hosts also discuss when to bring specialists like hepatologists or interventional radiologists onto your care team, and why ascites is not always caused by cancer itself. Sometimes it is the treatment, and switching therapies can reverse it entirely. Above all, this episode is a reminder to advocate for yourself. Your quality of life matters, and pushing for interventions that help you feel better is always worth the conversation with your care team. This is general information, not medical advice. Always talk with your own doctor about your specific situation. Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed the episode, subscribe and leave a review — it really helps. Follow us on social media @livefromstage4 and visit our website at www.livefromstage4.org for show notes and links.  Your support helps us continue to share important stories and advocate for those living with metastatic breast cancer. Until next time, take care and keep pushing for progress.

    Symptoms Spotlight: Ascites with Abigail Johnston and Melanie Sisk

  4. 11 Aug

    Thriving Together 2026: From Silent Voices to Hear My Voice - 20 Years of the LBBC’s MBC Conference

    This is a disease no one wants, but you meet the best people." Twenty years ago, about 125 people gathered at a hotel outside Philadelphia for the first-ever conference just for those living with metastatic breast cancer, at a time when the community was rarely seen or heard. Today, it's a three-day national event drawing hundreds of attendees and a virtual audience. In this episode, the host Victoria Goldberg sits down with three longtime Living Beyond Breast Cancer leaders: CEO Jean Sachs; Elyse Spatz Caplan, who ended her 14-year tenure with LBBC as the Director of Programs and Partnerships;  and Catherine Ormerod, a retired Executive Vice President for Strategy and Mission.  In a separate conversation, she speaks with Janine Guglielmino, LBBC's former Vice President of Mission Delivery, who was there for that very first conference in 2006. Together they trace the conference's history: the groundbreaking Silent Voices survey that proved a conference exclusively for stage IV patients was urgently needed, the fight to fund travel grants so cost would never be a barrier, the pivot to virtual during the pandemic, and the Hear My Voice advocacy program that turned attendees into leaders, founders, and changemakers. To learn more about LBBC's programs, Hear My Voice advocacy training, and next year's conference, travel grants included, visit lbbc.org. Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed the episode, subscribe and leave a review — it really helps. Follow us on social media @livefromstage4 and visit our website at www.livefromstage4.org for show notes and links.  Your support helps us continue to share important stories and advocate for those living with metastatic breast cancer. Until next time, take care and keep pushing for progress.

    Thriving Together 2026: From Silent Voices to Hear My Voice - 20 Years of the LBBC’s MBC Conference

  5. 4 Aug

    On Our Own Terms: A Conversation About Medical Aid in Dying, Dignity, and the Choices We're Afraid to Make

    Nobody wants to talk about dying. But what happens when we do? On August 5th, 2025, New York becomes one of only a handful of states where Medical Aid in Dying (MAiD) is now legal. For people living with incurable or terminal illness, this isn't an abstract policy debate — it's a deeply personal question about autonomy, dignity, and who gets to decide how life ends. In this first episode of On Our Own Terms, Victoria Goldberg sits down with two remarkable voices: Dr. Yesne Alici, psychiatrist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and chair of MSKCC's Medical Aid in Dying Advisory Council, walks us through what New York's new law actually requires, how MSK is preparing to implement it, and what the psychiatric evaluation process looks like for patients who inquire. Elizabeth Armijo, National Director of Legislative Advocacy at Compassion & Choices, shares what a decade of state-by-state advocacy looks like — and what 85 million Americans now have access to that they didn't before. Together, they explore the questions most of us are afraid to ask: What is medical aid in dying, and what isn't it? Who qualifies? What does "peaceful" really mean — and who gets to define it? "The goal is neither to steer a person toward or away from medical aid in dying. It's to make sure that everybody's heard, fully informed, supported, and never abandoned." — Dr. Yesheene Aleje Topics covered: Medical Aid in Dying (MAiD)  vs. euthanasia — what's the difference?New York's MAiD Act: eligibility requirements and safeguardsHow MSK is building its clinical MAiD teamThe top three reasons people pursue MAiD worldwide: loss of autonomy, loss of dignity, loss of meaningful activityOpposition from faith communities and disability advocatesWhat Compassion & Choices does in states where MAiD isn't yet legalResources for patients, caregivers, and familiesResources mentioned: Compassion & Choices:   1-800-247-7421The Academy of Aid-in-Dying Medicine (formerly the American Clinicians Academy on Medical Aid in Dying)Five Wishes advance directive planningDeath CafeThis episode is for informational purposes only. Nothing shared here constitutes medical or legal advice. Please consult your own medical team regarding any end-of-life decisions. On Our Own Terms is a series from Live from Stage Four, hosted by Victoria Goldberg with co-hosts Abigail Johnston and Dr. Ellen Landsberger. Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed the episode, subscribe and leave a review — it really helps. Follow us on social media @livefromstage4 and visit our website at www.livefromstage4.org for show notes and links.  Your support helps us continue to share important stories and advocate for those living with metastatic breast cancer. Until next time, take care and keep pushing for progress.

  6. 28 Jul

    Developing Story: Triple Negative MBC - Hard Truths, Real Hope with Dr Sarah Premji

    Triple negative metastatic breast cancer is one of the most complex and rapidly evolving frontiers in oncology, and this episode is your most comprehensive guide to understanding it. Victoria Goldberg sits down with Dr. Sarah Premji, oncologist and clinical researcher at the Sarah Cannon Research Institute in Nashville, for a deep dive into what makes triple negative MBC so uniquely challenging and why the treatment landscape is changing faster than ever. This conversation was recorded a few months ago and has already been overtaken by history. Since taping, the FDA has approved two major new treatments specifically for triple negative MBC, datopotamab deruxtecan (Datroway) and sacituzumab govitecan (Trodelvy) in the first line setting, a shift that Victoria and Dr. Premji saw coming. Together they break down everything patients and caregivers need to know, including what triple negative actually means and why it is such a heterogeneous diagnosis, the critical role of PD-L1 status and why it acts like a fork in the road for treatment planning, the science behind antibody drug conjugates and how Trodelvy and Datroway compare in terms of efficacy, side effects and administration schedules, the BRCA, PALB2 and PARP inhibitor connection and when germline and somatic testing matter most, brain metastases, how common they are in this subtype and what is being done about them, and the exciting pipeline ahead including bispecific ADCs, new targets like B7H4, and the Emi-Le trial. Even if you are not living with triple negative breast cancer, this episode matters. The approvals and the science discussed here represent a broader shift in how oncology is thinking about precision medicine for all subtypes of MBC. This episode is part of an ongoing series with Dr. Premji exploring the major subtypes of metastatic breast cancer. Previous episodes cover ER positive MBC, and the final installment featuring Dr. Erika Hamilton on HER2 positive MBC is coming soon. As always, nothing in this episode constitutes medical advice. Please consult your oncologist and care team before making any treatment decisions. Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed the episode, subscribe and leave a review — it really helps. Follow us on social media @livefromstage4 and visit our website at www.livefromstage4.org for show notes and links.  Your support helps us continue to share important stories and advocate for those living with metastatic breast cancer. Until next time, take care and keep pushing for progress.

    Developing Story: Triple Negative MBC - Hard Truths, Real Hope with Dr Sarah Premji

  7. 21 Jul

    Symptoms Spotlight: Blood Clots with Abigail Johnston and Melanie Sisk

    In this episode of Symptoms Spotlights, hosts Abigail Johnston and Melanie Sisk, a metastatic breast cancer patient and a registered nurse living with MBC, dive deep into one of the most serious yet underdiscussed risks facing cancer patients: blood clots (thrombus). Melanie breaks down the science behind how blood clots form, where they can occur in the body including the lungs, brain, heart, and legs, and what terms like DVT, pulmonary embolism, and ischemic stroke actually mean for patients. Abigail shares her own experience being diagnosed with two blood clots in her heart, discovered during a routine echocardiogram while on Enhertu, and what she wishes she had known earlier. In this episode, you'll learn why cancer patients face a 3 to 4 times higher risk of blood clots than the general population, how treatments like tamoxifen, CDK4/6 inhibitors, and chemotherapy increase clot risk, the signs and symptoms to watch for and when to seek immediate care, how ports can be an unexpected risk factor, practical prevention tips including compression stockings and movement breaks during travel, and when to ask for a hematology specialist rather than relying solely on your oncologist. Whether you're newly diagnosed or years into your MBC journey, this episode will help you understand your risk, advocate for yourself, and know when something feels off. Nothing shared in this episode is medical advice. Always consult your healthcare team. Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed the episode, subscribe and leave a review — it really helps. Follow us on social media @livefromstage4 and visit our website at www.livefromstage4.org for show notes and links.  Your support helps us continue to share important stories and advocate for those living with metastatic breast cancer. Until next time, take care and keep pushing for progress.

    Symptoms Spotlight: Blood Clots with Abigail Johnston and Melanie Sisk

  8. 17 Jul

    Developing Story: Your Cancer's DNA and the Trial Using It to Cure You with Dr. Pedram Razavi

    What if metastatic breast cancer didn't have to mean a lifetime of treatment? For a subset of HER2-positive patients, that question is no longer hypothetical. In this episode of Live from Stage 4, hosts Victoria Goldberg and Dr. Ellen Landsberger sit down with Dr. Pedram Razavi, breast oncologist, translational researcher, and principal investigator at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, to discuss his groundbreaking Phase 2 clinical trial, the HERizon Breast Trial. Dr. Razavi breaks down how liquid biopsy and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) are changing what's possible in metastatic breast cancer, from detecting microscopic disease invisible to scans, to setting a new gold standard for treatment response: molecular complete response, sensitive enough to find one cancer cell among a million. This is one of our most science-heavy episodes, so we've built in plain-language explainers throughout, covering liquid biopsy, ctDNA, tumor-informed assays, epigenomics, the blood-brain barrier, CNS metastasis, and antibody drug conjugates. No medical degree required. The HERizon Breast Trial is currently enrolling. If you or someone you know has HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer, this episode could be directly relevant to your care. 🔬 Topics covered: What is liquid biopsy and ctDNA?The difference between panel testing and tumor-informed (bespoke) assaysWhat "molecular complete response" means and why it's a higher bar than a clean scanThe HERizon Breast Trial: design, goals, and who qualifiesCould treatment de-escalation become a reality for metastatic breast cancer?Share this one. Someone out there needs to hear it. Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed the episode, subscribe and leave a review — it really helps. Follow us on social media @livefromstage4 and visit our website at www.livefromstage4.org for show notes and links.  Your support helps us continue to share important stories and advocate for those living with metastatic breast cancer. Until next time, take care and keep pushing for progress.

    Developing Story: Your Cancer's DNA and the Trial Using It to Cure You with Dr. Pedram Razavi
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About

Could a cure for breast cancer be closer than you think? Welcome to "Live from Stage 4" — a bold, hopeful podcast where people living with metastatic breast cancer, clinicians, and researchers take center stage. We share real stories, decode the science, and spotlight the ideas and breakthroughs that matter — for patients, caregivers, and anyone who believes progress is possible. This podcast is for us, by us, and all about us.

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