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

Victoria Goldberg
  • 4.9 (13)
  • Medicine

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. Developing Story: The Trial That Dares to Say Cure with Dr. Lior Braunstein

    2d ago

    Developing Story: The Trial That Dares to Say Cure with Dr. Lior Braunstein

    We've always been told that metastatic breast cancer can't be cured, only managed. But what if that's no longer the whole story? In this episode of Live from Stage 4, hosts Victoria Goldberg and Dr. Ellen Landsberger sit down with Dr. Lior Braunstein, a radiation oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, to talk about the ARCHER trial, a first-of-its-kind clinical study asking a bold question: can surgery and radiation, added on top of standard HER2-targeted therapy, eradicate every last cancer cell in patients with oligometastatic HER2-positive breast cancer? Dr. Braunstein breaks down what "oligometastatic" really means, why HER2-positive disease is uniquely positioned for this kind of approach, what ablative radiation to the liver or lungs actually involves, and why the word "cure" makes oncologists nervous, even when it might be warranted. We also cover: What the ARCHER trial is looking for in eligible patientsWhy previous trials failed to answer this questionHow cancer develops resistance and why treating visible disease early may be the keyThe role of AI in matching patients to clinical trialsWhat comes next if the trial succeedsWho should listen: Anyone living with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer, their caregivers, oncology professionals, and anyone who believes patients deserve to hear the hard questions asked out loud. 🔗 Find the ARCHER trial: search "ARCHER trial breast cancer" at clinicaltrials.gov 📝 Show notes and resources at https://www.livefromstage4.org/ Nothing in this episode constitutes medical advice. Please consult your own medical team before making any decisions about 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.

    57 min
  2. Developing Story: CureWise Goes Live - The AI Platform Built by Cancer Patients, for Cancer Patients

    Jun 23

    Developing Story: CureWise Goes Live - The AI Platform Built by Cancer Patients, for Cancer Patients

    Last time, we had a front row seat to a vision. This time, that vision has a launch date. On June 20th, CureWise officially launched, and for every cancer patient who walks into an oncologist's office with ten minutes and no idea what to ask, it couldn't come at a better time. In this episode of Live From Stage 4, Victoria Goldberg sits down with Steve Brown (founder & CEO of CureWise) and Lisa Booth (metastatic breast cancer advocate and CureWise's patient #2) to talk about what it actually means to have an AI platform that knows your full medical history, speaks your language, and helps you show up to your appointments prepared and empowered. Also joining us: Beta users Lynda Weatherby (MBC patient and Live From Stage 4  team memberr) and her husband Todd Weatherby (CEO of Siemens Advanta, former VP at AWS), bringing the real-world patient and caregiver perspective to the conversation. In this episode: How CureWise pulls your medical records from multiple institutions automaticallyThe Cross-Check feature: asking ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini the same question simultaneouslyWhy 60% of cancer patients have an actionable mutation, but only 15% are being treated for itHow to prepare for your oncology appointment using AIThe caregiver experience and what's coming next on the roadmapPricing, the 7-day free trial, and how to get startedImportant note: CureWise is not a doctor. It is a powerful tool to help you understand your medical records and have better conversations with your care team. All medical decisions should be made with your physician. 🔗 Sign up at www.curewise.com 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.

    54 min
  3. Developing Story: Beyond Camizestrant — The Evolving Landscape of ER+/HER2- MBC with Dr. Sarah Premji

    Jun 16

    Developing Story: Beyond Camizestrant — The Evolving Landscape of ER+/HER2- MBC with Dr. Sarah Premji

    The field of hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer is moving faster than ever, and in this episode, we go beyond SERENA-6 to map the full picture of what's changing. Joining hosts Victoria Goldberg and Abigail Johnston is Dr. Sarah Premji, Assistant Director of Breast Cancer Research at Sarah Cannon in Nashville, for a comprehensive deep dive into the new wave of endocrine therapies reshaping treatment for the most common subtype of breast cancer. Together, they cover the evolution from CDK4/6 inhibitors to the era of oral SERDs, FDA approvals of elacestrant, imlunestrant, and vepdegestrant and what makes each unique, the emerging mechanisms of PROTACs and CERANs, and how ESR1 mutations drive treatment decisions at progression. Dr. Premji also shares her real-world approach to sequencing therapy, weighing tumor profiling, prior treatment history, sites of disease, and each patient's individual lifestyle and priorities. The conversation closes with a look at the growing role of AI in oncology, from clinical trial matching to pathology and imaging. Whether you are a community oncologist navigating an increasingly complex algorithm or a patient advocate trying to stay current, this episode is your guide to where ER+ breast cancer treatment stands today and where it is headed. 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.

    47 min
  4. Symptoms Spotlight: Neutropenia with Abigail Johnston and Melanie Sisk

    Jun 9

    Symptoms Spotlight: Neutropenia with Abigail Johnston and Melanie Sisk

    In this episode of the Symptom Spotlight Series, hosts Abigail Johnston and Melanie Sisk are joined by Dr. Jill Tirabassi, this podcast's team member, to break down neutropenia. It is one of the most common and important side effects of cancer treatment. Dr. Tirabassi explains what neutropenia actually means, why neutrophils matter, and how chemotherapy and CDK 4/6 inhibitors can deprive your body of these critical infection-fighting white blood cells. The conversation covers what happens when your absolute neutrophil count (ANC) drops too low, when your oncology team might delay or reduce your dose, and what medications like bone marrow stimulators (and the auto-injectors that deliver them) can do to help. The hosts also share their own personal experiences: from managing bone pain with loratadine (Claritin), to navigating a hospital admission with a dangerously low ANC, to learning what questions to ask your doctor before a fever or infection hits on a weekend. Topics covered: What neutropenia is and why it's a concern during cancer treatmentThe ANC number your care team watches and what happens when it's too lowBone marrow-stimulating drugs: how they work, timing, and side effectsLifestyle tips (diet, masking, sleep) when your counts are lowCDK 4/6 inhibitors and dose reductionsWhen to call your doctor vs. go to the ER, and why that conversation mattersThanks 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.

    14 min
  5. Developing Story: The Camizestrant Vote, Doctors Weigh In with Dr. Sarah Sammons & Dr. Neil Vasan

    Jun 2

    Developing Story: The Camizestrant Vote, Doctors Weigh In with Dr. Sarah Sammons & Dr. Neil Vasan

    Two weeks ago, we broke down the ODAC vote on camizestrant and SERENA-6 with seven patient advocates. This week, we go deeper — bringing in the clinical and regulatory perspectives from two of the most qualified voices in the field. We're joined by Dr. Sarah Sammons, newly appointed Co-Leader of Breast Oncology at the University of Maryland Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center and former faculty at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, and Dr. Neil Vasan, Director of Translational Research in Breast Cancer at NYU Langone Health — and the Acting Chair of the FDA's Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee who sat in that room and cast a vote. Plus, patient advocates Janice Cowden and Abigail Johnston are back to ask the questions the rest of us are thinking. We cover: What SERENA-6 actually proved — and what it didn'tWhy the ODAC voted 6–3 against the ctDNA-guided switching strategyThe four FDA critiques that drove the voteWhat the quality of life data showed — and why regulators couldn't act on itThe persevERA trial and where oral SERDs actually fit right nowWhat the vote means for the future of biomarker-driven trialsThe HERizon-Breast trial and ctDNA-guided scanning on the horizonBreaking news: The FDA has extended the camizestrant review deadline to August 14, 2026, after AstraZeneca submitted a Major Amendment with additional SERENA-6 data. This story isn't over. Show notes and resources at livefromstage4.org This episode is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult your oncologist about your individual 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.

    56 min
  6. Symptoms Spotlight: Melanie's Updates on Sleep Apnea and Constipation

    May 26

    Symptoms Spotlight: Melanie's Updates on Sleep Apnea and Constipation

    After recording our earlier Symptoms Spotlight episodes on sleep and constipation, Melanie Sisk comes back with real-life updates that prove these topics hit closer to home than she expected. First, Melanie shares her surprising new diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea, discovered thanks to a sharp-eyed friend at a cancer conference. She breaks down the symptoms to watch for, why they're so easy to confuse with cancer treatment side effects, and how simple the at-home sleep test really is. Then, Melanie reveals what happened after we recorded the constipation episode: her CT scan showed she was significantly constipated, leading to a gastroenterologist visit and a diagnosis of chronic constipation with diarrhea breakthrough, something she never saw coming, even as a nurse. Her takeaway? Don't automatically chalk every symptom up to cancer treatment. There may be something else going on that's very treatable. Both updates are a powerful reminder of the importance of primary care physicians and specialists who can see the full picture of your health beyond cancer. 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.

    13 min
  7. Developing Story: The Camizestrant Vote — When Your Blood Test Knows Before Your Scan Does

    May 20

    Developing Story: The Camizestrant Vote — When Your Blood Test Knows Before Your Scan Does

    The ODAC Vote on Camizestrant & SERENA-6: A Patient Advocate Panel Weighs In When the FDA's Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee voted 6-3 against recommending approval of camizestrant in the SERENA-6 trial setting, the MBC community had questions and opinions. Host Victoria gathered six of the most informed patient advocates in the metastatic breast cancer space for an unfiltered, expert conversation about what the vote really means. In this episode: What SERENA-6 was actually testing and why the trial design drew criticismWhy the ODAC vote was about when to switch therapy, not whether camizestrant is a good drugThe debate over progression-free survival vs. overall survival as endpointsMolecular progression vs. radiologic progression and whether we're ready to act on ctDNA aloneThe "burn through treatments" concern: what early switching means for long-term optionsInsurance coverage gaps for liquid biopsy testing and the two-tier care systemWhy patient advocates need a seat at the table before trials are designed and not afterWhat's next for camizestrant and the broader SERENA programFeaturing: Janice Cowden, Jill Tirabassi, Ellen Landsberger, Abigail Johnston, Kelly Shanahan, and Lynda Weatherby The ODAC vote isn't the end of the road for camizestrant , but it raises important questions about how we define progression, design trials, and include patient voices in the process. This conversation is a must-listen for anyone navigating treatment decisions in hormone receptor-positive MBC. 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.

    1 hr
  8. Front Row Seat: Dr. Fatima Cardoso on Aiming Higher - Hope and the Road to a Cure

    May 12

    Front Row Seat: Dr. Fatima Cardoso on Aiming Higher - Hope and the Road to a Cure

    In this episode of Life from Stage IV, host Victoria Goldberg sits down with Dr. Fátima Cardoso, Breast oncologist and president of the ABC Global Alliance, to unpack a landmark decade of progress — and confront what still needs to change. The ABC Global Alliance's 10-year global report is out, and the findings are both encouraging and sobering. Survival rates have improved. Patient advocacy has grown stronger. Quality-of-life research is finally catching up. But healthcare inequalities have actually worsened,vnot just between countries, but within them, and only 10% of cancer patients worldwide are enrolled in clinical trials. Dr. Cardoso and Victoria discuss: Why HER2-positive patients are living 10–15+ years with metastatic disease, and what that means for the possibility of a cureThe growing divide between what's available in wealthy countries versus everywhere elseThe fight to move clinical trials beyond progression-free survival toward overall survivalWhy we still don't know how many people are living with metastatic breast cancer — and what Australia's groundbreaking count revealedThe new quality-of-life tool being developed specifically for metastatic patientsThe charter for the next decade: what the global community is committing to from 2025–2035This is a conversation about hard truths, hard-won victories, and a movement that refuses to settle for less. 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.

    1 hr
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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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