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

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 ...

Every year, Living Beyond Breast Cancer (LBBC) brings together hundreds of people living with metastatic breast cancer for one of the most anticipated events in the MBC community, the Thriving Together MBC Conference. This year marked a milestone: the 20th anniversary. In this episode, the members of the podcast team Abigail Johnston, Dr. Jill Tirabassi, Dr. Ellen Landsberger, and Victoria Goldberg, all MBC patients themselves, sit down for an honest, heartfelt recap of the 2026 conference. T...

What happens when breast cancer spreads to the brain — and what can actually be done about it? In this episode, host Victoria Goldberg sits down with Dr. Nancy Lin, medical oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and one of the country's leading experts on metastatic breast cancer and brain metastasis. Dr. Lin breaks down the current treatment landscape for all subtypes — HER2+, ER+, and triple negative — covering everything from antibody drug conjugates like T-DXd and sacituzumab, to oral...

Living with metastatic breast cancer isn't just about medical treatments—it's a significant time commitment that impacts every aspect of daily life. In this episode of "S**T We Deal With Shorts," Dr. Jill Tirabassi examines a 2025 JAMA Network Open study that quantifies exactly how much time patients with metastatic breast and ovarian cancer spend managing their disease. The research reveals eye-opening statistics: patients averaged one out-of-home cancer-related visit per week, with travel a...

In one of the most powerful conversations we've ever recorded, Dar Finkelstein—known throughout the metastatic breast cancer community as "The Queen of Joy"—shares her decision to stop treatment and transition to hospice care. After nearly seven years with metastatic breast cancer and 20 years total since her original diagnosis, Dar opens up about the impossible choice many in the MBC community eventually face: quality of life versus quantity of time. With remarkable candor and grace, she dis...

In this short episode, hosts Abigail Johnston and Melanie Sisk dive deep into one of the most challenging symptoms cancer patients face: insomnia. Both hosts share their personal struggles with sleep disruption following their cancer diagnoses and explore how the cancer experience—combined with treatment side effects and life changes like menopause—can profoundly impact rest. Abigail and Melanie discuss practical strategies they've discovered for better sleep, from creating the ideal be...

In this episode of our Symptoms Spotlight series, hosts Melanie Sisk and Abigail Johnston tackle a topic many cancer patients experience but few feel comfortable discussing—constipation. From understanding what constipation really looks like (hint: it's not always what you think) to practical remedies you can try at home, this episode breaks down the stigma around bowel health. Melanie, a nurse and cancer patient on CDK4/6 inhibitors, shares her go-to over-the-counter solutions like MiraLax a...

In this candid episode of Symptoms Spotlight, hosts Melanie Sisk and Abigail Johnston tackle one of the most disruptive yet often under-discussed side effects of cancer treatment: diarrhea caused by cancer medications. Melanie and Abigail share their personal experiences managing different grades of diarrhea, from mild disruptions to severe grade three episodes that can mean seven to 10 extra bathroom trips per day. They discuss the real impact on quality of life, including the embarrassment ...

Join hosts Melanie Sisk and Abigail Johnston as they shine a light on the real experiences of managing cancer symptoms. In each episode of the Symptoms Spotlight series of short episodes, we explore different symptoms caused by cancer or its treatment, sharing practical insights and hard-won wisdom directly from patients who've been there. This isn't just medical information—it's peer-to-peer support at its finest. Melanie and Abigail believe that patients learn best from each other, and that...

In this episode, co-hosts Victoria Goldberg and Martha Carlso are joined by Josh Newby, Founder and Executive Director of Theresa’s Research Foundation (TRF), for an in-depth conversation about the evolving landscape of metastatic breast cancer research and advocacy. Josh shares the origins and mission of his foundation, the challenges faced in funding and organizing medical conferences, and the shift toward curative approaches for metastatic breast cancer. The discussion covers the impact of...

In this episode we get urgent and personal: with deep cuts to NIH and NCI funding threatening labs, jobs, and future treatments, what happens to science — and to patients — when the pipeline is squeezed? To make that real, we’re talking with Na Zhao, a research assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine. We follow Na’s experience as she navigates a pivotal moment in her research career. Facing institutional financial challenges and limited startup support, Na remains undeterred,...

In this episode, hosts Victoria Goldberg and Abigail Johnston sit down with Samira Daswani, host of "The Patient From Hell" podcast, for a candid and insightful conversation about patient advocacy, storytelling, and the evolving landscape of cancer care. Samira shares her path from reluctant podcast guest to passionate host, highlighting the importance of amplifying patient voices and democratizing information for those navigating cancer diagnoses—especially in communities where open discussi...

This is the first episode of the recurring MBC Insiders series created by and starring the podcast team. In the first episode, published on October 13th, the National Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day, we meet seven panelists with 80+ years living with Metastatic Breast Cancer between them and they are here to share the hard-won wisdom of true MBC insiders. We'll explore the issues that matter most to people living with MBC, including how the language clinicians and media use...