Diagnosed at 38, a Veteran, Living with ALK-Positive Lung Cancer: Laura's Story

Patient Info: Laura, Female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ALK-positive

Three years after diagnosis, Laura remained on lorlatinib with improved energy and quality of life while continuing to live with Stage IV ALK-positive lung cancer.

GO2 FoundationRead more →

Stage IV ALK Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Suzanne's Patient Story

Patient Info: Suzanne, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ALK mutation identified on tissue biopsy; blood biomarker test was negative

Metastatic Site: Not specified

Stage IV ALK-positive lung cancer was stable for almost 4 years on alectinib before progression in mid-2023; Suzanne moved to brigatinib and radiation and was working toward stability again.

Lung Cancer Research FoundationRead more →

Laura Greco: Stage IV Lung Cancer

Patient Info: Laura Greco, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ALK translocation / ALK-driven; MET amplification; EGFR amplification reported in brain tumor

Metastatic Site: Brain

Laura Greco passed away on July 14, 2024 after Stage IIIA ALK-driven lung cancer later metastasized to the brain and required repeated brain-directed treatment and targeted therapy.

Lung Cancer Research FoundationRead more →

Stage IV ALK Lung Cancer: Duncan's Patient Story

Patient Info: Duncan Edmonstone, Male, 50s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ALK-positive / ALK+ mutation

Metastatic Site: Brain

Living 6 years after Stage IV ALK-positive lung cancer with brain metastasis, doing well on ongoing alectinib targeted therapy with minimal side effects.

The Christie NHSRead more →

Stage IV lung adenocarcinoma discovered after recurrent pulmonary embolism

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, Under 40 | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: bone

At 1-month follow-up, he remained on alectinib, tumor markers were declining, and pulmonary embolism had not recurred.

PubMed CentralRead more →

ALK-fusion lung adenocarcinoma with pleural progression: alectinib toxicity and switch to lorlatinib

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 50s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: EML4::ALK fusion positive

Metastatic Site: pleura

After pleural progression, disease was stable on ALK-targeted therapy; lorlatinib was tolerated after alectinib-related hemolysis and bradycardia resolved.

PubMed CentralRead more →

ALK-rearranged Stage IVA lung adenocarcinoma: partial response to pembrolizumab as eighth-line treatment

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 70+ | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ALK strongly positive by IHC 3+; ALK rearrangement confirmed by FISH; PD-L1 expression 95% by 22C3 immunostaining; CEA 2.3 ng/mL at diagnosis

Metastatic Site: brain

Nine months after pembrolizumab was started as eighth-line therapy, he maintained a partial response after prior progression on multiple ALK inhibitors and chemotherapies.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Stage IV ALK Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Alisa's Patient Story

Patient Info: Alisa Secaida, Female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ALK-positive / ALK-rearranged

Metastatic Site: Brain; lymph nodes

As of May 2025, after alectinib and lung surgery, pathology still showed active tumor and lymph-node cancer cells, and Alisa was receiving IMRT for remaining disease.

City of HopeRead more →

Stage IIIA double ALK-fusion lung adenocarcinoma: major pathological response to neoadjuvant alectinib

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 50s | Stage III

Biomarkers: ALK-rearranged lung adenocarcinoma with both ELMOD3-ALK and EML4-ALK fusions. CEA/NSE/CA19-9 decreased after alectinib.

As of April 2025, he had continued alectinib for 4 years after surgery, with more than 48 months of disease-free survival, no recurrence, and no serious drug-related toxicity.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Stage 4 ALK-rearranged lung cancer: complete response with alectinib and SBRT

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 70+ | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Initial tumor: EML4-ALK fusion, EGFR wild type. Later tumor: EGFR L858R/T790M and TP53 L194R, without ALK rearrangement.

Metastatic Site: pleura, lymph nodes

As of March 2025, the original ALK-rearranged metastatic disease had responded to alectinib, the separate EGFR-mutant right upper-lobe lesion had responded to SBRT, and PET-CT showed no hypermetabolic lung lesion.

PubMed CentralRead more →

EML4-ALK lung cancer: complete remission on alectinib for 4 years

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 60s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: EML4-ALK fusion

Metastatic Site: brain

Alectinib produced complete remission for nearly 4 years; after grade 3 colitis/ulcers, she switched to ceritinib and maintained stable tumor control without recurrent intestinal ulcers or colitis.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Stage 4 ALK-positive lung cancer: remission on lorlatinib

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, Under 40 | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ALK-positive rearrangement; TTF-1-positive

Metastatic Site: bilateral lungs, mediastinal lymph nodes, bone, liver,…

Metastatic ALK-positive lung adenocarcinoma remained in radiologic and clinical remission on lorlatinib after CNS progression on earlier ALK-directed therapy and stereotactic radiosurgery.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Stage IV ALK Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Lindsay's Patient Story

Patient Info: Lindsay Wagner, Female, 40s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ALK-positive mutation / ALK rearrangement

Metastatic Site: brain; liver; bone; kidneys; lungs;…

As of September 2024, Lindsay was still on lorlatinib/Lorbrena with her lungs, liver, and kidneys described as stable, while isolated brain/bone areas were treated with radiation and monitored.

The Patient StoryRead more →

ALK-positive lung cancer spreading to both breasts after years of targeted therapy

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 50s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ALK-positive, ALK mutation

Metastatic Site: bilateral breasts

At age 51, about 10 years after his Stage IV diagnosis, he remained alive with stable disease 8 months after removal of bilateral breast metastases while continuing maintenance therapy.

PubMed CentralRead more →

ALK-positive lung adenocarcinoma complicated by crizotinib-associated kidney and liver cysts

Patient Info: Anonymized, female, 70+ | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ALK fusion

Metastatic Site: bone

After switching from crizotinib to alectinib, the lung cancer and hilar lymph nodes remained stable at the latest follow-up described.

PubMed CentralRead more →

ALK-positive lung cancer treated with alectinib throughout pregnancy

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ALK rearrangement / fusion-positive

Metastatic Site: pleura; liver; bone; brain

Alectinib produced a complete radiologic response and maintained intracranial control through pregnancy. She delivered a healthy infant at 37 weeks, with normal development at 26 months.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Stage IV ALK Lung Adenocarcinoma: Keegan's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Keegan Murphy, Male, 40s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ALK fusion mutation

Metastatic Site: Lungs; lymph nodes; ribs/bone; abdomen

As of March 2024, Keegan had gone from Stage IV ALK-positive lung adenocarcinoma with tumors in the lungs, lymph nodes, ribs, and abdomen to no evidence of disease after alectinib and surgery.

MD AndersonRead more →

ALK-positive Stage IV lung adenocarcinoma controlled with alectinib despite hemolytic anemia

Patient Info: Anonymized, female, 70+ | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ALK-positive

At 1 year after starting alectinib, the tumor had not regrown and treatment was continuing intermittently despite persistent mild anemia.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Lorlatinib rapidly cleared multiple brain metastases in a 23-year-old with ALK-positive lung cancer

Patient Info: Anonymized, male, Under 40 | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ALK-positive

Metastatic Site: brain, pleura, pericardium

Lorlatinib rapidly cleared the brain metastases and maintained the response for 6 months, but new brain metastases were found in July 2023.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Stage IV ALK Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Christine's Patient Story

Patient Info: Christine, Female, 50s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ALK mutation / ALK-positive

Metastatic Site: Brain | Liver

As of October 2023, Christine was living with Stage IV ALK-positive NSCLC that remained in check on targeted therapy after alectinib cleared brain and liver spots and lorlatinib continued, with significant chronic side effects.

Lung Cancer Research FoundationRead more →

Lung cancer first discovered through a rare nerve disorder (anti-CV2 antibody syndrome)

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male

His lower-limb strength improved within 2 weeks, and he could walk 60 m with a rollator at discharge. On alectinib, the lung cancer remained stable with no metastases identified, and repeat nerve-conduction studies also improved.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Stage IV ALK Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Dan's Patient Story

Patient Info: Dan, Male, Under 40 | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ALK-positive / ALK-rearranged

As of November 2022, Dan was living with Stage IV ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer on Alectinib, with stable scans since spring 2020 and ongoing monitoring.

The Patient StoryRead more →

Stage IV ALK Lung Cancer: Bekah's Patient Story

Patient Info: Bekah Cunningham, Female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ALK-positive

Metastatic Site: breast

Maintenance scans remained clear 6 years after starting alectinib, and she continued to live an active life with Stage IV lung cancer.

Dana-FarberRead more →

Pausing Alectinib During Pregnancy After a Complete Lung Cancer Response

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

She remained in complete remission 32 months after diagnosis after pausing alectinib during pregnancy and restarting it after delivery; her child had normal physical and psychomotor development.

PubMed CentralRead more →