ALK-Fusion Small Cell Lung Cancer Responding to Ensartinib

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

Biomarkers: EML4-ALK fusion; TP53 and RB1 mutations; PD-L1 at least 50%

The recurrent hilar lymph nodes shrank on ensartinib, and treatment was still ongoing at the January 2025 cutoff with more than 12 months without progression.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Stage IV ROS1 Lung Adenocarcinoma: Luna's Patient Story

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

Biomarkers: ROS1 rearrangement; EGFR negative; ALK negative

Metastatic Site: liver; bones

Luna had Stage IV ROS1-positive lung adenocarcinoma with liver and bone metastases. After progression on initial chemotherapy, crizotinib led to tumor shrinkage and controlled her cancer for almost 12 years as of March 2025.

The Patient StoryRead more →

Stage IV KRAS Lung Cancer: Rosemary's Patient Story

Patient Info: Rosemary Conway, female, 60s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: KRAS mutation

After 14 months on daraxonracib in a clinical trial, Rosemary’s Stage IV lung cancer had stopped growing and she had returned to walking and lifting weights.

Dana-FarberRead more →

Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Donnita's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Donnita, Female, 60s

Biomarkers: Biomarker testing requested through Foundation Medicine; results not reported

Donnita had Stage IA2 non-small cell lung adenocarcinoma found by screening and treated with robotic wedge resections with clear margins. As of March 2025, she was living after early-stage surgery with fear of recurrence and ongoing advocacy.

The Patient StoryRead more →

Stage I lung adenocarcinoma treated with SBRT while protecting a leadless pacemaker

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

SBRT was completed without complications or detected pacemaker malfunction.

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 →

Extended-stage small cell lung cancer with breast metastasis: complete response after pembrolizumab

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

Biomarkers: TMB-high, microsatellite stable; TP53/PTEN mutations, and SOX2/PIK3CA/FGF12 amplifications.

Metastatic Site: breast

As of March 2025, she had maintained complete response for more than 18 months on pembrolizumab monotherapy after prior cisplatin/irinotecan response.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Etoposide Desensitization After Cardiac Arrest in Metastatic Small Cell Lung Cancer

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

Metastatic Site: brain

After later tumor progression and further systemic treatment, she died in September 2021 from multifactorial progressive leukoencephalopathy, meningopyoventriculitis, and brain atrophy.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Stage IV EGFR Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Jeff's Patient Story

Patient Info: Jeff, Male, 60s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: EGFR-positive; exon 19 mentioned

Metastatic Site: brain; bones — ribs, femur/hip, clavicle

Jeff has Stage IV EGFR-positive non-small cell lung cancer with brain and bone metastases. Biomarker testing changed the plan from radiation/chemotherapy toward Tagrisso targeted therapy. As of March 2025, he was living with metastatic lung cancer and emphasizing hope and self-advocacy.

The Patient StoryRead more →

EGFR-Mutant Lung Adenocarcinoma That Transformed to Small Cell Lung Cancer

Patient Info: Anonymized, female, 40s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: EGFR exon 19 deletion

Metastatic Site: brain, adrenal gland, liver, thyroid

The cancer progressed after small-cell transformation with adrenal, thyroid, liver and brain involvement, and she died 52.7 months after the original diagnosis from disease progression and organ failure.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Metastatic Lung Cancer With Pulmonary Embolism, Cardiac Tamponade, and Recurrent Stroke

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

Metastatic Site: leptomeninges

After the lung cancer was diagnosed, she developed leptomeningeal metastases and recurrent ischemic strokes and died the following month.

PubMed CentralRead more →

EGFR-Mutant Lung Adenocarcinoma That Transformed to Small Cell Lung Cancer

Patient Info: Anonymized, female, 40s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: EGFR exon 19 deletion; acquired EGFR T790M mutation

Metastatic Site: liver

The cancer progressed after transformation to small cell lung cancer, and she died 49 months after the original diagnosis.

PubMed CentralRead more →

HER2 exon 20 metastatic lung adenocarcinoma with pathologic complete response after chemoimmunotherapy and surgery

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 40s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: HER2 exon 20 insertion lung adenocarcinoma with TP53 mutation, PD-L1 TPS 50%, and low TMB.

Metastatic Site: contralateral lung

Right lower lobectomy with radical lymphadenectomy in November 2023 showed pathologic complete response, and no additional therapy was offered after surgery.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Stage IV ALK Lung Cancer: Sydney's Patient Story

Patient Info: Sydney Barned, Female, Under 40 | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ALK-rearranged

Metastatic Site: brain

Living with Stage IV ALK-positive lung cancer. She had about 5.5 years of disease control on her first targeted therapy, then developed 3 brain metastases in September 2022 and switched to another targeted therapy. As of February 2025, she was working full-time and continuing treatment.

The Patient StoryRead more →

Stage 4 lung adenocarcinoma with RET fusion responding to pralsetinib

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

Biomarkers: RET fusion

Metastatic Site: pleura

As of March 2025, he had recovered from grade 3 Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia, restarted pralsetinib, and had no progressive disease or recurrence of adverse events over 13 months.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Stage 4 lung cancer: managing pembrolizumab-induced myasthenia gravis

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

Biomarkers: Anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody elevated; TSH elevated during immune-related adverse event workup; cancer biomarkers not reported

At 9 months after the immune-related myasthenia gravis presentation, lung cancer remained in complete response while she continued low-dose prednisolone, pyridostigmine, levothyroxine, and nighttime NIV.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Recurrent lung adenocarcinoma: sick sinus syndrome during anlotinib treatment

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 70+

Biomarkers: driver genes negative

Recurrent/progressive lung adenocarcinoma was being treated with anlotinib when sick sinus syndrome developed; the patient received a permanent pacemaker and remained alive under follow-up, but post-pacemaker cancer status was not fully reported.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Stage 4 RET-rearranged lung cancer: complete pathologic response to pralsetinib

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

Biomarkers: KIF5B-RET rearrangement; TP53 missense mutation; PD-L1-negative; CK7-positive; TTF-1-positive; Ki-67 70%

Metastatic Site: pleura, mediastinal lymph nodes, hilar lymph nodes

After pralsetinib response and surgery, pathology showed no residual viable tumor in the lung primary, pleural nodules, or sampled lymph nodes; she continued adjuvant pralsetinib.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Stage 4 small cell lung cancer with paraneoplastic neurological syndrome

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

Biomarkers: Paraneoplastic antibody panel positive for anti-Hu, anti-AMPH, anti-Ri

Metastatic Site: left axillary lymph nodes

Over 2 years of follow-up, CT showed stable complete response, tumor markers stayed normal, no new metastases appeared, and neurological symptoms did not worsen.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Small Cell Lung Cancer: Brian's Patient Story

Patient Info: Brian, Male, 40s

As of February 2025, Brian was actively receiving chemotherapy and twice-daily radiation for limited-stage small cell lung cancer and remained hopeful during treatment.

The Patient StoryRead more →

Stage III Small Cell Lung Cancer: Brian's Patient Story

Patient Info: Brian, Male | Stage III

Brian was early in treatment for Stage III limited-stage small cell lung cancer. As of February 2025, he had completed 1 round of chemotherapy, was starting concurrent radiation, and was waiting on PET scan results to assess response or spread.

The Patient StoryRead more →

Early Lung Adenocarcinoma Found During Workup for a Separate Splenic Tumor

Patient Info: Anonymized, male, 60s | Stage I

He remained recurrence-free 24 months after lung surgery and continued CT surveillance every 6 months.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Fatal Multiorgan Failure After Pembrolizumab-Based Treatment for Metastatic Lung Cancer

Patient Info: Anonymized, female | Stage IV

She died less than 12 hours after hospital presentation with rapidly progressive multiorgan failure one week after the first pembrolizumab-based treatment cycle; immune-related toxicity was strongly suspected, although the rapid decline limited full evaluation.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Treating Lung Adenocarcinoma Alongside a Separate Esophageal Cancer

Patient Info: Anonymized, male, 60s

Biomarkers: PD-L1 negative; ALK negative; no mutations detected on lung-cancer testing

By July 2024, the lung lesion remained in partial response and he was alive 36 months after the synchronous cancer diagnoses, eating well and gaining weight.

PubMed CentralRead more →