Alectinib restored vision from an eye metastasis of ALK-positive lung cancer

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

Biomarkers: ALK-positive.

Metastatic Site: right choroid of the eye; liver; bone; brain

After nearly eight months of response to alectinib, the lung cancer progressed in the liver, bone, and brain; lorlatinib was started, but he died on July 3, 2020.

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Immunotherapy and surgery for lung adenocarcinoma with two brain metastases

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 50s

Biomarkers: PD-L1 100%; no actionable mutations on next-generation sequencing.

After brain surgery, radiation, 11 cycles of pembrolizumab, and lung surgery, she was off treatment and under observation in remission.

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Immunotherapy and surgery for adenosquamous lung cancer with brain metastases

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 70+

Biomarkers: PD-L1 positive; no actionable mutations on next-generation sequencing.

After chemotherapy, 19 cycles of pembrolizumab, and right middle lobectomy, she was off immunotherapy and under observation in remission.

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Chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and surgery for lung cancer that spread to the foot

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 70+

Biomarkers: PD-L1 20%; no actionable mutations on next-generation sequencing.

She had a significant response after four cycles of chemotherapy and pembrolizumab, and the resected lung nodule contained fibrosis and scar without carcinoma; further systemic treatment and radiation were under consideration.

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Lung Cancer Metastases to Both Kidneys Causing Kidney Failure

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 50s | Stage Metastatic/Advanced

Biomarkers: PD-L1 highly expressed

Metastatic Site: brain|bilateral kidneys|lungs

The cancer progressed in both kidneys and lungs despite treatment, causing dialysis-dependent kidney failure. He later developed severe respiratory illness and died 5 days after readmission.

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Pleomorphic Lung Cancer Progressed Despite Pembrolizumab

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

Biomarkers: EGFR-negative; ALK-negative; ROS1-negative; PD-L1 TPS 80%-90%.

Metastatic Site: small intestine; pleura; abdominal subcutaneous tissue

The cancer did not respond to pembrolizumab, and he died four months after immunotherapy began.

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Strong Response to Pembrolizumab-Based Therapy for Pleomorphic Lung Cancer

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

Biomarkers: EGFR-negative; ALK-negative; ROS1-negative; PD-L1 TPS 90%-100%.

A marked response followed four combination cycles, and maintenance pembrolizumab remained ongoing seven months after treatment began.

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Pembrolizumab Controlled Metastatic Pleomorphic Lung Cancer After Chemotherapy Failed

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

Biomarkers: EGFR-negative; ALK-negative; ROS1-negative; BRAF-negative; PD-L1 TPS 60%-70%; BRCA2, and TP53 mutations; tumor mutation burden 42 mutations/Mb; no actionable alteration.

Metastatic Site: right adrenal gland; left adrenal gland; bone

Tumor diameter had decreased at 11 months, and pembrolizumab remained ongoing at 12 months.

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

Patient Info: Rachel Chua Bradley, Female, 50s

As of April 2021, Rachel had completed treatment for recurrent non-small cell lung cancer, was not on maintenance cancer medication, and returned to MD Anderson every 6 months for checkups.

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Severe headache during chemotherapy for small-cell lung cancer

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 50s

After the regimen change, he completed five chemotherapy cycles, remained free of severe headache, and had improvement in chest pain, cough, and breathing.

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Delayed SMART syndrome after radiotherapy for small-cell lung cancer

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 60s

Her small-cell lung cancer remained in remission 12 years after treatment, although she developed SMART syndrome as a delayed complication of cranial irradiation.

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Cancer Survivor Story: Navigating Life with Lung Cancer (3/3)

Patient Info: Montessa Lee, Female, Under 40

As of March 2021, Montessa was a small cell lung cancer survivor and patient advocate after chemotherapy, radiation, and brain radiation; no cancer-free/NED claim or metastatic site was stated.

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Cancer Survivor Story: How I Got Through Chemo & Radiation (2/3)

Patient Info: Montessa Lee, Female, Under 40

As of March 2021, Montessa had gone through chemotherapy, radiation, and brain radiation for small cell lung cancer and was speaking as a survivor/advocate; no NED claim was stated.

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Cancer Survivor Story: How I Got Diagnosed with Lung Cancer (1/3)

Patient Info: Montessa Lee, Female, Under 40

As of March 2021, Montessa was sharing how she was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer at age 28 and later became a survivor/advocate after chemotherapy, radiation, and brain radiation.

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Lung cancer surgery after a Trousseau syndrome-related stroke

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

At 23 months after left pneumonectomy, he had no recurrence and continued outpatient surveillance.

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Stage III KRAS Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Terri's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Terri Conneran, Female | Stage III

Biomarkers: KRAS-mutated; PD-L1 level reviewed/tested

As of March 2021, Terri had Stage IIIA KRAS-mutated NSCLC with 3 local recurrences treated over time and had again reached no evidence of disease while continuing close surveillance and advocacy through KRAS Kickers.

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A painful scalp metastasis from sarcomatoid lung cancer

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

Biomarkers: No targetable mutations identified; CAM5.2-positive; p63-positive; CD10-positive; vimentin-positive.

Metastatic Site: chest wall and rib; liver; right gluteal region; scalp…

Her disease progressed with a further liver lesion and additional metastatic complications, and systemic treatment was stopped because of severe immune-related toxicity and the absence of targetable mutations.

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Primary pulmonary adenoid cystic carcinoma found with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 50s

Biomarkers: Cytokeratin-positive; SMA-positive; p63-positive; TTF-1-negative; S100-negative; CK20-negative; CD56-negative.

Six months after adjuvant radiation, restaging CT showed treatment-related changes without local or metastatic recurrence.

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Lung adenocarcinoma first detected through an adrenal metastasis

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

Biomarkers: No driver mutations identified.

Metastatic Site: left adrenal gland

After resection of the adrenal metastasis, postoperative imaging showed further thoracic uptake and he began palliative chemotherapy for metastatic lung adenocarcinoma without identified driver mutations.

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Likely lung carcinoma presenting as bilateral adrenal metastases

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

Metastatic Site: bilateral adrenal glands

Three months after bilateral adrenalectomy, he remained under regular oncology surveillance, was receiving steroid replacement, and had not required adjuvant chemotherapy.

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Lung adenocarcinoma with intestinal pseudo-obstruction and Stauffer syndrome

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

After three chemotherapy courses, the lung tumor had partially responded, intestinal pseudo-obstruction improved, biliary enzyme levels fell, and he continued follow-up as an outpatient.

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Low-dose intrapleural therapy relieved a complex malignant pleural effusion

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, Under 40 | Stage Metastatic/Advanced

Biomarkers: EGFR mutation-negative; ALK alteration-negative; ROS1 alteration-negative.

Metastatic Site: pleura; adrenal gland; bone

The lung cancer had progressed after initial chemotherapy, but rescue treatment of the infected loculated pleural effusion drained 2,000 mL, resolved the collection, and improved her breathing and fever.

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Lung cancer remission after pembrolizumab despite severe inflammatory arthritis

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 50s | Stage Metastatic/Advanced

Biomarkers: PD-L1-positive.

Metastatic Site: brain (temporal and parietal lobes)

The lung adenocarcinoma remained in complete remission 28 months after diagnosis, while the treatment-related arthritis also reached sustained remission and he returned to work and exercise.

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Extensive-stage small cell lung cancer with acquired haemophilia

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 60s

Biomarkers: Synaptophysin weakly positive; Ki-67 greater than 90%.

Her small cell lung cancer remained stable on imaging one month before her death, which followed aseptic meningitis after intravenous immunoglobulin treatment for autoimmune myasthenia gravis.

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