Lung cancer follow-up with worsening fatigue, cough, chest pain, and CT wait

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male

On 2 April 2016, the patient was waiting for CT results after worsening fatigue, cough, and chest pain, with oncology review scheduled for 12 April.

Lung cancer on afatinib with liquid-biopsy monitoring and CT pending

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male

Biomarkers: Liquid biopsy drawn for resistance monitoring; specific result pending

On 20 March 2016, the patient was continuing afatinib/Giotrif, had blood drawn for liquid-biopsy resistance monitoring, and was waiting for a new CT appointment.

Lung cancer on afatinib after liquid biopsy showed T790M resistance no longer detected

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male

Biomarkers: resistance to erlotinib no longer detected in latest liquid-biopsy blood sample

On 21 February 2016, the patient was continuing afatinib/Giotrif after liquid-biopsy monitoring no longer detected T790M resistance, while managing diarrhea, nausea, mucositis, and skin/eye irritation.

Lung cancer with acquired T790M resistance: erlotinib switched to afatinib while AZD9291/TAGRISSO trial was considered

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male | Stage Metastatic/Advanced

Biomarkers: Acquired resistance detected; other resistance findings also mentioned

As of January 2016, he had reached 2 years of survival but had confirmed acquired resistance including T790M, worsening symptoms, and a treatment change from erlotinib to afatinib while a TAGRISSO/AZD9291 trial was being considered.

Lung cancer progression on Tarceva with urgent T790M resistance testing planned

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male | Stage Metastatic/Advanced

Biomarkers: resistance suspected; bronchoscopy planned to test for it

As of January 2016, CT showed clear progression while he was taking Tarceva/erlotinib, so urgent bronchoscopy was planned to look for T790M resistance and guide the next treatment option.

EGFR-mutated NSCLC on Tarceva with CT follow-up pending and future resistance options discussed

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male

Biomarkers: EGFR mutation; T790M resistance discussed as a possible future resistance mechanism

As of December 2015, he was on Tarceva/erlotinib for EGFR-mutated NSCLC, had new cough/chest pain/fatigue, and was waiting for a control CT to clarify whether the tumor remained controlled.

Lung cancer follow-up: returning to golf while living with an ongoing tumor

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male

As of September 2015, he was more than 1.5 years from diagnosis, the tumor was still present, treatment side effects varied by day, and he was waiting for the next control CT while trying to return to normal activities such as golf.

Lung cancer on Tarceva with stable symptoms during summer follow-up

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male

As of July 2015, he was continuing Tarceva, felt strong overall, had no major cancer symptoms, and was waiting until October for the next CT while assuming the tumor remained stable.

Lung cancer follow-up with hopeful CT results and a treatment respite

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male

As of March 2015, the latest CT was described as encouraging and gave him a period of respite from tests and hospital stress, although ongoing follow-up remained necessary.

Lung cancer on erlotinib with side effects and CT results pending

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male

As of March 2015, he was continuing erlotinib/Tarceva, dealing with side effects and anxiety while waiting for CT results, and receiving support from readers and other patients.

EGFR-mutated NSCLC on Erlotinib/Tarceva with March CT pending

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male

Biomarkers: EGFR mutation; T790M discussed as a possible later resistance mutation

As of February 2015, he was about 1.5 months into Erlotinib/Tarceva for EGFR-mutated NSCLC and was waiting for a March CT to know whether the tumor was controlled.

Lung cancer first-anniversary survival milestone with slower-than-expected tumor growth

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male

As of January 2015, he had reached 1 year since lung cancer detection, with slower-than-expected tumor growth and treatment that had given him an uncertain but meaningful extension of time.

Lung cancer on Erlotinib/Tarceva with rash, dyspepsia, mouth irritation, and fatigue

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male

As of January 2015, he had been taking Erlotinib/Tarceva for more than 15 days, was managing early side effects, and was waiting for the March CT to show whether tumor growth had stabilized and whether there was metastasis.

Lung cancer diary: starting Tarceva and treatment-cost concerns

Patient Info: Anonymized

As of January 2015, the patient had just started Erlotinib/Tarceva for lung cancer, with early mild side effects and ongoing uncertainty about response.

EGFR-mutated lung cancer diary: PET-scan anxiety during treatment break

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male

Biomarkers: EGFR mutation

As of December 2014, the patient had been off treatment for 6 months with limited symptoms and was awaiting a PET scan to determine whether treatment should restart.

Lung cancer diary: treatment-free interval while waiting for PET

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male

As of November 2014, the patient was in a treatment-free interval with no appreciable symptoms and was waiting for a PET scan on 9 December to reassess tumor behavior.

Lung cancer diary: chemotherapy completed and supportive symptom strategies

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male

As of October 2014, the patient had completed chemotherapy, was not reporting major symptoms, and had a PET scan scheduled for 9 December to reassess the disease.

Right upper-lobe lung cancer mass in a 66-year-old non-smoker: diagnosis and PET-scan wait story

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 60s

On 29 September 2014, the patient was a 66-year-old man with lung cancer and a 4-5 cm right upper-lobe mass, still trying to obtain a PET scan date after about 7 months since diagnosis.

EGFR exon 19 lung adenocarcinoma with bone and brain metastases: brain lesions resolved on gefitinib

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

Biomarkers: EGFR exon 19 deletion

Metastatic Site: lumbar spine, pelvic bone, brain (left occipital lobe,…

As of March 2014, asymptomatic brain metastases had regressed after 1 month of gefitinib and were no longer discernible after another 3 months, while lumbar vertebral disease was treated with radiotherapy.

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Pediatric Stage I intermediate-grade lung mucoepidermoid carcinoma: lobectomy with 1-year no recurrence

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

Biomarkers: Lymphovascular invasion negative; lymph node metastasis negative; PAS-positive mucin-rich cells

The child had no signs of tumor recurrence 1 year after lobectomy and received no adjuvant therapy because the tumor was localized and low/intermediate grade.

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Stage IIIB lung adenocarcinoma with separate papillary renal cell carcinoma: doing well more than 6 years after revised diagnosis

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

Biomarkers: Lung tumor: TTF-1-positive; PET-avid. Kidney lesion: PET-negative; later papillary renal cell carcinoma. No lung molecular biomarkers reported.

As of February 2014, she was doing well more than 6 years after the initial diagnosis, after the diagnosis was revised from presumed Stage IV lung cancer to Stage IIIB lung adenocarcinoma plus a separate papillary renal cell carcinoma.

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Stage IB epithelial-myoepithelial lung carcinoma: no recurrence after VATS lobectomy

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

Biomarkers: Epithelial-myoepithelial lung carcinoma: EMA, actin and focal S-100 staining supported the diagnosis.

As of February 2014, she had no local recurrence or distant metastasis 16 months after video-assisted thoracoscopic left upper lobectomy and lymph node dissection for Stage IB epithelial-myoepithelial lung carcinoma.

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Stage IB squamous lung cancer: sleeve lobectomy complicated by pulmonary artery pseudoaneurysm

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

As of October 2013, he had normal quality of life and was cancer-free 1 year after the first operation, despite postoperative pulmonary artery pseudoaneurysm, completion pneumonectomy, and empyema treatment.

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Stage IV NSCLC: near-complete response despite severe docetaxel-induced diarrhea

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

As of October 2013, he had completed 6 cycles of weekly docetaxel-cisplatin with dose reduction and supportive care, resulting in a near-complete response.

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