Pembrolizumab for Stage 4 Lung Cancer: 65 Real Stories

65 stories match lung cancer, stage 4 and pembrolizumab. 61 of them mention immunotherapy.

Cancer Stories

Eugenia, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung CancerLung Cancer

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

Patient Info: Eugenia Horan, Female, 40s | Stage IV

Eugenia became Stage IV while critically ill in the ICU and was later told hospice might be appropriate, but she started Keytruda on August 29, 2019 and was alive 5 years later. As of February 2025, she described that treatment as the medicine that saved her.

The Patient Story
OutcomeResponding Well
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung Squamous Cell CarcinomaLung Cancer

Stage IV Squamous Lung Cancer Complicated by an Esophageal-Mediastinal Fistula

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

Metastatic Site: brain, bone

Four months after the fistula was treated conservatively, imaging showed the fistula had resolved and the lung tumor and metastatic hilar nodes had decreased despite no additional antitumor treatment during that interval.

PubMed Central
OutcomeResponding Well
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung AdenocarcinomaLung Cancer

MET Y1003N-Mutant Lung Adenocarcinoma Responding to Tepotinib

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

Biomarkers: MET mutation

Metastatic Site: bone

Tepotinib produced an 8-month response after many earlier treatments, but the cancer later recurred and she died about 3 years after treatment began.

PubMed Central
OutcomeIn Memory
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung Squamous Cell CarcinomaLung Cancer

Stage 4 lung cancer: complete response to chemoimmunotherapy and surgery

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

Biomarkers: EGFR exon 20 duplication with PD-L1 TPS 70%; P40/CK5/6 positive squamous markers; Ki-67 60%.

Metastatic Site: right adrenal gland; possible adjacent…

As of May 7, 2024, CT follow-up showed no evidence of disease after chemoimmunotherapy, conversion surgery with pathologic complete response, and pembrolizumab maintenance.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung AdenocarcinomaLung Cancer

Stage IV lung adenocarcinoma: ROS1 fusion detected after immunotherapy resistance and partial response to entrectinib

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

Biomarkers: Initial lung adenocarcinoma markers supported lung origin; PD-L1 <1%, no target found at first. Later testing found CD74-ROS1 fusion.

Metastatic Site: brain, bilateral lung lesions

As of December 2024, repeat imaging after entrectinib showed partial response in lung disease and regression of brain metastases, with the patient stable and willing to continue treatment.

PubMed Central
OutcomeResponding Well
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung CancerLung Cancer

Stage IV lung adenocarcinoma: clinical complete remission with pembrolizumab

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

Biomarkers: No EGFR/ALK/BRAF driver alteration; PD-L1 <1%; high TMB in tissue and blood; immune-cell markers reported.

Metastatic Site: bilateral lungs, mediastinal lymph nodes, right hilar…

Clinical complete remission by RECIST while receiving pembrolizumab monotherapy for driver-negative, PD-L1-negative, high-TMB Stage IV lung adenocarcinoma.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Natalie, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung CancerLung Cancer

Stage IV Lung Cancer: Natalie's Patient Story

Patient Info: Natalie, Female | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: lungs, lymph nodes

As of December 2024, Natalie had restarted chemotherapy after progression, and the current chemotherapy had stopped growth for the moment while she continued transplant evaluation.

The Patient Story
OutcomeResponding Well
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung AdenocarcinomaLung Cancer

Stage IV Lung Adenocarcinoma With Delayed Pembrolizumab-Related Pneumonitis

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

Metastatic Site: contralateral lung

After brachytherapy and continued pembrolizumab, imaging 1 year later showed a smaller right hilar lesion with otherwise stable disease. She later recovered from delayed pembrolizumab-related pneumonitis after immunotherapy had been stopped.

PubMed Central
OutcomeStable Disease
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung AdenocarcinomaLung Cancer

Lung Adenocarcinoma With Immune-Related Abdominal Inflammation and Later Bone Progression

Patient Info: Anonymized, male | Stage IV

Biomarkers: PD-L1 30%; KRAS G13X mutation; EGFR/ALK/ROS1 negative

Metastatic Site: bone

After several periods of response or stability, lymph-node progression recurred and bone progression was documented in July 2024. Another treatment line was being planned.

PubMed Central
OutcomeSetback / Progression
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung CancerLung Cancer

Pulmonary large cell neuroendocrine cancer treated with airway procedures and pembrolizumab

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

Biomarkers: EGFR negative, ALK negative, ROS1 negative, TP53 negative, PD-L1 <1%, TMB 28.3 mut/Mb

Metastatic Site: bilateral lungs

Pembrolizumab-based treatment produced a complete remission, but multiple intrapulmonary metastases recurred in October 2021 after an 18-month progression-free interval. Further local airway treatment was performed and pembrolizumab continued.

PubMed Central
OutcomeSetback / Progression
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung CancerLung Cancer

Primary Lung Cancer That Spread to Both Breasts and the Adrenal Gland

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

Biomarkers: PD-L1 negative; EGFR, ALK, ROS1, RET, MET exon 14, NTRK and BRAF wild type

Metastatic Site: both breasts, subcutaneous tissue, adrenal gland

After the lung origin was established, she was in good general condition and asymptomatic while first-line systemic therapy was being planned.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCare Ongoing
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung CancerLung Cancer

Stage 4 lung cancer: immunotherapy plus particle therapy halts progression

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

Biomarkers: PD-L1 90%; high tumor mutational burden; PIK3CA ; TP53 mutation; MET mutation

Metastatic Site: left proximal femur

Stage IV oligometastatic NSCLC had good CT response to carboplatin, pemetrexed, and pembrolizumab, then no disease progression 6 months after PULSAR radiotherapy plus pembrolizumab; grade 2 pneumonitis improved with prednisone.

PubMed Central
OutcomeResponding Well
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung Squamous Cell CarcinomaLung Cancer

Stage 4 lung cancer: complete response to chemo-immunotherapy combo

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

Metastatic Site: right hilar lymph nodes, mediastinal lymph nodes

Stage IVA lung squamous cell carcinoma achieved complete response at 12 months. Pembrolizumab was stopped after immune-related RS3PE and likely colitis; 8 months after glucocorticoid initiation, there was no relapse of lung cancer or RS3PE.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
Lenny, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung CancerLung Cancer

Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Lenny's Survivor Story

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

Biomarkers: PD-L1 expression positive

Metastatic Site: right femur; brain/cerebellum

As of July 2024, Lenny described himself as NED/no evidence of disease after surgery, CyberKnife radiation, chemotherapy, and Keytruda-based immunotherapy.

The Patient Story
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung AdenocarcinomaLung Cancer

Stage 4 lung adenocarcinoma: complete response on immunotherapy combination

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male | Stage IV

Biomarkers: No targetable mutation found. Tissue showed TP53/ARID1A; liquid biopsy added KEAP1, and SMARCA4. PD-L1 not evaluable.

Metastatic Site: bilateral lung nodules, left adrenal gland

As of May 2024, metastatic lung adenocarcinoma had a complete radiologic response lasting more than 14 months on pembrolizumab maintenance, and a new PET-avid lung nodule was benign inflammation rather than cancer.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCancer-Free / NED
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung AdenocarcinomaLung Cancer

Stage IV lung adenocarcinoma with brain metastases and an aortic blood clot

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

Biomarkers: KRAS ; EIF1AZ mutation; PD-L1 30%

Metastatic Site: brain

She remained in active care after whole-brain radiation, with systemic chemo-immunotherapy planned for Stage IV lung adenocarcinoma.

PubMed Central
OutcomeCare Ongoing
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung AdenocarcinomaLung Cancer

Stage IV BRAF-mutated lung adenocarcinoma responding to second-line chemo-immunotherapy

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

Biomarkers: BRAF exon 15 p.T599dup; PD-L1 5%

Metastatic Site: pleura, pericardium

After progression on BRAF/MEK-targeted therapy, second-line chemo-immunotherapy produced a partial response that was still ongoing after about 1 year of second-line treatment.

PubMed Central
OutcomeResponding Well
Tim, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung CancerLung Cancer

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

Patient Info: Tim Monds, Male, 50s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: High PD-L1 expression

Metastatic Site: Other lung lobes / lung nodules

As of March 2024, Tim Monds was identified as a Stage IV lung cancer survivor involved in discussion of the PaCES early palliative-care project and broader lung cancer advocacy.

Lung Cancer Voices
OutcomeLiving With Cancer
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung AdenocarcinomaLung Cancer

Rare lung cancer first discovered as a mass in the skull

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male | Stage IV

Biomarkers: KRAS ; CK7-positive; CDX2-positive; pathology favoured pulmonary enteric adenocarcinoma

Metastatic Site: skull base / sphenoid sinus; right posterior acetabulum

He received palliative radiation and prolonged systemic therapy, completing 35 cycles including 31 maintenance cycles of pemetrexed and pembrolizumab.

PubMed Central
OutcomeNot reported
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung CancerLung Cancer

Brain radiation therapy complication (radionecrosis) potentially linked to combined chemo-immunotherapy

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: PD-L1 0%; tumour mutational burden 33 mutations/Mb; TP53 mutation at diagnosis; later ctDNA included KEAP1 and NOTCH3 alterations

Metastatic Site: brain; presumed leptomeningeal disease

She recovered completely from surgery for radiation necrosis, resumed cancer treatment and remained neurologically intact at 18 months. She was found deceased 9 months later; the cause of death was unknown.

PubMed Central
OutcomeIn Memory
A patient, who was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung AdenocarcinomaLung Cancer

BRCA2-Mutated Metastatic Lung Adenocarcinoma Controlled for 30 Months With Olaparib

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

Biomarkers: PD-L1-negative; BRCA2 mutation; ATM mutation; EGFR-negative; ALK-negative

Metastatic Site: brain

Olaparib provided about 30 months of disease control, and PET imaging remained overall stable when a separate new breast primary was found in February 2023.

PubMed Central
OutcomeStable Disease