Targeted Therapy for Stage 4 Lung Cancer: 213 Real Stories

MET-Positive Lung Cancer Found After Eye Pain and Forehead Swelling

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male | Stage IV

Biomarkers: MET exon 14 skipping mutation

Metastatic Site: Right orbit; frontal skull/bone; left iliac bone

After 2 months of tepotinib, the primary lung lesion decreased from about 53 × 33 mm to 36 × 24 mm, metastatic sites were stable and the patient continued treatment without significant adverse events.

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Stage IV EGFR Lung Cancer: Anne's Patient Story

Patient Info: Anne, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: EGFR-positive

Metastatic Site: spine; hips; lymph nodes; liver

Anne maintained a good quality of life for about 1 year on an oral EGFR-targeted medicine and later entered a clinical trial while continuing lung-cancer advocacy.

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Stage IV ALK Lung Cancer: Jeff's Patient Story

Patient Info: Jeff Meckstroth, Male | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ALK-positive driver mutation

Metastatic Site: Brain

More than 6 years after an initial prognosis of about 6 months, Jeff was alive, preparing to retire and continuing biomarker-guided care; the brain metastases had disappeared within a few months of the therapy change.

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RET-positive Stage IV lung cancer: targeted therapy stopped after severe side effects

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

Biomarkers: RET fusion

Metastatic Site: brain|bone

Selpercatinib produced early shrinkage of the lung tumor and brain metastases, but it was permanently discontinued because of recurrent severe side effects. She was transferred for supportive care.

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HER2-mutated lung cancer: restarting targeted therapy after lung inflammation

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

Biomarkers: HER2 exon 20 insertion; PD-L1 negative

Metastatic Site: brain

Trastuzumab deruxtecan was restarted successfully after lung inflammation improved, but it was discontinued after 9 cycles when the cancer progressed.

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

Patient Info: Rosee, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: EGFR mutation; specific variant not reported

Metastatic Site: brain

Within weeks of starting osimertinib, Rosee’s tumors shrank significantly, migraines and vertigo resolved, and hearing began to return; she remained on treatment and active in advocacy.

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Stage IVA EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinoma: clonal evolution, chemoimmunotherapy response, osimertinib rechallenge, and death after progression

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

Biomarkers: Markers changed over time: started with EGFR L747S/L858R; later MET-amplified, PD-L1 TPS 80%, high TMB clone; later EGFR reappeared.

Metastatic Site: pleura, peritoneal nodule, retroperitoneal lymph nodes

The patient died on 30 April 2025 after progression through multiple lines and infection related to treatment-associated myelosuppression.

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Stage IV EGFR Lung Cancer: Shannon's Survivor Story

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

Biomarkers: EGFR mutation; TP53 mutation

Metastatic Site: cervical spine (C1/C2 and C4/C6), liver

As of June 2026, Shannon described no evidence of active disease: visible tumors were gone, the original lung mass had decreased from 10.8 cm to a 3.8 cm cavity, and targeted therapy continued to suppress possible remaining cells.

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Stage IV EGFR-mutated lung adenocarcinoma: high-dose furmonertinib after CNS progression

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

Biomarkers: Initial EGFR L858R mutation. Later blood testing showed EGFR p.S553Y variation; CEA rose and fell with treatment.

Metastatic Site: brain/meninges; bilateral pleura/lungs; mediastinal…

As of June-September 2024, the left lung lesion was stable to slightly smaller on escalated furmonertinib, but brain/CNS lesions had progressed and required dose escalation to 240 mg/day; later imaging was declined.

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Stage IV ALK Lung Cancer: Nancee's Patient Story

Patient Info: Nancee Pronsati, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ALK-positive; ALK fusion/rearrangement

Metastatic Site: bilateral lung nodules, brain

As of May 2026, Nancee had lived about 10 years with metastatic ALK-positive lung cancer, including brain progression, and continued long-term targeted therapy with quality of life as a major goal.

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

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

Biomarkers: Driver mutation identified; specific mutation not stated

Metastatic Site: pleura

As of May 2026, Jill had lived 17 years with NSCLC, later experienced pleural metastases/progression, and remained on biomarker-guided targeted therapy with chemotherapy added.

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EGFR-mutated lung cancer responds after acquired ROS1 resistance

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

Biomarkers: EGFR L858R mutation; acquired ROS1 rearrangement

Metastatic Site: pleura

She remained on osimertinib plus crizotinib with a sustained clinical and radiologic response for more than 18 months.

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Stage IV EGFR-mutated lung cancer responds after targeted therapy intolerance

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

Biomarkers: EGFR L858R mutation; PIK3CA E545K mutation; acquired ROS1 rearrangement

Metastatic Site: pleura|pericardium|bone|lungs

Chemotherapy produced a partial response that remained sustained for 7 months at the latest follow-up.

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EGFR-mutated Stage IV lung cancer with later brain progression

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

Biomarkers: EGFR exon 19 deletion; acquired EGFR C797S mutation; acquired ROS1 rearrangement

Metastatic Site: brain|bone

She died about 20 months after diagnosis after brain progression and a severe postoperative stroke.

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Stage IV ALK Lung Cancer: Jake's Patient Story

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

Biomarkers: ALK-positive mutation

Metastatic Site: brain; lung; ankle bone

As of May 2026, Jake was 28 and had lived more than 13 years with Stage IV ALK-positive lung cancer, with ongoing treatment history including targeted therapy, surgeries, radiation, clinical-trial therapy, and recent chemotherapy.

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Stage IV ALK Lung Cancer: Kartik's Patient Story

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

Biomarkers: EML4/ALK mutation

Kartik was diagnosed with Stage IV ALK-rearranged lung cancer at age 28, continued working for several years through a targeted clinical trial, and died in 2015 at age 34.

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Stage IVA EGFR-mutated lung adenocarcinoma: stable disease on first-line osimertinib

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

Biomarkers: EGFR exon 19 deletion; baseline EGFR exon 20 T790M mutation; ALK IHC negative; PD-L1 TPS 30%; TTF-1-positive

Metastatic Site: pleura; malignant pleural-pericardial adhesions

As of April 2026, she had stable disease for more than 9 months on first-line osimertinib, with no progressive disease, no recurrent pleural effusion, ECOG improvement from 2 to 0, and no treatment-related adverse events.

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Stage IV EGFR Lung Cancer: Kelsey's Patient Story

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

Biomarkers: EGFR mutation; later ALK mutation after progression

Metastatic Site: Bone — pelvis and spine/L5

Living with Stage IV lung cancer on a clinical trial after progression, with current treatment described as working and quality of life improved.

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

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

Biomarkers: ALK-positive

Metastatic Site: Spine; chest lymph nodes; stomach lymph nodes

Stage IV ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer responded dramatically to daily targeted therapy, with latest scans described as no evidence of disease while she continues long-term targeted therapy.

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Stage IV EGFR-positive lung cancer treated for nearly 5 years before progression

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

Biomarkers: EGFR L858R mutation

Metastatic Site: liver

The cancer later progressed despite chemotherapy, and he died from lung cancer 4 years and 8 months after diagnosis.

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

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

Biomarkers: EGFR mutation; MET amplification resistance mutation; MET overexpression

Metastatic Site: Brain

Maggie initially reached no evidence of disease on EGFR-targeted therapy, but later had repeated progression, including MET-amplification resistance and MET overexpression, requiring SBRT, a clinical trial, chemotherapy, and later-line targeted treatment.

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

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

Biomarkers: ALK-positive / ALK-rearranged after repeat Tempus testing

Metastatic Site: Pelvis; spleen

As of February 2026, ALK-targeted therapy had improved Clara’s symptoms enough that she no longer needed a walker or cane, and upcoming scans would determine whether pelvic tumor surgery remained an option.

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Stage IV ROS1 Lung Cancer: Phil's Patient Story

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

Biomarkers: ROS1 mutation

Metastatic Site: Lymph nodes; other lung

Phil was living with incurable Stage IV ROS1-positive lung cancer. After initial chemotherapy, a ROS1-targeted pill worked for about 2 years, and he later continued on a Mass General clinical-trial treatment with follow-up every 3 months.

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

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

Biomarkers: ALK mutation / ALK-positive

Metastatic Site: ovaries; spine; liver; lung

Stage IV ALK-positive NSCLC is being managed with ALK-directed treatment; follow-up scans were described as improving, but the source does not state complete remission.

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