Targeted Therapy for Stage 4 Lung Cancer: 213 Real Stories

EGFR L858R lung adenocarcinoma with rapid neurologic decline

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

Biomarkers: EGFR L858R mutation; CK7-positive; Napsin A-positive; TTF-1-positive; p40-negative; Ki-67 about 1%

Metastatic Site: brain parenchyma and meninges

The patient developed rapidly progressive cognitive decline with multifocal brain lesions. Lung biopsy confirmed EGFR L858R lung adenocarcinoma, and she received amivantamab, but neurologic deterioration continued and she died in the fourth month of the disease course.

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Stage IV ALK Lung Cancer: Ruchira's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Ruchira, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ALK-positive

Metastatic Site: Not reported

Although the disease progressed to Stage IV after lobectomy, ALK testing led to lorlatinib; she reported no evidence of disease after 3 months and continued daily targeted therapy.

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BRAF-mutant stage IV lung adenocarcinoma complicated by immunotherapy-induced diabetes

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

Biomarkers: BRAF mutation; GADA-positive during immune-related diabetes evaluation

Metastatic Site: left lower lung, pleural

The patient had Stage IV BRAF V600E-mutant lung adenocarcinoma treated with targeted therapy and later tislelizumab. Immunotherapy was suspended after hypoadrenocorticism and diabetic ketosis; she required ongoing insulin therapy, with persistently low C-peptide at 6-month follow-up.

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EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinoma with acquired ROS1 rearrangement after EGFR-TKI resistance

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

Biomarkers: EGFR exon 19 deletion; acquired EGFR T790M; acquired EZR exon10-ROS1 exon34 rearrangement

Metastatic Site: bone (distal femur); contralateral lung;…

After fourth-line crizotinib for acquired EZR-ROS1 rearrangement, response evaluation on August 27, 2025 showed partial response, and September 2025 bone scan showed stable bone lesions.

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Stage 4 lung cancer: never-smoker with complete remission

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

Biomarkers: EGFR20ins mutation; TP53 p.Q192 mutation; PD-L1 TPS 0%; CPS 0%

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

The patient had a durable response to high-dose furmonertinib, later developed a right cerebellar metastasis treated with stereotactic radiation, and continued to benefit from furmonertinib as of April 2025 with 27 months of progression-free survival reported.

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Stage IV Lung Cancer treatment and follow-up story

Patient Info: Tina Powell, Female | Stage IV

As of January 2026, Tina was 3 years into Stage IV lung cancer, on a clinical trial at Memorial Sloan Kettering, and undergoing CT chest, CT pelvis, and brain MRI every 6 weeks.

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Stage 4 lung cancer: persistent cough led to diagnosis

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

Biomarkers: KRAS and TP53 ; PD-L1 TPS 95%. Other common lung drivers were not detected.

Metastatic Site: liver, left adrenal gland, lymph nodes, pleural…

After more than 2 years of disease control and partial response on antiangiogenic therapy plus sintilimab, the patient developed fulminant immune-checkpoint-inhibitor-induced type 1 diabetes with severe diabetic ketoacidosis, inflammatory crisis, sepsis, and died shortly after discharge against medical advice.

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EGFR-Mutant Lung Adenocarcinoma With Bone and Leptomeningeal Metastases

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

Biomarkers: EGFR exon 19 deletion; acquired EGFR T790M mutation

Metastatic Site: bone, leptomeninges

In May 2025, leptomeningeal disease remained present and he continued combination chemotherapy with bevacizumab and high-dose furmonertinib, leaving hospital in stable condition after cycle 8.

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Stage IV non-small cell lung cancer: treatment and follow-up story

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

Biomarkers: ALK mutation/rearrangement; EGFR negative

Metastatic Site: Bone, including left humerus

As of January 2026, he described about 3 years on ALK-targeted oral therapy, feeling well, exercising 3-4 times per week, and living close to normal life with Stage IV ALK-positive lung cancer.

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MET exon 14 skipping lung adenocarcinoma: sequential MET-TKI toxicity and ongoing chemotherapy

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

Biomarkers: MET exon 14 skipping mutation; EGFR negative; ALK negative; ROS1 negative; PD-L1 tumor proportion score 10%

Metastatic Site: pleura

The cancer recurred with pleural dissemination after surgery and adjuvant UFT. Sequential MET inhibitors and systemic therapies provided periods of disease control but were limited by ILD and non-ILD toxicities; at the report, he remained on carboplatin, pemetrexed, and bevacizumab.

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KRAS G12C Stage IV lung adenocarcinoma with synchronous urothelial carcinoma and durable response

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

Biomarkers: Lung adenocarcinoma: KRAS ; PD-L1 TPS 5%. Urothelial carcinoma: GATA3-positive; CK7-positive; TTF1-negative.

Metastatic Site: homolateral pulmonary metastases and N2 lymph nodes…

After enfortumab vedotin, the urothelial carcinoma reached complete radiologic response and the lung cancer remained partially responding/stable; treatment was stopped after 16 months, and PET 2 months later showed complete metabolic response.

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

Patient Info: Jennifer, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: EGFR genomic mutation

Metastatic Site: Not reported

Jennifer is alive more than 5.5 years after a Stage IV adenocarcinoma diagnosis, continuing EGFR-targeted treatment and living with ongoing side effects and surveillance needs.

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Stage IV METex14 lung adenocarcinoma: responding well to capmatinib and SBRT

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

Biomarkers: MET exon 14 skipping mutation; PD-L1 >80%. EGFR/RAS/MEK wild type; lung-origin markers present.

Metastatic Site: brain; bone (thoracic/lumbar vertebrae, right iliac…

At 24 months after diagnosis, he was alive, asymptomatic, and continuing capmatinib with no evidence of progression and excellent tolerance.

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Stage IV EGFR-mutated lung adenocarcinoma with suspected myocardial metastasis responding to afatinib plus chemotherapy

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male | Stage IV

Biomarkers: EGFR L861Q; PD-L1 TPS/CPS 65%. TP53, MET and PIK3CA alterations also reported.

Metastatic Site: left ventricular myocardium; mediastinal lymph nodes…

As of December 2025, the suspected left-ventricular myocardial metastasis had shrunk after 2 courses of afatinib plus pemetrexed/cisplatin, and the patient had no cardiovascular events during monitoring.

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Stage IVA EGFR-mutated lung adenocarcinoma with malignant pleural effusion: stable disease on ivonescimab plus pemetrexed

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

Biomarkers: EGFR exon 19 deletion persisted. Later pleural fluid had PD-L1 TPS 40% / CPS 41, low TMB

Metastatic Site: pleura / malignant pleural effusion

As of August 2025, Stage IVA EGFR-mutated lung adenocarcinoma with malignant pleural effusion was stable on ivonescimab plus pemetrexed after prior progression on gefitinib, almonertinib, and ivonescimab monotherapy.

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Stage IVB EGFR L861R lung adenocarcinoma treated with afatinib, osimertinib, and chemotherapy

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

Biomarkers: EGFR L861R mutation; CEA 5.5 ng/mL; CYFRA 21-1 5.1 ng/mL

Metastatic Site: lymph nodes, lung, bone

As of September 2025, the patient remained alive 27 months after diagnosis after multiple EGFR-targeted and chemotherapy lines.

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Stage IVB SMARCA4-deficient NSCLC with brain metastasis: stable disease after surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and bevacizumab

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

Biomarkers: SMARCA4/BRG-1 loss with TP53 and other mutations; TMB high; PD-L1 <1%; MSI-H not detected.

Metastatic Site: brain

As of October 2025, the patient had stable disease, no brain recurrence, a controlled left lower-lobe lung lesion, and manageable treatment toxicity while continuing bevacizumab plus pemetrexed maintenance.

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Stage IV Lung Cancer: Tina's Patient Story

Patient Info: Tina Powell, Female | Stage IV

As of November 2025, Tina was living with Stage IV lung cancer after 27 chemotherapy rounds over 3 years and was receiving an antibody-drug conjugate in a clinical trial.

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Stage IV Lung Cancer: Ross's Patient Story

Patient Info: Ross Camidge, Male | Stage IV

Biomarkers: Specific mutation identified; mutation name not reported

Metastatic Site: contralateral lung; mediastinal lymph nodes; bones

After a 2022 Stage IV diagnosis, Dr. Camidge was living with metastatic lung cancer between scans and continuing treatment; he described the disease as neither cured nor actively dying.

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Stage IV EGFR-mutant lung cancer: treatment and follow-up story

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: EGFR-mutated

As of November 2025, she was newly living with Stage IV EGFR-mutated lung cancer after starting first-generation targeted therapy on 5 March and managing treatment side effects during the first 3 months.

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

Patient Info: Laura, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ALK-positive / ALK-rearranged

Metastatic Site: Not reported

Laura was living with incurable Stage IV ALK-positive NSCLC, continuing targeted therapy and regular CT monitoring after trying multiple TKIs and a clinical trial.

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Synchronous primary squamous lung cancers: long disease control after multimodal therapy, then Stage IVA lung recurrence

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

Biomarkers: Squamous lung cancers with PD-L1 20% and no driver mutation detected; P40/P63 markers supported squamous type.

Metastatic Site: bilateral lung metastases at recurrence

As of November 2025, the patient had achieved 72 months of progression-free survival and remained alive at 75 months, but had developed Stage IVA recurrent pulmonary squamous cell carcinoma with bilateral lung metastases and had restarted systemic therapy.

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Stage IV ROS1 Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Drea's Patient Story

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

Biomarkers: ROS1-positive

Metastatic Site: bilateral lungs; spine; pelvis; brain

Drea had about 3 years of good response and quality of life on her first ROS1 TKI; after new lesions appeared, a second TKI was keeping disease under control with manageable symptoms.

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Stage IV ROS1 Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Lysa's Patient Story

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

Biomarkers: ROS1-positive / ROS1-rearranged

Metastatic Site: spine; later new sites not specified

After more than a decade with Stage IV ROS1-positive NSCLC, Lysa was stable on a clinical-trial targeted therapy and no longer needed chemotherapy.

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