Stage 4 EGFR-mutant lung cancer controlled on gefitinib after osimertinib intolerance

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

Biomarkers: EGFR exon 21 L858R mutation

As of August 2024, Stage IVB EGFR L858R lung adenocarcinoma was being treated with gefitinib after grade 3 osimertinib-induced interstitial lung disease; the cancer had not progressed when steroids were completed and ILD had not recurred on gefitinib.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Stage 4 lung cancer with brainstem metastasis: complete remission on chemotherapy

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

Metastatic Site: pons, right parietal lobe, brain

Stage IV NSCLC with pontine and right parietal brain metastases achieved complete remission after 2 years of chemotherapy with an anti-VEGF drug; the pontine lesion remained stable, and severe SRS-related central neuropathic pain improved after methadone escalation.

PubMed CentralRead more →

EGFR exon 19 deletion lung cancer: gefitinib after osimertinib toxicity

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

Biomarkers: EGFR exon 19 deletion

As of August 2024, Stage IVB EGFR exon 19 deletion lung adenocarcinoma was being treated with gefitinib after osimertinib-induced grade 3 interstitial lung disease; ILD had not recurred, and low-dose prednisolone continued.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Stage IV MET exon 14 NSCLC: savolitinib response complicated by recurrent drug-induced liver injury

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

Biomarkers: MET exon 14 skipping mutation

As of June 2024, low-dose savolitinib 100 mg/day with hepatoprotective medications maintained tumor shrinkage/stable disease without recurrent liver function deterioration.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Stage IIIA ALK-positive lung adenocarcinoma: pathologic complete response to lorlatinib

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

Biomarkers: EML4-ALK fusion; ALK-positive; Napsin A-positive; cytokeratin-positive; TTF-1-positive

He remained disease-free 10 months after surgery while continuing planned adjuvant lorlatinib after neoadjuvant lorlatinib produced partial radiographic response and pathologic complete response.

PubMed CentralRead more →

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 CentralRead more →

Stage IIIA NSCLC: recurrence-free after surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy, and one atezolizumab dose

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

Biomarkers: PD-L1 expression 20% by 22C3 assay

She remained free of lung-cancer recurrence for more than 1 year after surgery and adjuvant cisplatin/vinorelbine; atezolizumab was stopped after 1 dose because of severe immune-related toxicities that improved with steroid and immunoglobulin treatment.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Small cell lung cancer presenting with SVC stenosis and pulmonary emboli: stenting and anticoagulation before oncology follow-up

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 50s

Biomarkers: Synaptophysin-positive; chromogranin-positive; CD56-positive; TTF1-positive; BCL-2-positive

As of June 2024, symptoms from SVC stenosis had nearly resolved after SVC stenting, venoplasty, and anticoagulation, and outpatient oncology follow-up for newly diagnosed small cell lung cancer was planned.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Lung cancer treated with targeted therapy: rare blood vessel inflammation as a side effect

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: BRAF mutation

Metastatic Site: pleura

She initially achieved a complete response. After vasculitis treatment, targeted therapy continued and a partial lung-cancer response remained maintained without vasculitis recurrence.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Eye complication (corneal irritation) as a rare side effect of nivolumab immunotherapy

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female

One year after nivolumab was stopped, there was no progression of the lung cancer or secondary lesions, and she remained under surveillance.

PubMed CentralRead more →

ALK-positive lung cancer treated with alectinib throughout pregnancy

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ALK rearrangement / fusion-positive

Metastatic Site: pleura; liver; bone; brain

Alectinib produced a complete radiologic response and maintained intracranial control through pregnancy. She delivered a healthy infant at 37 weeks, with normal development at 26 months.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Lung cancer causing severe breathing failure, treated with afatinib in a dialysis patient

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male

Biomarkers: EGFR G719A point mutation in exon 18

Within 1 month of starting afatinib, the tumour shrank and severe respiratory failure resolved. He continued treatment for more than 3 months without severe adverse events.

PubMed CentralRead more →

First reported case of a severe immune reaction (cytokine release syndrome) from tislelizumab

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

Metastatic Site: pleura (malignant pleural effusion)

The cytokine release syndrome initially improved with high-dose steroids, but he developed severe ventilator-associated pneumonia during the steroid taper and died.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Lung cancer first discovered through a skin metastasis

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: skin and subcutaneous tissues; soft tissue and muscle;…

His metastatic disease progressed rapidly, and he died 4.5 months after the initial dermatology referral.

PubMed CentralRead more →

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 CentralRead more →

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

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

Biomarkers: ALK mutation / ALK-positive

Metastatic Site: Brain | Liver

As of October 2023, Christine was living with Stage IV ALK-positive NSCLC that remained in check on targeted therapy after alectinib cleared brain and liver spots and lorlatinib continued, with significant chronic side effects.

Lung Cancer Research FoundationRead more →

Severe colitis from pembrolizumab immunotherapy requiring additional treatment

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male

Infliximab stopped the bleeding and reduced bowel movements from 11–12 to about 3–4 per day within 1 week, allowing discharge. Continued follow-up was needed for the colitis, hepatitis B reactivation risk and lung cancer.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Lung cancer in a young adult mistaken for recurring pneumonia

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male | Stage III

Biomarkers: KRAS mutation

Two months after discharge, he began carboplatin, pemetrexed and pembrolizumab and had received 2 cycles.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Lung cancer immunotherapy causing sudden heart inflammation and type 1 diabetes

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage III

Her acute symptoms resolved, cardiac function returned to her baseline ejection fraction of 32% at 1 month and durvalumab remained permanently discontinued while oncology, endocrine and cardiac follow-up continued.

PubMed CentralRead more →

MET-mutated lung cancer: testing savolitinib before surgery — Case 2

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 60s

Biomarkers: MET exon 14 skipping mutation; PD-L1 expression 75%

Savolitinib produced approximately 72% tumour shrinkage. Surgery found 30% viable residual tumour, negative lymph nodes and ypT1bN0M0 disease; she recovered without complications and continued savolitinib.

PubMed CentralRead more →

MET-mutated lung cancer: testing savolitinib before surgery

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

Biomarkers: MET exon 14 skipping, TP53 and BRAF mutations; PD-L1 expression 5%

Metastatic Site: pleura; mediastinal lymph node

Savolitinib produced a partial radiological response, but surgery confirmed persistent pleural and mediastinal nodal metastases with ypStage IVA disease. He recovered and continued adjuvant savolitinib.

PubMed CentralRead more →

HER2-positive metastatic lung cancer treated with trastuzumab deruxtecan (Enhertu)

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: ERBB2/HER2 copy-number gain of at least 20 copies; TP53 C242fs; CDK12 copy-number gain; tumour mutational burden 3.2 mutations/Mb

Metastatic Site: lungs / multiple pulmonary nodules

Trastuzumab deruxtecan reduced the pulmonary nodules by more than 50% at 3 months and produced a documented response lasting 13.8 months.

PubMed CentralRead more →

Stage IV MET Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Amy's Patient Story

Patient Info: Amy, Female | Stage IV

Biomarkers: MET amplification

Metastatic Site: Bone/femur; lymph nodes; shoulder; adrenal glands;…

As of July 2022, Amy had a rapid and strong response to Crizotinib after MET amplification was found, with pain and lumps improving within about 2 weeks after Keytruda had failed.

The Patient StoryRead more →

Severe kidney injury during pembrolizumab-based treatment for lung adenocarcinoma

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 70+

Kidney function stabilized during six months of follow-up, and he later began a modified cancer regimen containing SAR408701.

PubMed CentralRead more →