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.

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Stage I Lung Cancer: Debra's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Debra Haberstroh, Female | Stage I

As of November 2023, Debra was 5 months after May 2023 lung tumor resection, did not need chemotherapy, was described by her oncologist as technically cured, and continued surveillance imaging.

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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.

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Rare blood-vessel-based lung tumor (epithelioid hemangioendothelioma)

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female

Biomarkers: PEH positive for CD31, ERF and TFE3

At 1-year CT follow-up, residual pulmonary nodules were stable and there were no distant metastases.

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Stage I Lung Cancer: Lauren's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Lauren, Female, Under 40 | Stage I

Biomarkers: CD56-positive; neuroendocrine tumor

As of August 2023, Lauren reported no signs of more cancer after bronchoscopy and surgery removing the right lower and middle lung lobes, with surveillance extended to yearly CT scans.

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My Lung Cancer Symptoms: "They Thought it was Asthma!" (Lauren’s Story)

Patient Info: Lauren Koy, Female, Under 40 | Stage I

Biomarkers: No genetic factors reported

As of August 2023, Lauren described lung cancer diagnosis after years of symptoms and surgery to remove part of her lung, then used her story to advocate for being heard despite young age and no smoking history.

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MET-mutated lung cancer: testing savolitinib before surgery — Case 1

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 70+

Biomarkers: MET exon 14 skipping mutation

The tumour shrank by 82%; surgery found 5% viable residual tumour and no involved lymph nodes, with postoperative stage ypT2aN0M0. He continued savolitinib without serious adverse effects.

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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.

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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.

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Stage I Lung Cancer: Terri's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Terri Ann DiJulio, Female, 40s | Stage I

Biomarkers: Not reported for patient; family history of lung cancer noted

As of June 2023, Terri Ann was considered no evidence of disease after 3 early-stage lung cancer diagnoses treated with surgery and SBRT, and she had returned to 6-month follow-up while continuing advocacy and cycling.

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Stage II HR-Positive Lung Cancer: Christine's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Christine, Female | Stage II

Biomarkers: Lung cancer biomarkers not reported; prior breast cancer described as ER-positive, PR-positive, HER2-positive / triple-positive

Reached complete remission from both Stage III triple-positive breast cancer and a separate Stage IIA primary lung cancer after about 1 year, including breast cancer chemotherapy/radiation and lower lung resection.

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Lung cancer recurrence in the thyroid, initially mistaken for thyroid cancer

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male | Stage IV

Biomarkers: EGFR exon 19 deletion; TTF-1-positive; Napsin A-positive; PAX8-negative; thyroglobulin staining limited to tumour cells adjacent to normal thyroid tissue

Metastatic Site: thyroid; cervical lymph nodes

After starting osimertinib for EGFR exon 19-deleted recurrent lung adenocarcinoma, he was disease free 5 months after thyroid surgery.

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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.

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Rare lung sarcoma causing repeated collapsed lungs

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage I

Biomarkers: SS18-SSX2 fusion; CD99-positive; epithelial membrane antigen-positive; TLE1-positive; BCL-2-positive

She remained well under surveillance, with no evidence of disease on imaging at 3 years after definitive lobectomy.

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Rare small cell lung cancer subtype removed by surgery

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male

Biomarkers: Cytokeratin-negative; focal TTF-1-positive; Napsin A-negative; electron microscopy showed neurosecretory granules; EWSR1 and SS18 rearrangement testing negative

Follow-up scans found no residual, recurrent or metastatic lung cancer, and he was doing well.

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Stage IV Lung Cancer Reached Remission After Severe Nerve Damage and Neck Surgery

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female | Stage IV

Metastatic Site: left cervical lymph nodes

Considered in complete remission after cervical lymph-node surgery, with no clinical or radiological progression 24 months after systemic treatment; alive and back at work 3 years after diagnosis.

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Lung adenocarcinoma found during evaluation of nephrotic syndrome and tuberculosis

Patient Info: Anonymized, Female, 50s

The right middle-lobe adenocarcinoma was resected, while nephrotic syndrome improved after surgery and treatment of the separate tuberculosis-related granuloma.

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Long-term erlotinib treatment alongside worsening kidney vasculitis

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

Metastatic Site: bone

Bone metastases showed osteosclerotic change after erlotinib began, and the drug continued because he was benefiting from treatment despite worsening renal vasculitis.

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An 8 mm Early Lung Adenocarcinoma Removed With Limited Lung Surgery

Patient Info: Anonymized, Male, 60s

The 8 mm lesion was removed, and final pathology showed minimally invasive adenocarcinoma, pT1a(mi).

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

Patient Info: Abby Kanarek, Female, 60s | Stage IV

Biomarkers: PD-L1 90%

Metastatic Site: Brain

As of November 2021, Abby was in remission 2 years after only 4 Keytruda infusions, with the lung cancer eliminated and ongoing surveillance by a multidisciplinary City of Hope team.

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Stage I Lung Cancer: Dave's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Dave Bjork, Male | Stage I

As of November 2021, Dave was a Stage I lung cancer survivor after surgery-only treatment, with no chemotherapy reported, and was active in lung cancer awareness advocacy.

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Stage I Lung Cancer: Bonnie's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Bonnie Ulrich, Female | Stage I

As of November 2021, Bonnie was described as in remission after Stage I lung cancer treated with surgery only, and as a 3-time lung cancer survivor active in anti-stigma advocacy.

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A 3D anatomical model helped guide right upper-lobe lung cancer surgery

Patient Info: Anonymized

The planned right upper-lobe resection was completed using the interactive model to identify pulmonary vessels and the bronchus during surgery.

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Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Susan's Survivor Story

Patient Info: Susan Taylor, Female, 70+

As of July 2021, Susan had localized non-small cell lung cancer removed by robotic left upper lobectomy with lymph node removal and had returned to normal activities within 3 weeks; no metastatic disease or systemic therapy was reported.

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